The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-13
Germ an

The delegation from the United Ger
man Societies Of New York that called
on the Mayor on Thursday to urge that
the teaching Of German should not be
abolished in the elementary schools
must have been misled by the German
press or inspired by the same motive that
prompted the original attack on Super
intendent MAxwELLs now German
schedule. 1t is clear that this agitation
has been stirred up by some one who e1-
pected to profit by creating a fuss,
as one OF the German members OF the
Board of Education described it.
There is no plan before the Board OF
Education to abolish the teaching OF
German in the elementary schools.
Under the old system, pupils whose
parents applied for German instruction
for them were permitted to study this
language as an extra, with no rating,
for two hours week during two and one
half years Of their course in the schools
of Manhattan. The new system extends
German to all the schools OF New York,
making it optional for one year, with five
hours week, az an alternative to French,
Latin or stenography. In other words,
the number of hours devoted to German
by those who elect it will be the Same
under the new system, but they will be
crowded into one year and the pupils
who take it will have rating. From
the viewpoint Of the German who holds
that his language is a necessary part OF
the common school education in this city
this should be satisfactory. 1t seems to
ua probable that pupil who elects Ger
man will acquire more Of it studying five
hours a week during the last year OF his
course in the schools than he could UNI
der the old system Of two hours a week
in course of two and one-half years.
There are many intelligent observers
of our public school system, including
large proportion of the teachers, who, in
view of this noisy agitation, have raised
the question as to the advisability OF
teaching any German in our elementary
schools. Superintendent MAXWELL said
very pointedly several days ago that in
some of our schools English is foreign
language. The first duty OF the pupils
in these schools, if they desire to become
good citizens and to win success in this
town, is to learn English, and that Is what
all of them are seeking. To these pupils
a compulsory study Of German would
be a serious handicap. Presumably,
this course is not intended, moreover. for
children Of German parents who have
German as a birthright. Even such
pupils as elect German with a sincere
desire to master it can hope to acquire
smattering knowledge only Of it in the
limited course possible.
1t is the opinion OF one teacher who
wrote to THE Sun on this subject that
the time spent on German by pupils in
the elementary schools is time lost. An
other correspondent asks, Why should
German have a preference over Spanish
or Irish or Italian or Yiddish?" In other
words, the question Of acquiring for
eign language is debated. One may
even find in the petition Of the United
German Societies OF New York pre-
scented to the Mayor in favor Of teaching
German in the public schools many very
good arguments against it, For instance,
it is alleged in this petition that only 20
per cent. of the pupils of the public
schools remain to 60 through the eighth
grade to which it is proposed to confine
the teaching of French or German or
Latin or stenography, and for that reason
it was urged that the course should be
extended to the lower grades. A pupil
who is withdrawn from a public school
before reaching the eighth grade should
devote all his energies to acquiring such
knowledge as is indispensable to Ameri-
can children, and useful and desirable as
German is it certainly cannot be called
indispensable.
Should there be any moro tinkering
with the curriculum let it be in the di-
rection of improving our children's
English.
to- . hoo ~