The evening world., 1909-01-23

les, as a rule, a year earlier. He has
his children begin the practice OF Ian
guages almost from the cradle. II IS
due 10 his unique plan that every one
OF them, with the exception OF the two
year-old Zule!ka, speaks four or five
languages.
Mr.. Lombard engages governesses
and nurses OF different national!ties
When they begin to teach or care for
the children ne Is particular that they
should have good pronunciation In
their native tongue, and they are
, watched 10 see tina, they don't come to
his house to learn some other lam
guages instead Of teaching their own.
From ba Shoud his children hear five
languages simultaneously, and in their
early struggles. naturally, they mix up
syntax and diCtiOn IN the most amusing
manner. They manufacture words, for
Instance, throwing together sections OF
French verbs, English nouns, Italian
adjectives. Spanish propositions and
German gend"rs In remarkable fashion,
until one has to be a polys0t to un-
derstand them.
Speak Many Languages.
When they come to be four or five
years old they have uncoHciOusly in
ventoried all they know of the differ
ent languages in their little minds, and
al ten there is not one Of them who Is
no, able to speak English, French,
Spanish Italian and German fluen,ly
Their knowledge acquired through tner
association with their governesses and
nurses OF different uat,Onal!ties has
been crys'alli2ed, .a@l taey nave me
maternal accent Of the country whose
tongue they speak. This latter ac-
compllshment IS almos: impossible to
children who begin a new language
after the age OF fourteen.
In the picture showing his eight chill
dren, the smallest, a cauhby li;tle mite,
Is Zuleika. She IS two, and she speaks
as ye, only little French and a few
words OF English, The next, Lois,
German and very little English. Then
there Is Aida, who was born in Cairo
and who Is five and half, She
speaks four languages and knits stock
lngs Alien, the youngest hoy, is seven,
He knows the four languages and
writes and reads Little In French, Ger.
man and English, Then come judith,
thirteen, and Lorna, fifteen, VINO are
In school at NcrihG@pi0", IL, Mass" anu
the two big boys, Bradford. seventeen,
and Russell, nile,eeN. These iou:
speak and write French, Italian,
Spanish, German and English like
Mr. Lombard occasionally asks his
children what they are going 10 uc
when they grow up, and thus gets an
interesting insight into the development
of tine chlld-m!nd. When very young.
Bradford said he would be walter in
restaurant, because all the waters
he saw had their pockets full OF PEN
MES.
Russell Is now studying to become an
electrical engineer In Cincinnati and Is
doing finely
Like Other Wor men.
His father placed him IN an electrical
shop like the other kmen, and he Is
shown no more regard than the others.
His parents give him enough money,
which, VIXEN added 10 his wages, en-
ables him TO pay FOR his board and
his clothes.
MI Mr. Lombard's children under
stand That they are not TO be- pAmperei.
Ills household Is democratic. and il IS
his aim 20 bring children UP along DEM
ocratic principles. His servants are not
called servants. There Is an Italian cX-
preston which describes Lis idea and
FOR whi'h there Is no English equ!rl-
lents. Il Is la famigl.A" meaning the
family" 1t explains Why one OF his 1T
'ic EIr,s s1sd when asked what slo
would be when she grew up, to WhJh
she answered that she would be el,he.
queen or a nursery GOyerness.
The glitter and dignity OF queen at
tracted her, but she knew how close to
the family, to her mother and father,
came the one who takes care OF babies.
one OF the boys for n long time hGl
the ambition TO be Gcneral-"but whi'o
there Is war" That hoy IL now study
ing to become mining engineer In M'il.
haESen, in Asace. Lorraine, lie is the
one who determined tn learn to speak
japanese. and at coliegc he hired a
young Jap studsn; to live with him un-
III he had mastered that difficult Ian.
guage.
A Weekly Letter.
An evidence OF the Importance Mr..
Lombard attaches to knowledge OF
the languages is the obligation he has
placed upon his children to write him
a weekly letter. whether they are with
him or not. In all OF the tongues they
speak. and he requests their teachers
never TO help the children either In
ideas or punctuation or grammar, VIXEN
| they write their parents that weekly
letter. Thus he 10 able to ascertain the
! true progress made by them. even
| fh0uRh thoH bR nwaY from h0mA AT