The Irish standard., 1904-01-30
CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
Movement to Establish a Chair of
German Literature.


German Literature.
The movement for the establishment
of IL chair of German literature ut the
Catholic university has lately received
IL new impulse. says the Washington
correspondent to the Catholic Stand
ard and Times of Philadelphia. Mgr.
O'Connell, the rector of the University,
is taking Il deep interest in this move
ment. 1t may be said. without fear of
contradiction. that two languages cam
not exist on perfect equality i'll the
same country. The existence of the
German language in this country as
IL spoken language is due to immigra-
guage of Mgr. O'Conncll, to be accred-
tied to the family, the school, the
Church and the press. Ii Il family
lives in Il settlement that is largely
german. the children will continue to
speak German. When. however, the
surroundings are English. the children
are with difficulty held to the Ger
man. The German sermons in our
churches are second in their influence
toward Il continued use of the German
language. Here again the influence OF
the predominating English language
asserts itself. AS the older members
of the parish pass away, the demand
for English sermons increases. This
demand comes from the children and
from those who have married into an
English family. y temporary COM
promise is affected. The sermon at
one mass is in German, at the next in
English. III the parish is not strength
ened by new immigration from Ger
many, the English language will
eventually prevail. This is the un-
avoidable outcome. The school is
rarely exclusively German. In many
German schools the English language
is used in teaching some branches.
The German is used under difficulties
more or less great The children of an
English mother and Il German father
have to be instructed in English. A
child of such parents rarely speaks
German, and the hope of the German
father that his child will learn to
speak German in IL German school is
IL vain hope. The German press is
patronized only by natives of Ger
many. There is hardly an exception
to this rule. AS regards the children
Of German parentage, it cannot COM
pete with the English press. The at
tcmptS of those who wish to perpet-
tAte the German language i'll this
country must necessarily fail. These
attempts are as futile us the efforts OF
Il few hair-brtined legislators, some
years ago, to prevent the teaching Of
German in localities heavily settled by
Germans, on the ground that these
Germans and their children could not
become thorough American citizens
unless they understood the language
OF the country, just as if the particular
language Il man spoke affected his
character as Il man and Il citizen.
These politicians forgot that actions
speak louder than words, and the in
PRODUCTION Of the German element into
this country has always been consid-
cred as IL decided gain, for it was evil
dent that they could develop the re-
sources Of this country as well when
speaking German as English, and
probably better, as it was more con-
venient. Since all these efforts are
made to preserve the German lam
Guage i'll this country, the establish
ment of chair of German literature
will he hailed as Il valuable aid in this
direction. 1t is evident however, that
the university will have no influence
toward keeping the German as a spok-
en- language among children. And if
the children do not speak it, how will
grown persons learn it? 1t is quite
possible that the study of German lit
crature at the university will lead to
Il greater and fuller appreciation of
that language. What fruit this APP
probation will bear time alone can
tell. America is not Il country Of lin
| GUSTS, and Americans are slow in ac-
quiring foreign languages. Our diplo-
mats in other countries have always
| been at IL disadvantage on that ac-
count. In years to come, when Ameri-
cans give up the mad chase after
| wealth to it's quiet enjoyment, the
study of foreign languages will prob
| ably be undertaken more generally.
| Until then the preservation of German
and other foreign languages must he
| left in the hands of the heroic few
who may volunteer to fight for their
| continued existence.
/ KILKENNY fhe Marble Civ