Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-02-27
Scandinavians in the Universities.

Correspondence of Minneapolis Journal:
''The editorial in to-day's issue of your pa
per entitled "Let our language prevail is
a puzzle to me. l most heartily agree with
you that English is the only language
which should be taught in the public Ii. e.
the common schools OF the country. But
the proposition referred to in the Bismarck
TRIBUNE. quoted in the editorial, is not to
have the Scandinavian languages taught
in the common schools of North Dakota,
but to establish a chair of Scandinavian
languages and literatures in the state uni.
versity of North Dakota. Does the Jour-
nal or does the Bismarck TRIBUNE, mean
to say that English is the only language to
be taught in an American university ?
Will you not admit Greek, Latin, French
and German: If SO, why not also Scandi-
navian languages in the universities of
those states where the Scandinavian
element is as largely represented as it is in
North Dakota? Chairs of Scandinavian
Languages have been established in the
universities OF Wisconsin and Minnesota,
and old Morse (lcelandic) at least is taught
in some of our eastern universities The
Scandinavian races have certainly done
their share toward the building up Of these
northwestern states and have furnished as
good and willing material for the making
of American citizens as any foreign race.
Although frequently looked down upon by
the native population, some Of us at least
take pride in belonging to a race which
visited America 500 years before Columbus,
a race which conquered France and
England. a race which has produced rulers
like Gustavus Adolphus, men of
science like Lime, Berzelius, Oersted
and Abel. artists like Thorvaldsen, lin
Holberg, Andersen, Tegner, Runeberg,
Bioernson and lbsen-and il we can get a
little recognition occasionally in this, our
adopted country, we appreciate it. The
Scandinavian languages are so closely re-
lated to the English that a study of these
languages certainly is of no mea i'm
pOrtance to those who want to acquire a
Scientific knowledge of English or of gen
eral philology, besides being of great
practical value to professional and Dusi-
ness men in these northwestern states,
where, for some time to come, Scandi-
navian languages will be spoken more or
less by a large part of our population.
People who come to this country at a some
what advanced age hardly ever learn to
use English very readily, however much
they may wish to. Experience has shown
that in institutions where the study of
Scandinavian languages has Deer intro
duced a majority of the students in this de-
partment have been native Americans who
want 10 learn these languages for practical
purposes. Why should not a university fur
nisl the facilities for such Instructions ?The
establishment of a Scandinavian professor
ship in the state university OF North Dakota
will no more tend to retard the American
izing Of the Scandinavian youth Of North
Dakota than a Chinese professOrship in
Yale university will make Cinnamon Of
the students there. But the establishment
Of such profess0rships will draw @ great
many more Scandinavian students
thither than otherwise would come. And
it is not desirable that the young men sud
women OF our foreign races should come
to our American universities and share
the advantages Of the ripest and best
teaching nur country affords in all depart
ments OF learning? Will they not in turn
prove the best aids towards Americanizing
their c%ountrymen and building up the
American people OF the future? A
large majority of our foreign born
population naturally knows but
very little Of our higher institutions Of
learning, and not a few OF them, for re-
ligiOus or other reasons, distrust their
ways and methods, and prefer to send
their childrenSt to their own denominatiOnal
~ AEEG - AtEt M@A3H