Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-11-08

SCANDINAVIAN II ll6uA6ES
II OUR OultTRY
DlsTRlcT SCHOOLS.
by J. N. Lenker, D. D.)
S 7z,s;f9 3 (
XIII

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
Educational circles Of Minnesota
and Minneapolis were active the lat
ter part of October. All was inter-
esting and instructive to everyone
laboring in any way to improve the
education of the present and future
children Of the state. Those, how
ever, who looked for information and
inspiration in teaching morals and
philology were little disappointed.
The first occasion, beginning October
18th, was the Inauguration of the
new president of the state university
Of Minnesota amid great pomp and
show that seemed a little foreign to
democratic principles, so aggressive
ly advocated in word at present by
Americans and their institutions. It
is very apparent that the American
University, like the American Kind
ergarten, is following the system Of
Germany in nearly all details except
it is weak in teaching religion or NOR
ais and the reformed methods Of
teaching modern languages. True
University teaches modern langu-
ages, but what are SO students study
ing Swedish and so studying Nor
wegian among more than five thou
sand students from our Scandinavian
state? What is the reason of these
small numbers? You answer, be-
cause the Scandinavian languages
are not taught in the high schools.
Why? Because they are not taught
in the secondary schools. Much of
the modern language work done in
the University and high school, must
be done in the secondary schools, as
in Germany and Scandinavia, or the
problem will never be satisfactorily
solved. This thought needs emphasis
now while the development Of the
harmony and unity Of the educa-
tional system of the state is being
everywhere considered. The pro-
gram and spirit Of this inaugural oc--
casion proved that our age and coun-
try, as in Luther's day, are absorbed
in buildings and the material, to the
neglect of the moral, the spiritual,
and the languages by which individ
uals, families, nations and contin-
ents may learn one another and de-
velop socially, economically, indus
trially, educationally and in every
other way. European universities.
developed slowly during the centur-
les. They had no vast finds and lands
to tempt them to the extreme mater
ial side, and therefore our danger in
this respect seems to be the greater.
Judging from all we see, hear and
read, in conventions, addresses and
educational reports, the American
school system is so absorbed in
buildings, lands, funds and new edu
cational fads, that two Of the most
important branches of study, morals
and modern languages, are being ov-
erlooked by those honored in places
of authority. In Scandinavian
state like Minnesota, when the uni
versal popular theme is conserva-
ton, more efficient work should be
done to conserve the education and
morals, the languages and culture
given our state without money and
without price by the countries of
Europe. Many expressed themselves
as thankful to President Kildahl of
St. Olaf College for his timely words
of greeting in behalf Of the colleges
of the state founded with limited
means by Christian denominations on
Christian principles. He said they
laid the foundations for the work OF
higher education in the state, and
the state university with its vast
wealth has it within it's power to
make their future hard. As nation
we boast, and justly so, Of high NOR
al and spiritual ideals, also Of ou1
international, cosmopolitan, many.
languaged character. Is our schoo
system laying the foundations among
the young to maintain what we have
:, In Minnesota and the Northwest
Scandinavian Iand German are no
"foreign" languages in the stric
sense, and it does not seem right t.
designate them as such. They ar
the 'home" languages Of the major
1 ity Of our farmers. It is misleading
to class them with French, Italian
: and other modern languages whic
are not daily spoken by large pop
ulation of our school districts. The
|should be taught not because the
are "foreign," but "home" languages
In Alabama they may be foreign bu
not in the Northwestern states.
STATE EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIA
TION.
s.The Minnesota Educational As
ISOLATION met in Minneapolis, Octe
Der 26, ~ and %. This was reporte
to be one Of the largest attended cor
ventions in it's history. In view {
the dissatisfaction about the asst
cations organization steps WEI
taken to reorganize it. Presidel
Vincent, the papers report, says Q,
educational system is behind Il