Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-08-30

- $500 : -
America ~ the Scandinavians are
guaranteed q great future influence
if only their viking spirit be revived |
and adapted to modern conditions.
That they are thus meeting the stu
alton is evident on every hand. Luth-
er planted among the Germans and
Scandinavians Of the North the seed
|sowed by Paul: among the Greeks and
the Romans Of the South. The free
[er North welcomed Luther's spirit,
the enslaved South repealed it. Hence
the Protestant northern nations dom
mated modern civilization and the
Scandinavian peninsula and language
held the relative position in the north
that the peninsula Of Italy and it's
language held in the south, the form
or being nearly three times the size
of the latter. ~.
The three Scandinavian peoples are
occupants Of the same peninsula.
They are more compact than are the
81, 100000 Anglo Saxons Of England
and the 100000 Celts Of Wales,
Scotland and Ireland, and more Of
one blood and one faith. Consequent
~ for them national unity and the
maintenance Of common race iden-
tity is easy. Their fatherland is
greater in territorial extent than any
other European sountry except Rus
STA; and none can match it in water
transportation facilities. What 9TH
er country Of the Old World can
boast more or better harbors than
can Scandinavians? What European
country more miles Of seacoast?
None has grander mountains or
greater water power. Home enter
prise and foreign trade are rapidly
increasing. The development Of
Scandinavia's resources calls for
more people than are included in her
boundaries. It invites her wandering
sons and daughters scattered earth
wide to return to the fatherland.
Much less is said Of Scandinavia's
prosperity than Of Germany's.
NEW ENGLAND PROFESSOR AR
CUES FOR EUROPE'S SYSTEM.
The child in Germany, as in Scan
dinavian lands, is not merely permit
ted, but required, to begin the study
Of French or English five periods a
week at the age Of nine years, the
age best adapted for the study Of
languages. Prof. Edward Spar
hoofd Of Concord, New Hampshire
| land by the way the New England
states are taking a leading part in
discussing this question:, in the July,
1910 Educational Review" says:
Gas to modern languages it is real
ly a disgrace to find among our IA
year old boys so few that know
French or German 1--WE add Scandin-
avian) and all of them coming from
the more than well-to-do families Of
the country. It ought not to be poss-
ible for boy who spoke nothing but
French and German up to his sixth
or seventh year to forget all Of it,
literally all Of it, at school, SO that
at the age of "A he has to begin it
all over again. It is disgrace to
our whole educational system to be-
gin the study Of modern languages at
an age when the organs Of speech
have lost their suppleness, when the
memory has lost it's retentiveness and
the mind has lost that intuitive com
prehensiveness Of the meanings Of
new words which is so characteristic
Of the speech-acquiring age Of the
human child. Modern languages,
then, ought to be taught in our low
est forms or grades" This holds true
also for the Northwest. All the Scan
dinavian colleges and academies in
the Northwest, and there are many,
should strengthen their work in the
Scandinavian department. Of modern
Languages and take the lead and set
the standard high in this movement.
Their constituency expect it Of them.
The banner county for teaching Nor
wegian in the country schools has a
Norwegian academy, and that acad-
envy is entitled to the honor. May
other schools obtain like honor!
J. n. LENKER.
Minneapolis, Mimi, Aug. 20, 1911.
For that tired feeling, go and see
CLANS Hanson" at the Opera House