Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-25
MODERN LANGUAGES
Maine Teachers Giving This
Branch Careful Consideration.
C'IIfges, Academies and High Schools
Are Now Working Together
To Secure More Uniform Results in
This Important Field.

Orono, Me-, March 24.-(SpeciaD =
The present status of modern language
instruction in Maine is a subject which
has been engaging the attention of
many High schools and college teachers
of our State during the past year. For
a number of years it has been felt more
and more strongly that much could be
accomplished that is not now possible
in modern language instruction if nv
some means the schools of the State
could have a more definite knowledge
of the requirements of the colleges
for which they prepare students. and
could understand more clearly the at
titude of the colleges towards methods
and substance of secondary school in
struction in the modern languages.
Furthermore, the desirability of estab-
fishing more uniform results in lam
guage instruction, of increasing the
dignity of the departments and of in
CreasnS the number of students elect
ing modern language courses has be-
come more apparent to all interested
in French and German instruction in
Maine.
A year ago June, 1901) Prof. G. T.
Files, professor of German at Bowdoin
College, and Prof. o, f. Lewis, profess
sOr Of modern languages at the Uni
Nersity Of Maine, sent letters to about
80 High schools and academies of
Maine, offering courses in modern Ian
guages, asking whether they would
consider favorably the formation of a
Modern Language Association in
Maine. Receiving favorable replies
and Bates and Colby Colleges approx
ing such a plan, a meeting was held at
Waterville in June. at which time an
organization was formed, including the
four Maine colleges and about 80 of the
preparatory schools of Maine.
This conference or assembly voted
to establish n committee on .prepara-
tory schools and courses, whose duty
it should be during the year to gather
information concerning present modern
language instruction and courses in the
High schools and academies of the
State. This committee was instructed
to present such information in statis-
teal form at the next annual meeting
of the association. and also to make
such recommendations as should sug-
gest themselves, looking toward great
er efficiency and results in the modern
language teaching of the State.
Prof. o. F. Lewis was made chairman
of the committee which was made up
of the following: Prof. o. F. Lewis,
University of Maine; Miss f. Taylor,
Hampden Academy; Prof. A. Mar
quardt, Colby Colleges; Miss A. Torrey,
Bath High school; Miss C. p. Morrill,.
Hebron Academy. f&s
The members of this committee have
visited many of the Maine schools dur
ing the year and in addition blanks
have been sent out to all the High
schools and academies in the State
asking them. for Information concern
ing in modern language instruction
given. Following is a list of the qGes-
lions which were to be furnished:
At meeting of the Maine Associa-
ton of Colleges and Preparatory
Schools held at Augusta, last October.
1t was voted to make the Modern
Language Association u department of
the Maine Association of Colleges and
Preparatory Schools, and to have de-
partmental meeting at Augusta at
the time of meeting of the above men
toned association. At the meeting
held in October, 1901, teachers repre-
senting other departments of secondary
instruction in the High schools ana
academies assembled and formed de-
partment conferences similar in plan to
that of the modern language depart
ment.
The above mentioned committee Of
the modern language department on
preparatory schools and courses Will
hold it's first meeting, March 1929, at
Waterville for the grouping of the sta
tstics At this meeting almost 100
blanks from Maine High schools and
academies will be put into statistical
form. These statistics will be publish
ed and presented at the meeting of the
department in May, held either at
Bates or at Bowdoin College. These
statistics will be the first departmental
statistics gathered by similar assoc
citation and will therefore be looked for
ward to with considerable interest.