Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1909-04-28

because he will know which is the
object, which is indirectly the OBJ
ject, etc. The first and greatest
stumbling block in the path of stu
dents in beginning Latin, German,
and French, is their great lack of
knowledge of English grammar,
which is caused by their inability
to read the English language COM
prehendingly.
All this is only a prelude, as it
We're, to what l have to say concern
ing the teaching of modern foreign
languages in secondary schools.
1t is customary for students TAX
ing the classical course in high
school to enroll in their freshman
year for beginning Latin, and in the
sophomore year, for German. And
this, so far as Latin is concerned,
is we'll enough, for every student
should have four years in Latin.
The criticism to be made concerns
the German. 1t is undoubtedly true
that ancient language is at first
more difficult than modern, and
therefore should not necessarily be
begun before high school, when it
may reasonably be taken for grant
ed that pupil has a mind to think
with as we'll as to remember. But
modern language is not difficult un-
til in advanced stages, and even a
small child may readily be taught,
through conversation in the class
room and easy reading. 1t has
been found advisable to put modern
language into the grades, for chill
dren are ADLER to secure the proper
pronunciation of foreign words in
the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades
than later, and vocal organs are
more plastic. There is also this to
be said about the introduction of
German into the grades: that,
whereas the other subjects, reading,
grammar. arithmetic, etc., are mere
ly a continuation of what pupils
have encountered since their initia-
ton into the primary department,
German is something new and quite
grown up" and it awakes in the
pupil new interest. He grasps it
with enthusiasm, and he realizes he
can gain practical results from it
IS using it as a medium. Besides
all this, it is an excellent training
for the mind.
If German is left to be begun in
the high school, the pupil has so
many subjects all so new to him,
that his thoughts are too divided
ever to be put collectedly on any
single subject, therefore, everything
suffers-except possibly recess and
athletics.
German i'm the Grades.
AT least two years instruction
should be found in the grades, but
the work should be optional on the
part of the pupil Objections to
this are offered on the ground that
it is time wasted for those who will
stop school at the beginning of high
school. For that matter, it would
not be worth while to study any
thing if one expects to study only
what he intends to use. Even the
training he receives on English may
be forgotten, because he will live
just as long if he does say, You
hain't got no business to have went"
as | heard an upper grade pupil re-
mark few days ago.
German should be taught, not only
for the general language training
1t gives, and the practical results to
be gained, but for its value as
culture study.
There is this to be said about be-
ginning German or French. Stu
dents of too widely separate stages
Of development should not be admit
ted to the same class. For instance,
senior in a high school and a
freshman should not take up the
subject together, for the senior will
grasp the subject much more read
lily than the freshman, and must
necessarily be held back, since 1t is
a. mistake to try to push the under
man. 1t Is almost impossible to es-
tablish standard in such a mixed
class, especially so, If many are
also beginning Latin. But even in
a promiscuous class, teacher
should try to give the really talented
their due, lest they lose their in
terest through lack of encourage
ment.