, 1873-06-23


cuff fight serious affair in tho oyon Of tho Law.
pooplo must DO taught TINT thoy can't indulge
In this dangerous amusonont without paying
forit.
GERMAN IN TH~ PUBLIC BCHooLs.
Wo yesterday published q lcttor from Mr.
Ernst prusang, Of the Board Of Education, In
at'swcr to M article In ths paper concerning tho
enforced study Of German In tho public
schools. Mr.: prussing states tho demand mado
by him and bis colleagues In tho Board of Edu-
cation to DO that tho study Of German III it's
compulsory fcaturos ehan DO placed on tho
Same footing aa arithmetic, reading, writing,
geography and grammer, in oil cases mhero
child has boon allowed to begin it.
Tho Btudlos In tho public schools, be-
ginning at instruction in tho alphabet
are arranged by grades numbered from 10
up to !. as tho children progress thoy
aro advanced from ono grado to tho
other. Each grade haa its allotted stud
teH, adapted to tho capacity and proficiency OF
the pupils. Under tho graded system child,
however proficient in my number Of his allotted
studloe, is retained in that grado until ho has
mastered them all sufficiently to ontit1e him to
promotion. Tho German language is not ono Of
tho necessary studios. But tho Board Of Edu-
cation has authorized my child desiring to do 30,
IN certain grades, to receive lessons III German
from teaohors appointed for TINT purpose. This
study, however, Ia optional, and, II tho study Of
}f4fa Iii.
tho instruction received DO not considered IN
equivalent for tho time taken for 1t, it is op-
tional with tho parents to discontinue it. The
result is that many children begin tho study, try
1t awhile, then abandon 1t. A committee Of tho
Board Of Educatlon consisting Of hGessrs. HeB-
ing and Rchbcrg, made report on this subject
como time ago, In which they iamented tho un-
fruitful character Of the German tuition in tho
schools Thoy aay:
Wo willingly concedo that tho German instruction
na pursued ut present In public eohoog In not AZ
effective a. 1t ought to DO 1t docs not bear those fruits
TINT 1t ought to, II ono considers the amount Of tne
that s Bpent by tho teachor This under tho present
syao, calnot bo othorwao and 1t Ia for ths roaaou
that change il absolutely necessary.
Tho remcdy proposed is to plaoo tho study 20
that ut must not bo enoroached upon by other
studiea 1t must not onoronch upon them" Tho
first thing they ask ie ohavo Superintendent Of
German Education +; tho noxt point is to confine
tho instruction to children In tho fourth and
higher grados; and, In these four upper
gradea, "the study Of German must DO nado
compulsory; that is, optionally compulsory, II
womay ,tse such term,-that is, II onco begun,
1t cannot DO stopped, 1t must DO put On IN equal
footing with al other studies. When tic o1ami-
nations for promotions from grade to grade arc
held, tho pupils must pass IN examination In
German also,-this examination to bo con-
Quoted by the Superintendent Of German, and
any failure IN this department will bo
considered sufficient ground for not advancing
tho pupil into higher grade" This compulsory
study Of German is to continue during tho last
four years. Of attendance in the District Schools,
md two years aftor entrance into tho High
School.
Tho children who arc in thepe four upper
grades Of the school have, as regular studles,
arithmetic up to a1gebra,~ history, geography,
writing, grammar, music, drawing, and perhaps
othors; II my ono of them, male or female,
with tho consent Of tho parents, Offers to take
German in the List OF studios, Mossrs. Hesng,
niohborg, and Prussing propose that 1t ahall not
be lawful for him or hor thereafter to drop
1t for any Cause, that once begun, tho
child must continue tho study Of German
for four yoara, or leave tho school; that if at
any semt-annual examination for promotion a
child In the fourth grade should chow proflo-
ionoy in all the English studios justifying pro-
motion, he or ahe Bhau not bo promoted, but
must romain In that grade, unless he or ahe can
exhibit q corresponding proficiency in Cor
man. In other words, any child whose parents
thoughtless1y or othorwiBo permit him to study
German at all, and find afterward that tho child
is not ablo to go with It, or that It insorferos
with his English studies, is required
to loavo school. Once begun, tho Cor
mnn Is made rs obligatory as arithmetic
grammar, history, or geography, aud must
be studied nolens uoens. This, NO
tom from it's legitimate purpose, which is to give
the children an opportunity to acquire a free Cd
ucation in tho English language, fitting them for
tho ordinary business Of life. The study Of
German, as vol as OF Crock, Latin, Fronch,
Italian, md Spanish belongs to higher grado
OF education than was ever contemplated in the
common school system Of this State, and wo
think tho majority Of tho Board Of Education, to
whom Mr. prusBihg alludes, showed proper
appreciation Of thoir duty to tho public by
voting. this proposition down. Tho City
of Chicago has, with great liborality,
established free High School, in which all tho
childron passing through tho public schools may,
ii they desire it, obtain highor education, in
oluding four yoars' study OF tho German,
Fronch, Crock, and Latin languages, or such Of
A1,oro ~.