The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-09-24
ward. who may hereafter apply for sd-
mission to the First ward schools.

| cdes osuc VI " uSShuk NH III thC Thet
and Second wards, who, in order to at
tend the schools in the wards in which
they live, must walk q mile or more,
and through the entire length OF the
Third ward, passing in their route the
Third ward school These have here
tofore been suffered to attend the Third
ward school ! trust the Board will
deem it proper to allow said pupils still
to continue in the Third ward school.
While. ordinarily, the peace and har-
mony Of the schools require that pupils
shall be suffered to attend only the
schools in the wards or sub-districts in
which they reside, the foregoing may,
in my judgment, be wisely made ex-
ceptiopsl cases.
There is another matter OF which q
sense Of duty impels me 10 make mem
ticn. but which, for certain reasons, !
approach with degree of hesitancy. /
refer to the German instruction in the
schools-or rather, TO the plan adopted
by the Board relating thereto. / am
FULLY satisfied that, under the existing
regulation, the results which have been
anticipated and hoped for oy the friends
OF the German instruction. will not be
realized. The reasons which have led
] me to this conclusion / will endeavor,
"a briefly as practicable, to state. The
most serious objection to the plan
adopted, or rather the most objection
able feature in the plan, is that which
restricts the instruction to the higher
grades in the schools. l may be par
doned Tor stating that the fact must have
been lost sight OF. or not duly con-
sidered, that comparatively few pupils,
after entering the B division
remain in the schools suffi
cient length Of time to acquire
such a practical knowledge of the Ian
guage as to enable them to speak, read
aud write it, or even to understand it
, when they hear it spoken by others.
And more especially is this the case
with American youth who hear nothing
of the language at their homes.
Itis TACT we'll understood by teach
ers of language, and Que which has not
esca ped the observation of others. that
children from six 10 twelve years of age
will acquire knowledge OF a living Ian
guase iu less time, and learn to speak
| il more accurately and fuently, than
will these who commence the study at
a more advanced age. If proof o. this
, assertion were needed. it would only be
necessary to cite the case OF foreigners,
for instance Germans of adult age, who
arrive iu this country without a knowl-
edge OF the English language. Such
rarely acquire correct pronunciation
OF the language, and with difficulty
learn to construct Eng ish sentences
correctly. Not 80, however. with the
German child. 1t, in a very brief Time,
learns 10 speak the Euplish language
with little or no foreign accent ls it
not ialr TO presume that the same prin-
ciples prevail. and that like results tol-
low, in acquiring knowledge Of the
German lansuage2 Ny own observa-
ton and judgment serve to con-
vince me that the instruction
should commence lower down
in the primary grades than is
prov ,ded for in the plan adopted bv the
B ard. And l am more fully confirmed
in this brlief by the practice in other
cities, in which German has for Year.
held a conspicuous place in the school
curricu um In the pubic schools OF
ST. LOUIS the sub. ct receives probably
more attention than in the schools OF
any other city and the instruction there
is undoubtedly followed by better and
more positive practical results. And il
is fact worthy Of notice, that the in
struction is made to commence in the
7th, or very lowest grade OF the primary
or district schools. 10 this grade the
instruction is confined to object lessons.
In the Cincinnati schools, too, the Ger
man has a place in the F or lowest
grade Of the primary schools. 1t is
notable TACT, that from ten to twelve
thousand pupils, halt the num-
Der belonging to the schools, are found
10 the German classes. Were the mat.
ter let to my judgment, | would have
the instruction 10 our schools commence
in the lower c grade; and in this grade
| I would have il confined, almost exclu-
sively, to object and conversational les
sons. By this method the pupils Of an
entire room could be taught with the
same facility as class Of half d zen
In the next higher grade l would
have the object and conversational in
struction continued, and add thereto
card lessons, and printing upon slate
aud blackboard. After arriving at the
lower B grade would place 10 the
hands Of the pupils the German First
Reader, continue object and converse
sa,ionaI lessons, and teach to make the
script characters, or letters, with pencil
and crayon. In the higher grade Of
the B division the German Second
Reader should be used, and in this
grade the pupils ehould commence to
write with the pen: The object and
conversational instruction, particularly
the latter, should be continued through
the entire course. In the TWO grades
OF the A division, the higher readers
should be used, and writing aud trans
lating thoroughly taught
By the means indicated, the matter
OF the German in our schools would be
systematized, az the number instructed
would be largely increased, and at no
greater expense than is at presett in
Cured, and bv far more satisfactory re-
suits would be attained. After the sys-
tenn is fairly inaugurated the instruction
could be made to cease with the
course 10 the A Division. Pupils
having commenced the course in the c
division would then have given three
full years to the study; and it ia but
reasonable to presume that, havirg & gone
through with the course designated,
they would be likely to have q good
practical knowledge OF the language.