The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-03-31
GERMAMENaLsH MASS MEETING

In Wrnets Hall Friday Night Interesting address
S By Professor LeOnhdrt Mr.. Lehman, Professor
WOrley, A. AcGregor, Esq ReV Peter Her6ruck
Mr.. Wetnler and President Joseph Biechels.
Wernets hall was we'll filled Friday evening
with Germans and Americans interested In the
perpetuahon Of the German language in this
county. The meeting was called TO order by Mr..
@. N. Frank and organized by elecdug Mr., Jos.
Blechele president, Messrs. Bauhof Peter
Roemhid and A Paar, Vice Presidents, and
Messrs John Raber and GustaVuB A schralshuhn,
Secretaries. President Bechee in few words
explained the object Of the Getting and then in-
tro iuced the orator Of the evening Professor Ru.
dOlph Leonhart Mr. Leonhart is the gentleman
whom the Board of Education have engaged to
take charge Of the German classes in the High
School and the east school building. He was
formerly Professor Of German and General Histo
ry in the Western University al Pittsburg.
Professor Leonhart made an interesting and In
strucye address on the German language. He said
II was not language Of ten or one hundred years
but one Of thousands Of years age and growth. It
was not competition or corruption of other known
languages but was purely original A person ac-
qualnted with two or more languages has an incOm-
parable advantage over him who knows but one
The person acquainted with one language lives in q
deep ravlne, so to speak, from which place nothing
but the immediate surroundings can be seen. He
that Is acquainted with two three or more languages
lives on the upland where he can see and lntermin.
gle with thoughts and circumstances different than
his own. Germany has produced many ripe scholars
and thinkers and the true beauty and quality ofther
works can be best appreciated In the mother tongue
Speaking of the advantage to Americans In being &C
quainted with the German, he said how often do we
see advertsements-"Wa Wanted. a book keeper clerk,
&C." with the modifying clause. must he able to
speak German He finished his discourse with
schenkendorfs beautiful poem on "The Mother
Tongue"
Superintendent Of the public schools, Mr. Leh.
man, followed Professor Leonhart, and spoke OF
the manner in which many children Of German
parentage neglected their native language; most
OF the German students in the schools were OF
American parentage. Mr. Lehman is himself
capable OF speaking and reading German and ia
consequently interested In the language
Professor Daniel Worley was called upon and
said he had been solicited to make German
speech, but as his German was mostly Pennsyl-
Vania dutch, he preferred to deliver his German
speech In English, with the exception Of few
selections, which were given In the unadultera.
ted Pennsylvania dutch. He spoke OF the rich
literature Of the German language and OF their
long list OF learned men, the results Of whose la.
bor aud studies could only be reached by being
acquainted with the German language. He end.
ed with the remark that his friend A McGrepor
would address the audience in German. Mr. Nc
Gregor responded that he would first deliver hiS
address In English and then consider the proprie.
ty OF repeating 1t In German. He spoke of the
friendship one feels for his mother tongue and Of
what value 1t was to be acquainted with more,
than one language, The German lappnape is
richer In literary treasures than most persons no
acquainted with 1t have any idea Of. When such
men as Sir Walter Scott and Thomas CARLYLE
studied the German language and expressed
themselves amply rewarded for their pains, we
can rest assured that the language is worthy not
only OF being learned by the children of German.
Americans but by the English speaking popua.
tion as well. Mr. MCGregor cited Instances in
which the Scottish dialect greatly resembled the
German, For instance the Scotch say kirk for
church and the Germans say klrche, being Of al
most the same pronunciation. He Tecited verse
from Burns's song Of the battle Of Sheriff Muir,
which he rendered rapidly in the broadest YER
nacular Scotch and produced great laughter. We
give the verse
On, cam ye here the fecht to shun?
Or herd the sheep we me mon?
Or, wur ye at the Siberia muir;
An did the battle see mon?
I saw the battle saIr and teuch;
An reeklng red ran mOny q sheuch;
My heart for fear gaed sough for sought
To hear the thuds, an see the cluds
o. clans frae wuds, In tartan duds,
That CLAIMED at Kingdoms three mon.
Rev. Peter Herbruck followed Mr. McGregor in
German and spoke Of the great value OF being
conVersant with the German as we'll as the Eng.
lish language. There was no danger Of the Ger
man language so long as the present influx Of
emigrants from Germany continued; but in case
that ceases the only hope in perpetuatlng German
is In educating the children.
Mr.. Weimer was then asked to make a few re-
marks, which he did, paying handsome tribute
to the German language in the German tongue.
President Biecbele closed the meeting with
short address, in which he said he hoped the
audience assembled would take to heart the re
marks which had been made and not go home
thinking this matter would regulate ITSELF Each
one should consider htmsefa committee to furth
er the Interests of the German language and
should not falter in the work. Hereupon the
meeting adjourned.
Just here we wish to add word Of credit to
Mr. Joseph A Hemann, editor OF the Ohio Voks
ztitung. He has not only labOred earnestly in
this cause personally, but has used literally the
columns of his paper in agitatlng the question Of
keeping up the German language In America
The Voits Zettung Of this week contains the entire
address of Professor Leonhart. some four and
half columns In length.