St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-13

for her daughter; still. an older friend
who has the interest of her charge
wholly at heart will do we'll. Americans
can scarcely realize how very different
IS life in Europe from that OF our own
America, where young girl may travel
from Maine to San Francisco with per-
feet freedom from annoyance: while in
London or in continental Europe
pretty girl is often subject to extreme
rudeneSS upon the street and elsewhere
if unattended.
As rule the American girl seeks Eu-
rope for special study, either OF music.
art or for the purposeof acquiring one
or more of the continental languages
German, French and Italian. German
is well spoken and we'll taught by edu-
Gated people throughout the German
empire: yet, in each separate province,
peasants and labOrerS and their children
speak dialects which are as distinct as
are the languages of the different tribes
of American Indians, and can be under
stood nowhere else. Hence the cOnclu-
sion that, all other things beng equal.
one province is as good as another for
acquiring the language.
One of the greatest objections to the
pension or boarding school is the lnSuf-
iicient diet. European cooking is SO
so nnpalatable, that young girls who
ought to have appetlZing and nOurish-
ing food, and plenty Of it, could not be
sufficiently fed. Then, again, though
these schools guard very carefully their
pupils, association with girls so differ
emily taught, and whose moral training
may Or may not have been the best.
also. the absence of home and religious
helps. is vital objection to pension
schools. or these schools the Swiss
are said to be the best, and in them
French is far more readily acquired
than in tile Paris schools, where so
many American girls are sent, and
where. as would naturally be the case,
the English-speaking pupils associate.
and, as matter Of course, communicate
i'll their own language.
If the main object in going abroad is
to learn the continental languages. it is
obvious that smaller towns where there
are few English-speaking people, where
the learner is obliged to master the full
resources, however limited, of the Ian
guage, are best. Then again, in smaller
towns the expense of living is much
less, and tuition cheaper than in cities.
though it is fact that any family may
live much cheaper and get more in
large cities abroad than in cities of
corresponding rank in America.
But WEera students wish to combine
musical or art studies with the acquire
mentS Of languages, large cities are. of
course, best-lD fact, necessity. 1t Is
impossible to decide which cities offer
the best facilities. In Paris, London,
Munich. Berlin, Rome, Florence and
other art and musical centerS, good
yes, great-teachers in every depart
ment may be found, and in all opera and
.f,.a,, Il 4. H. h..
greatest musical artists i'll all Europe
may be, from time to time, heard at
either place, aud each city holds special
art treasures of the old. the new and of
every period ana school.
1t is also a difficult matter to decide at
what age 1t is advisable to transplant
scholars from American to European
schools, whether or not to make the
European training supplementary; and
the conclusion seems to be almost uni
verSal that girls ought first to be
thoroughly educated i'll the grammar
and high schools of America, whose
curriculum covers the necessary studies
for learning to speak and write good
English; mai hematics arithmetic, aige-
bra and geometry); history american
and English); natural philosophy and
history, and a. fair acquaintance with
English literature. The rudimentary
study of both German and French may
also be accomplishment grammar
well learned ana the simpler forms of
construction acquired; also reasonable
faculty in translation, provided the
pupil may be able to study under a nat
i've French or German teacher. Other
wise such study will be hindrauce.
rather than help, in learning TO speak
correctly.
Musical and art training may also.
under favorable conditions, go on in
America; though the more delicate art
of voice culture may, with profit, wait
until skilled teacher is found. Hun
dreds of fine Threats come across the
water utterly ruined by false system
OF teaching-a ruin which a skilled in
structor even can never restore. The
question Is also asked over and over,
"How long ought student to remain
abroad in order to accomplish the Ger
man, hrench and Italian languages:
also to gain reasonable profit in art
and musical Instruction." Much de-
ponds upon the pupil, or course. Ger
man is very difficult language, and
ought to claim two years at least in
order 10 speak and write it we'll. French
and Italian are simpler in construction
and require less time. In music and art
there can be no limit named; for in
these all culture is relative.
SWEET SUGGESTIONS.