The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-27
MEXICO LEARNS THE
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
People Have Passion for 1t DeS-
pite French Influence
TAUGHT BY GOVERNMENT
Young Men Soon Learn That the Ac-
curing of the Language Means
Money In Their
Pockets.

One result Of the anti-clerieal policy OF
the existing government in France is the
dispersion of monks and nuns to other
countries, says City of Mexico corre-
spondent of the Boston Herald. Several
hundred nuns and many friars of various
orders have come to this country, some
establishing schools, others teaching in
educational Institutions, others preaching
or serving in other capacities
A newspaper friend who has been writ
ing extensively of this country says that
the French nuns arriving here form the
minds of their pupils after French models
and teach them the manners and GUS
toms of France" To a certain extent this
IS true, for Mexico looks more to France
than to Spain for books, art and literary
inspiration, and has done so since the
country gained its independence. Young
modern authors are too often imitators
of the decadent French school of writer's,
and neglect to find their models among
the newer generation of Spanish writer's,
not few of whom are filed with the
true Spanish spirit and have something
of the CerVantean magic.
Tide of Americanism.
Yet all the French influence. the nat4
ural affinity Of the Mexican and French
taste and the three-quarters Of a century
of somewhat intimate intercourse with
France cannot stay the tide of American
ism and the English language. The rail
ways bring the two countries very close
together and all the Geographic news
tod
Press of New York. There Is no direct
receipt of news from France or any other
part of the continent of Europe This
powerfully aids the growth of interest In
American affairs.
French nuns and monks might come
here now by thousands and they would
find the question asked them: DO you
know English" In the largest religious
school for girls in this city. with pupils
from the wel-to-do classes in all the
provincial Mexican towns and cities Eng
dish has become the paramount foreign
Language and has to be used in conVersa-
lion at set hours. French is taught, but
1t is subordnated to the more useful Eng
nish The girls on leaving the school take
with them the ability to talk our language
and read our books and magazines, and
the latter find their way mo many Next
can homes.
In this city, the capital and educational
center of the republic. and likewise in
every large interior city. English instruc-
ton is in demand. and our language is
taught in the government schools. In the
famous preparatorial school OF this city,
where great numbers of, laos are prepared
for the professional tsenooss, English has
displaosa Latin, though Greek Is still
taught. Young professional men find that
English adds to their incomes 1t is a
matter of utility. and is not a merely
a1a nt nj oh learn
to read French through having many of
their textbooks in that language. but
French is not generally talked. English
is far and away ahead.
Cosmopolitan in Taste.
1t is natural that educated Mexicans
should like French literature. The Latin
race has common ideas and aspirations.
so a large number of the best French
periodicals, weekly and monthly, find a
permanent list of subscribers here. Mex
dco Is quite cosmopolitan in its tastes.
But go where you will. the evidences of
a veritabe passion for English are found.
and in hundreds on hundreds of private
families one notes the presence of the
private teacher OF English. The rising
middle class has become aware of the
fact that English means success, and
that its utility Is worldwide. Some of the
ahlest young Mexican authors have made
translatons from our authors, from
Bryant Longfellow Watt, Whitman, etc.
Large quantities Of cheap novels by Eng
1ish and American authors are found in
their Spanish dress In bookshop windows.
The criticism is made that architect
nrally, the City Of Mexico is becoming
.'Frenchfed" This is partly true as re-
CARDS such n street as the Cinco de
Mayo, but the application of the ia
NOUS Jockey club building, now extended
to the street mentioned, has been done in
,, flaA .l. SfRnf fal,
model. The splendid new postofhce build
tng is not at all French. but rather in the
italian Picturesque manner. The same ar
chtect who designed the postoffice' Sig
nor Boari, a noted Italian designer. has
made the plans for the superb opera
house which WILL when completed, have
cost S120O,000.
In the new residential quarters, or colo
MAS" the architecture Is mixed. Some
times French taste has prevailed; at
others one can see how Andalusian do
lnestic architecture has won the day. and
the great palaces of the wealthy are
often in the best Spanish manner. with
noble court yards and gradiose entrances.
France will always influence the thought
and taste of the wealthy Mexicans, but
It will not dominate exclusively.
There are not few hd&ses of the mod
ern sort that are very American indeed
hut that they are suited to this climate.
except in wet and chilly weather. may be
doubted One must always bear in mind
that this city is in S. lat 10 deg, on the
same line Bombay in India and oppo-
site the great African desert, and that
though the altitude here gives us a rela-
lively cool climate our sun Is distinctly
tropical as one perceives on a warm day
ST walking in unshaded streets. 1t is this
combination of a tropical sun and thin
mountain air that makes the climate of