Smyrna times., 1901-06-26
THE STUDY OF FRENCH AND GERMAN.
Reasons Advanced Why They Should Be
Taught in Our Public Schools.

that have resulted in the present su-
premacy of English, German and
French. We are now making a bid in
the worlds markets, and while such
bid made in English is generally un-
derstood the world over, there is many
exceptions. Our representatives in
foreign markets are in constant COM
petition with men who speak at least
three languages, and, if we are to make
the hoped for progress, we must be
represented by men as we'll equipped
in language as are our competitors.
The products of our farms and fac
tories are sent to many countries and
those who represent us should be pre-
pared to use the great languages of
trade of to-day should not these
representatives be our own sons and
daughters? But aside from the COM
mercial value of these studies, they
have very important bearing on the
study of English itself. English and
German are first cousins. English
has laid aside many forms that Ger
man still clings to: but the English of
a thousand years ago can now be as
easily understood by German as by
an English-speaking person. Many
questions that arise about our language
have light thrown on them by the study
of German.
The great stream of words that
French poured into English after the
Norman conquest helped to break
down the old English, and make En-.
glish similar in it's sentence structure
to French. French and German are as
search lights turned on the history of
English. Many of the greatest exper-
lments in agriculture, and of the dis
coveries and inventions in the arts and
sciences are first announced to the
world in French or German; and MANY
such announcements are never trans
lated into and published in English,
since so large proportion of investi-
gators know German and French that
the publication would not pay.
Snch considerations as the above
have been largely Influential in induc-
ing the colleges to require these stud
les. And they are not simply among
the studies required at college: but
since they can be well carried on by
the very young, and even more sue
cessfully by the young than by mature
persons, they are among the subjects
now quite generally required by the
colleges for admission. Our own
State College will require the elements
German or French for entrance in
1902.
These studies always seemed to me
more important for those who are not
to go to college than for those who are
to go to college. The college student
can get them in college but very few
of the public school pupils will be
likely to study German OF French
after they leave the public school, un-
less they begin them in school.
But to the genuine scholar and
lover of literature the greatest reasons
for the study of German and French
are that they train the mind and open
up the vast and delightful treasures of
the literatures of the Germans and of
the French.
Language is mind product, and its
study brings us in very intimate rela-
tions with the mind, helps us to know
the human race in its history, in its
thought processes, in its ways of ex-
preston: and this study is both mind,
developing and life enlarging and
regulating. Before the golden age of
English, German snd French, repre-
sented by Shakespeare, Goethe and
Moliere, the gems of literature of these
languages lay buried in oblivion. The
many and splendid gems of Greek and
Latin literatures dazzled and delighted
the human race. But now the early
treasures of the modern speeches have
been brought out and laid before men !;
and the magnificent literatures of the
Germans and of the French having
been laid beside our own English
treasures, the world is wonderfully
enriched. Shall not the sons and
daughters of Delaware get in the pub.
lie schools the keys (the languages)
that will unlock to them the wealth and
charms of these iteratures.
STATE OF OHIO, CRY OF To1EDo,l
LUCAS COUNTY, 90
FRANK j. CHENEY makes oath that
he is senior partner of the firm of F. J.
CHENEY & Co., doing business in the
City of Toledo, County and State
aforesaid, and that the said firm will
pay the sum of ONE HUNDRED
DOLLARS for each and every case of
CATARRH that cannot be cured bv the
use of HALLS CATARRH CURE.
FRANK J. CHENEY.