The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-21
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LANGUAGES IN THE SCHOOLS.

LANGUAGES IN THE SCHOOLS.
In England and on the continent one can
not travel far, or get the best of what is seen
and said, without speaking knowledge Of
English, French and German. 1t is all right
for as near neighbors as France, England and
the Teutonic peoples to begin the study Of
each others tongues from the cradle. But
this is not the case with Americans. While
the Northern and Central United States are
flooded with Scandinavians and Germans,
they come expecting to meet us on our own
grounds, social, political and linguistic; the
same with the French, Italian and Spanish.
They come to be Americans, and not to usurp
our customs or to reshape our Threats.
If they do not come speaking and reading
the English tongue, it is not Of gen.
sral importance that we should meet
them in their own. The burden does not rest
upon the American people, or upon the COM
mon schools, to equip the children Of the
schools with any foreign tongue whatever.
The small section of our sixty million people
who will travel abroad, or correspond with
foreigners on business, OF need to use un-
translated books or scientific journals, can
learn in the higher schools and colleges, and
in private classes, enough of the foreign Ian
guage to meet their ends. Looked at from
pul~.y business and patriotic-and that is
largely the Observation-Disclosures it is bet
ter for all that the European peoples become
thorough in the language of American
trade, homes, law, social institutions and poll
tics, than for the common schools of cities to
teach foreign tongues to thousands simply in
order that in after years it may be benefit in
travel or business to few. st. Louis with
in the last ten years, has had from twelve to
fifteen thousand pupils of all grades and ages
studying German in the public schools, under
fifty to sixty teachers. Of these about one
third are Anglo-Americans. 1t is an immense
burden upon the school system, and brings to
every building where the mixed classes are
taught confusion and disturbance.
1t remains to be demonstrated if the teach
ing of elementary subjects, reading, writing,
geography and history in two languages to a
class of pupils, who nearly all leave school be-
fore they learn to speak and write the Ian
guage Of the country creditably, is just to the
pupils, good educational economy, or within the
scope and purpose of the American school
system.
Latin is better language for high-school
study than German, where both cannot be
pursued, because it gives the root-words to
that part of English speech which is the
language of thought and reflection. We
have the Teutonic groundwork which is the
language of sensuous experience and every
day life in tho Anglo Saxon, and so do not
need to go to the German for it. Latin was
once the only language of the learned.
Swedenborg, Spinoza Lord Bacon wrote it.
The universities had no other for their COM
mon vehicle of thought. It is still the main
language of cultured English people; for the
vocabulary of science, of refined culture, of
abstract thought and generalization is
mainly of Latin derivation. We repeat
Roman rather than Teutonic life in
our civil and political forms, just as
scientific and aesthetic forms come from
Greece. A low prudence, a superficial view,
only justifes the conclusion that there is little
crying need for French, or German, or Span
ish, or Italian for the higher public schools.
The most that they bring English students
they already have. That German, or French,
or Spanish, or Choctaw should be taught to
primary pupils as language of common
speech is contrary to the spirit and intent of
the school system, which is to teach those
few things at pablo expense which all
the people need in the common
business and relationship of American life.
The public school system is not designed to
prepare primary and intermediate pupils for
travel in Europe, for tradesmen in regions
having mixed population, or to teach any
foreign language as an Accomplishment"
merely If it can be shown that these tongues
do not interfere with solid knowledge, and are
quite as good for discipline, culture and exact
ness Of thoughtand utility, then let them take
place with reading and writing in English,