New-York tribune., 1903-06-15
GERMAN N TIE SCHOOLS.

Some German citizens are making much ado
about the action of the Board Of Education on
the question of German in the public schools.
DR.. Maxwell, with whom they find fault, recog-
nizes the fact that the German language should
be taught in the public schools, and to empha-
size his opinion says
am in favor of teaching German in the public
schools. L am in favor Of teaching German
chiefly for two reasons: % Because Of its value
as a purely educational subject and as means
of intellectual discipline. and CO because or It's
great commercial value. The commercial value
of a knowledge of German is constantly increas-
ing hence we have made German one of the
most conspicuous features of the courses o.
study.
From this it would appear that there is no
antagonsm on the part of DR.. Maxwell to Ger
man. and that the question as to instruction is
only matter of method, which can be and un-
doubtedly will be adjusted satisfactorily. But
there are some professional Germans who are
evidently anxious to make political capital out
of the situation and to use the action Of the
Board OF Education as club against the pres
ent CITY administration. Although it has never
been the intention of the authorities to curtall
the privileges of the pupils who wish to study
German, the changes which they made in the
methods of teaching have been misinterpreted,
and have given rise to uncalled for and 1ntem-
perate criticism
We agree with Dr. Maxwell as to the impor-
tance Of the German language, and we know,
as be does, that the man who is unable TO speak
it is often at q disadvantage in the business
world, and that he who cannot read 1t must
take at second hand, and mutilated by the trans
lator, some of the finest gems in the worlds
literature Nevertheless, we should oppose any
measure looking toward the compulsory study
of German in the public schools Of this city.
shof +I,a Chn116
their children to take an interest in the Ger
man language but it seems wrong for them to
ask the school authorities to do in the public
schools what they are unable to accomplish at
home The lament of the German citizen is the
indifference of his children to German. Try
what he may, they will not be Germans. They
speak English at school, and cannot be Induced
to use the language of their parents at home.
They read the English newspapers and as they
grow older their influence causes the language
of the country to supersede that Of the father
land even in the family circle. The men who
tell of the great German population of New
York who on festive occasions and at political
meetings speak grandiloquently OF the German
population and Of themselves as WlrDeutsche,
must confess that IN their own homes the Ger
man language is at discount and that the
task to keep up interest in it is a thankless
I0ey love lnelI Language, anu, IedllAluS tndL II
was a source of pleasure and profit to them,
they are anxious that their children should be
equally we'll equipped. Unable to accomplish
this at home unable to stem the tide which
leads the rising generation away from the Ger
man life and language, the Germans demand
that the school authorities help them. They
will do their share; the children who wish to
be instructed in German will have ample op-
portunity but it would be wrong to make the
study compulsory. The children might, if COM
PEELED TO study German, ask their parents why
it was that New-York, with It's vast German
population, had only one German theatre and
only few churches where the services were
conducted in German.
The truthful parent would say: Because
nobody can live in America and not become
"an Amercan--not even a German, with all his
"love for his fatherlan nd"