Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1868-09-09
German In our Public schools

itors, Publishers, many German Ministers,
Professors, and other friends Of education
in the State, desire to have the following
petition with the reasons and facts therein
contained presented to the proper authori-
ties
10 thc Honorable Directors and Controllers
ofMe PuJlc Schools Of Rmasyicania:
Whilst thanking the worthy Directors and
Controllers of the Public Schools Of the
State, for the introduction of the German
language into many of tho High Schools of
our cities and towns, we would respectfully
ask you to consider favorably the propriety
of introducing the German also into the
lower departments of our Free Schools gen.
orally, as far rs possible, aud for the follow
ing reasons:
|. Because comparatively few pupils from
the lower departments ever enter the High
Schools, and thus, the privilege of studying
German in our Public Schools is denied to
most Of the children in the State.
.. Because in State like Pennsylvania,
where about one half Of the church mem.
bers attend divine service in the German
language, and where nearly one hundred
newspapers, and large number of excel
lent books are published in the same Ian
guagc, all the children, rich and poor, and
those too who cannot attend High School
or College, should have an opportunity to
learn to read, and understand not only the
English but also the German language cor
rectly.
3. Because the German is the mother
tongue of about one half of the parents of
the State, and it serves, as experience shows,
to promote obedience to parents and good
training generally, if children study the
noble language of their fathers. thoroughly,
and learn to respect it properly.
4. Because church, school and home min
istJs, teachers, and parents should con-
stan,y work together in the education of
youth, but this can only be done with good
results, if the church and family language
is also correctly taught and understood, as
well as duly honorcd in the school.
5. Because, if our public schools teach
pupils to read and write the German Ian
guage as well as the English, and endeavor
to infusc spirit of pleasure and love for
reading in both languages, they impart to
German speaking parents through their
children much useful knowledge and help to
promote education among young and old in
German families.
6. Because the German is an original Ian
guage-and very many Of the most impor-
tant and generally used English words
among the people are of German or Anglo
Saxon origin, so that the study Of the Ger
man language leads scholars to more thor
ough understanding of tue English.
I. Because the study Of different Ian
guages- specially translating from one
language into another-is one of the best
mental exercises and an invaluable means of
culture, which should be generally intro
duced into our public schools.
s. Because theoretical and practical
knowledge Of the German language, which
is spoken and honored by so many millions
in all parts of the world, is of great value
to all Americans and especially to Pcnnsy-
vanians, in business life, in social Intercourse
and particularly in travelling in this and
other lands.
9. Because the German language in its
purity is not only one of the most beautiful
languages of the world, but also because its
literature is acknowledged as unsurpassed in
richness aud value, and opens and offers to
the student the greatest treasures in all
branches of knowledge.
10. Because the introduction of the Ger
man language during the last few years into
the public schools Of nearly all the principal
cities of the West, and also of many places
in the East, as for example New York, Har.
rsburg, &C., has been followed by the most
beneficial! results.
IL. Because great many children in our
State already understand and speak the
Pennsylvania German dialect, aud they
could be easily taught to read, understand,
write and speak the pure German, the Ian
guage of Luther and Schiller and Goethe,
and Of all Germany's great scholars -theo-
|ogians, philosophers, poets, &c.
IL. Because Pennsylvania, the Keystone
of our beloved Union, is often called the
"Old German State" and it is certainly
greatly indebted to its industrious, skillful
and economical Germanspeaking inhabitants
for much of its wealth and prosperity, and
proper regard to the language of this large
portion of our influential population in our
public schools seems to us to be just and
right.
In addition to these numerous plans and
practical reasons, We take tho liberty OF
stating another fact in conclusion:
When the School Board of Cleveland,
Ohio, lately introduced the German language
into the public schools Of that city, some
expressed fear that the study Of the Ger
man might retard tho progress of English
studies in the schools, and in order to meet
this objection, inquiry was made in Cincin-
natl, where the German had been taught in