The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-27
in THE SCHOOLS
PROF. swIGGETT, OF PURDUE,
MAKES PLEA FOR THIS LANGUAGE.
logical soeiety-Pregramme
for To-Day.


Pathological Society began yesterday aft
ernoon in Room u of the Statehouse. Prof.
G. L. Swiggett. OF Purdue University, pres
ident Of the society, delivered an address
on Foreign Languages in the Secondary
Schools of Indiana" He made a plea for the
more general study OF Latin in the sec
ondary schools. and urged that 1t should be
the basis for all the students future Ian
guage study. He said, in part:
AT the close of 1897 300 schools in Indiana
reported 13,06s students in Latin; 8 schools
reported l0S students in Greek: 3 schools re-
ported So students In French, and % schools
reported 1850 students in German. In the
other state divisions we find approximately
the same conditions. Not only Is the proper
ton OF Latin Overwhelmingly large. but
save in a few States. e. e., Louisiana and
Maine. where local conditions are explana-
tory; the amount OF French taught is signii-
cantly small in comparison with German.
In response TO a series of questions sent TO
the secondary teachers Of the State, i ind
that more than two-thirds OF the nign
schools are attempting, with studied EFFORT
and conscious purpose. 10 give greater em-
phasis to the Latin work; and further that
where the interest in Latin is waning, the
desire for substitution is prompted by a
modern language, notably German. and not
by scientific and commercial courses. Ii
seems TO be the belief that high schools are
most wisely administered when their courses
contain the greatest number of subjects
which stand for mental discipline rather
tld0 IOf teCDDlCdl ntnesS.
Public high schools have increased TO a
marked degree in numbers and equipment
during the last eight years. With the in
crease from 1O.7 per cent. to 1922 per cent.
in the proportion of graduates. there has
been a decrease OF over 2 per cent. In the
number preparing for college. In 1897 $50
per cent. of the secondary students preparing
for college pursued a classical course, 5.5S
per cent. a scientific course, making a total
OF but 12.17 per cent. However much 1 might
language study for the remaining 1888 per
cent. although the modern language teach
er. notably that of German, the most highly
INJECTED and richly Syntactical or the mod
ern languages, must make his appeal to these
submerged nine-tenths in arguing for the
emphasis of modern language work in high
schools.
ITO insist. like N. T. Harris. commissions
or education, that Latin alone informs
whatever is precise and echnical in ex-
limitless grasp of vocabulary, Saxon or 9TH
erwise. that is attained by the student of
modern languages when directed by the
teacher OF sound academic methods. Ger
man and English, for example, are mutually
helpful. Since their separation from the
mother tongue and consequent divergent de-
velopment Is not very remote, We find that
the German and Englishman of to-day See
In the language of the other certain affinities
and analogies, pointing out the structure or
his own language and giving him the con-
scious use of IL, without which no one can
ever hope to rise to the supreme mastery OF
speech. Ii is undeniable that the study Of
1850 AA II - hChP-
full to our English. / have repeatedly OBJ
served that the English-speaking student
gains. through the study of German, the
correct use of certain pronouns and parts of
irregular verbs. These results justify solely
the substitution OF German for Latin In the
preparatory technical schools, where Ian
guage study cannot receive so much en-
phasis.
IF we are agreed that a synthetic Ian
guage is better adapted to train the mind.
through a larger demand upon the mental
processes, then Latin is pre-eminently the
language to be suggested. Certain inherent
difficulties exclude the Sanscrit and Greek.
The inadequacy OF treatment and the shift
Ing condition of the older iniectional periods
OF the Teutonic languages unfit them entirely
Tor this work, despite the appeal made some
times for the study Of Old English. A COM
prehension and conscious use of grammatical
relations shown in prefix, suffix and auxiliary
the understanding of the implied relations
of the modern English forms as il does to
those of the Romance languages.
Fully cogniZant OF and In sympathy with
the racial and cultural appeal made by the
teacher Of Old English for the introduction
OF that language into our high school course,
1 do not think that the gain Is commensurate
with the loss, IL II means the elimination
OF Latin with Its superior teacher and SUI
perior methods. 1t Is a generally recognized
fact that there Is greater uniformity and
greater sanity of view obtaining among the
teachers of Latin and Greek in the second
airy schools than among the modern Ian
guage teachers. The singleness Of aim will,
1 presume. account for this in part and ex-
plain the greater and more DEFINITE results
gained by the Latin teacher. | would then
make the plea that Latin become the basic
secondary language study in our State upon
the same ground that Princeton took, when
1t re-established. a few months ago, Latin
as a required study for all scientific courses,
e. &. that the students in science were about
30 per cent. weaker than those from classical
courses In any study for which neither had
been receiving special training. Not only
does Latin serve historically as the logical
introduction to the Romance languages. but,
through the superior training which IL gives
grasp of any member of the Teutonic group.
AS a teacher I'm the latter group / make my
appeal. Working as we do, within certain
circumscribed limits and compelled TO offer
elementary rather than advanced or grad
uate courses, we can attain our ends better
a capacity for work than with those who
lack that training for further language work
which Latin alone can give"
Prof. ID. c. Brown. of Butler College.
spoke on Evidences of Conscience IN Greek
Literature" 1t had been suggested to him
that there were no evidences of conscience
in Greek literature. and he set about TO re-
flute the proposition. He read from the
Greek dramatists, especially the Agamem
non Cycle and the Orestes Trilogy, and
provoked a discussion which was led by
Prof. McLain, of Wabash College. 1t was
generally felt that Prof. Brown made his
point.
The meeting will continue this morning
and officers will be elected. A nominating
committee. consisting of Prof. McLain, of
Wabash College. Prof. Hall. of Franklin
College, and E. G. Baldwin. of Indiana Uni
~versity, was appointed yesterday afternoon.
This mornings programme of addresses is
as follows: Prof. c. III. Hall. Franklin Col
lege, Some Phases of Greek in Revela-
tion." Prof. G.. E Karsten. Indiana Univer-
sity; Faust III, 23l-2S" @. A. Ferguson,
Wabash College, Ancient and Modern
Stage Craft" T.. G.. Baldwin, Indiana Uni
versity. "A Study in Roman Legal Seman-
tics"
unrIcrci