The daily gazette., 1880-07-21
FIRST EDITION.
For the GAZETTE.
To the Board Of Education.

EDITOR GAzETTE-Dear Sir:
Please allow me space in your
valuable paper for some serious re-
marks important both to each of us
individually and to the whole nation
at large. 1t is q question touching
upon our public schools and hence
it is also of a national character,
viz: the introduction of German into
the pubic schools. 1t would be we'll
for the Board of Education to con-
slider the weighty and momentous
reasons which should cause them to
take up once more this matter and
reflect seriously on il. Motives
OF propriety, nece -sity, and use
fiilness should be sufficient to
have German taught. If we con-
slider the German population of this
city and the whole country we find
it will, according to this last census,
not fall much short of Is millions,
and in the West, which may be call
ed an "altera Germania," the Ger
man language is actually rivalling
with the English. Besides such a
strong German element ranking
among the most devoted friends and
supporters of our country, it un.
doubtedly entitled to some regard
on the part of the school authorities.
Again, looking at our foreign COM
mercial relations and diplomatic in
tercourse (apart from Great Britain
and Ireland) we find that Germany
ranks now first of all other foreign
nations. Necessity compels us to
learn German if we wish to travel
through this country or Germany
with advantage either on business,
for pleasure or information. 1t is
certain that generally speaking Ger
man is indispensable in any sue
cessful business or professional man,
and the demand for knowledge of
German is still increasing. The
usefulness of German advises to
teach il in our public schools and
the result would be a valuable one
for all who either wish to study in
or travel through Germany, who
seek higher grade of education in
its general sense and they must
therefore be acquainted with the
rich and extensive literature of Ger
many, called "the language of phi
losophers and thinkers"
The last and most important reason
is the intimate relation and close con-
nection of German idioms with Eng
lish. Prof p. w. Hochkeppel in his
lecture on public schools in the Opera
House last Spring said "that he who
knows only his own language, does not
even know that" and it was certainly
true in the above meaning. English
can evidently never be known thor
oughly and philologically without the
knowledge of German, because Ger
man and English are the twin off
spring of the Anglo-Saxon. Upwards
of 23, 600 words or As of those in ac-
tual use are of German origin. The
English grammar, the soul of the Ian
guage, is of German descent. Nearly
all expressions nearest, dearest and
highest 10 man are at this day the same
in English and in German.
Hence as the public schools are the
life-giving element and as the Ian
guagos of two great nations are not
only so nearly connected but also al
most rivalling with each other in this
country and as such weighty reasons
of propriety, necessity and usefulness
commend and urge the introduction of
German in the public schools-let the
members of the b. Of E. in their next
session consider the matter duly and
seriously in the capacitysof their Office
and let them pass resolution that
German shall be re-introduced again
next Fall and taught in the grammar
department by competent and ap-
proved teacher. The benefit which
the city of Wilmington alone would
receive within years could hardly be
ascertained. Let the Board Of e. re-
member that to them a large share in
the government in as much as they are
to watch our educational interests and
for this they ought to think of the
threatening advice once given to the
to the Consuls of Rome "Videant
consules, ne quid detrimenti capiat
respublica."
N. B.-What l have said of German
is partly and also in an inferior degree
true of French, TRUTH.