Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-10-04
SCANDINAVIAN LANGUAGES
IN OUR COUNTRY
I DISTRICT SCHOOLS
(By j. N. Lenker, D. d. /
VIII.

may be interesting and instructive
to intersperse some practical and
specific thoughts from everyday life.
Since both theory and practice enter
into its solution, it may be well oc-
casionally to deviate from the reg
ular line Of thought and speak from
present experiences and observa-
tons.
LANGUAGE THOUGHTS FROM A
TOUR SOUTHWEST.
Two weeks ago l was called to
make a tour Of preaching and lee
turing in southwestern Minnesota.
Still interested in writing on the ne
cessity of raising the language stan
dard of our American public school
system. | unexpectedly and agree
ably found myself studying this
question everywhere I went, in the
German and Scandinavian colleges
visited, among principals of high
schools, county superintendent and
teachers of different grades, in pub
lie libraries and in printing Offices,
whether English or other languages.
The theme Of conversation was al
ways the same. Where we antici-
pated indifference and opposition a
frank, outspoken sentiment was man.
ifest that teaching modern languages
in the university and high school
would not be satisfactory until they
were also taught in the secondary
and country schools, beginning at the
age of eight or nine years as Europ-
can, countries do. This conviction is
growing and it is hopeful sign that
the low standard of one language
school system will, in time be intell-
igently abandoned. People of one
language see the mistake and those
with two or more languages strongly
advocate a change.
The man we always sought first,
who, because Of his office, could give
the most information, was the county
superintendent of schools. Often
he was not found in his office, being
out visiting schools. From the su-
perintendent Of Nicolet county,
which boasts of a strong Scandina-
Wan college, and 81 school districts,
We learned that German was taught
in II country schools and Scandina-
Wan in none. In II other districts
Germans are in the majority, and in
l3 the Scandinavians, and their lang
uages ought to be taught in them,
and, no doubt, will be, in the near
future. The names and addresses of
teachers, clerks, chairmen and treas
urers Of each school district are pub
lished annually, and Judging from the
overwhelming majority Of German
and Scandinavian names, it seems
strange more schools have not rails
ed their standard, for there should
be no lack of teachers in these lang
uages for country schools. In one
county | noticed all it's 105 teachers
had Scandinavian names except %
and some Of these % were Germans.
One, who knew, remarked German
settlements are very particular what
kind of teachers instruct their child
rem. They prefer German teachers,
while scandinavian settlements are
Indifferent whether their teachers
speak Scandinavian or not.
The second person we looked up in
our tour was the principal Of the
high school. OF course German is
taught in nearly every high school of
Minnesota. In 1895 German was
taken by 1882 high school scholars
and French by 40; in 1900 German
by 21l8 and French by 1914; in 1905
German by 5,382, French by l178;
1909 German by 1885; French bv
1927; 1910 German by OOPS, French
by 1909. In 1895 Latin Grammar
was studied by 2,416; in 1910 by
6,456. German is gaining nearly
everywhere on French and Latin. In
1895 German was studied in Al high
schools, French in 9, Latin Grammar
in IS; 1900 German in 40, French in
10, Latin Grammar in 88; 1905 Ger
man in 134, French in II, Latin
. Grammar in 169; 1909 German in
178, French in 9, Latin Grammar in
2O4; 1910 German in 1876, French in
8 and Latin Grammar in 1919 high
schools. This is a complete exhibit
of the ancient and modern language
work in all the 2O7 high schools OF
Minnesota. It is certainly weak
compared to the schools Of Europe
and when the Scandinavians ask tt
have their languages introduced thu
authorities cannot plead our higl
schools are overlanguaged. The to-
tai number Of high school scholar:
in the state studying English was il
1896, 2,O66; 1900, 1850; 1905, H.,
1872; 1909, 25,47o; 1910, 28,5ls
Hence about one-third of all tn
high school scholars in the Scandin
avian state of Minnesota are study
ing German. How many Scandina
Wan? In many places, at St. James
Dawson, and Madison, I learned the.
had, or were about to introduce int
the high schools the Scandinavian
languages. This will doubtless b