The New York herald., 1876-02-02
GERMAN IN THE SCHOOLS.
TIE TEuToNIc TAXPAYERS ASK FOR REPRE-
sENTATIoN IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHERE

THEIR CHllADREN HAVE A MAJORITY
The German American Taxpayers Association of the
Tenth, Eleventh ana Seventeenth wards is one of the
most powerful and influential organizations in New
York; and it is nOn-poitical, representing over
$40 900 in real estate and combining its interference
solely to matters affecting German nterests the fol-
loving communication, signed by sl2 Of its membera
on the much agitated question Of 'Shall German Re-
Taught in the Pubic Schools ~ will be read with inter-
est. To-day the question ON which IL treats will be
brought up for discussion in the Board Of Education
and large number of Germans will be present to see
what action is taken by the Board in the matter The
principal point made in the argument for the Germanio
SIDE Of the question is that they do not ask that the
German language shall be forced upon schools where
German scholars the minority, but only in
schools where the children of Germans exceed In
Der those of other parentage than their own race-
To THE HoSoRABL BOARD OF EDUcATIoS:-
The undersigned members OF the Taxpayers Asso-
citation OF the Tenth Eleventh and Seventeenth Wards
of this city take the liberty address your honorable
Board on a subject which i5 not only OF Interest to
every friend of education but which particularly Affects
the Inhabitants OF that portion of New York which We
represent We aude TO the teaching OF the German
language in the public schools
ECONOMY.
We believe the first attempt TO strike the German
language from the course of studies was made on the
OF economy Asrea estate owners and Taxpayers
contributing quota TO the school fund from which
the common schools are maintained, and believing
that some consideration should be paid 10 the wishes
and wants Of those who support these insti-
tutions We would crave your indulgence for
few moments while we call your atten-
tion TO some important facts IL is conceded by the
great majority OF educators at the present time n
has always beon claimed by the best teachers Of every
ago that instruction in language develops the intel
lect trains the reasoning faculties strengthens the
In past times, when education was the monopoly
of the privileged few, the child, almost soon as
could read in Its own tongue, taught the eementA
of Latin In our own days 1t generally admitted THAI
modern languages are preferable object OF study
for the masses especially on account OF their great
practical utility, because proficiency IN them can be
acquired in very much less time than II takes TO learn
the classics and because by skful teaching they may
be made exceedingly useful as means OF mental train
ing In the best schools OF Germany, Holland Swter
land other countries of Europe, some modern Ian
guage besides the vernscular is regular branch Of
study This is true not Of the higher Institutions Of
learning only, but of the elementary schools corre-
spending TO our grammar schools Indeed, IN many OF
the small towns and villages of Germany, In places,
some OF them numbering not more than 1000 souls,
English OF French is taught as regular study; and
proudcs Republic which the ever shone, In the
centennial year OF Its existence is willing to do less Tor
the instruction of its citizens less for the training OF
its youth than the monarchies of the Old World do
ing for their subjectsf
Shall il be true that while England France and other
countries in which the education of the masses haf
until recently been or less neglected are doing all
they can TO improve the mental condition OF their
population New York, the most cosmopolitan city on
the globe, Is ready TO take step backward ready 70
listen tothe voice of prejudice aad national hatred and
curta the few hall hours instruction, which will lay
the foundation for the knowledge OF language which
must be q source of future profit and delight, and
which deny is only the second in impor-
tance in city and country TO the EngishY
To 40 nearer home We would remind your honorable
body that German is regular branch OF study in most
OF the great Western clties-in 81 Louis Cincinnati,
Cleveland, Milwaukee, Columbus aud many others
and that is the unanimous opinion OF the authorities
in those places that the study of the German language
far from retardng the progress of the scholars IN their
English studies, has enabled them TO make the more
progress, Shall New York, which is rapidly attaining
the lead the great literary centre OF our Union see
itself outstrppea in the educational advantages offers
It's children by second rate Western cities, some Of
which were mere villages only few decades agof
SPOKEN BY A GREATER NUMBER.
We believe any one foreign language Is 70 DC made
claims any other, both for the reason that II 10
spoken by greater number of persons in New York
and In the United States than any other, with the ex-
cepton of the English naturally, and because OF its
great similarity to the latter, which in its grammatical
are most frequently used in of daily
life eminenty German!c tongue, and is SO cassi-
fed by phologists.
introduced as a regular branch OF study into every
grammar school throughout the city If there be any
schools in which the majority Of the parents who send
their children them do desire that their offspring
should be taught an additional language we would b
the last TO attempt to force it upon them.
But in that section of the city in which We live the
vast majority Of the pupils nearly all the schooS
are the children OF parents who speak English mpen
birth more or less advanced in years. and who find il
impossible evcrto acquire such fluent knowledge az
in that language with the degree OF skill as in the
tongue which they learned at their mothers knee
These parents have to America TO stay, and tht
great majority oil them American citizens, and they
have for years and will continue TO contribute theI
share toward the maintenance of the government Its
institutions its laws and its schools We need not re-
mind your honorable body that as class they are all
orderly, industrious law abiding; they all, with,
out exception, anxious that thor children should re-
ceive good education, and believe that II will bt
found inquiry that they exceed by no class Of
the population in the support which they give 10 tho
teachers of their children.
SMALL NUMBER OF GERMAN TRUASTs.
We respectfully refer to the report of the Supcrin
tcndcnt OF Truancy, which shows how small is ths
percentage OF the truant children of
parents when compared with the ratio which the Ger
American population Of this city bears TO the ens
tire population which cannot be far from thirty
per cent Very many Of this part Of our popula
ton were formerly in the habit OF sending theii
children for two three four years during the whole
term OF their school life to German American
private schools and to tho parochal schools connected
with German churches Most Of them did this, not bo
cause they preferred these institutions to the public
schools, but because they did not wish to have theI
children grow UP cstranged from their parents Az
great sacrifice many poor mechanic and aborer has
sent his sons and daughters for a while at least, tS
some private school solely that his children nigh
learn with degree OF proficiency TO read and II
write that idiom In which they first lisped tncil
infantle desires. Is there any member in your honor
able body who could find fault with such parents q
these2
They do not expect TO have their children becom.
proficient in German at the expense Of the English
is their most ardent wish that their and daugh
ters should become thoroughly vcrsed in that Language
which is and will be the language of this country
When those children who have been pupils OF German
American private schools atcrd. the public schools
is be wondered al II they seem behind those whl
never attended any other in their pronunciation q
English and in their ability to clohe their thoughts "
English dress.
A FOREIGN ACCENT NOT DESIRABLE
Some Of these children though TO the manor born,
lose the slight foreign which they have
acquired in the private schools, and the spectacle
thus presented OF native born American citizens WIZ
yet speak the English language with more or less oil
foreign accent IL is TO avoid this 10 give us chancJ
thoroughly 10 Amercanze children, that we desiH
to have some attention paid 10 the wishes OF the par
ents who compelled TO converse with their chdreR
in the German language We ask this not as aiicnT
not as foreigners with hankering AFTER the institu
tons and language of the land Of our blrth we ask
as American citizens as taxpayers OF New YORK. an,
sincerely believe your honorable body WIZ see tht
justice OF request In most OF tho schools oil tn
wards which we have the honor TO represent the pro
portion Of children whose parents speak 70 'hem y
German is from seventy five TO ninety per cent When