Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-11-15
broaden the vision and in the South.
the Spanish Republics Of Central and

broaden the vision and ii the South
the Spanish Republics Of Central and
South America. Each section of the
United States calls for different Ian
guages, and the mod language de-
mands on our nation are growing
greater, not less, as We come into
contact with the world in different
way than We have been doing in ali
our history by immigration. French
is gaining in the New England states,
and Louisiana, and Italian is being
pressed in all their settlements from
the Atlantic to the Pacific.
The Germans and Scandinavians
coming last are not alone. They
have, however, been so busy. in turn
ing over prairie sod, building homes
and raising wheat and corn, beef and
pork, to draw money from Europe
and: thus to lay the primitive, and
best foundation for our national
prosperity, that they have neglected
their own educational, linguistic and
political interests. If they were as
developed in these lines as in econ
omics, the laws Of states on
teaching modern languages would be
better. There would be less hesitan-
cy and censorship here than in in
Producing other subjects. Our theme
is a national, and not merely pro-
vincial one. AS many schools are
planning to introduce Scandinavian
or German at the beginning Of the
new term after Christmas, we gave
the above laws Of a few states. May
they encourage further, and even
more generous legislation on this
very vital national question in other
states! .
MODERN LANGUAGES COMPUL-
sorry IN EUROPE.
A knowledge Of some languages is
required to enter certain departments
of American universities, as German
for the civil engineering course, and
in this sense they are compulsory.
In European schools, however, mod
ern languages are compulsory in the
sense that they are required for
graduation. English or French, or
both, are obligatory in all the schools
and nearly all the classes, Of Ger
many. An exact data: Of the teach
ing plan (Lehrplan) Of Prussia, re-
lating to the study Of modern langu-
ages is at hand and it resembles that
of Scandinavia and other European
lands. We print it in this connec-
ton for examination and compari-
son. Gymnasiums assign 81 week
hours to Latin, SO to Greek, 26 to
German, 10 to French English cleo
tive) and 10 to religion. Real Gym
nasiums assign 43 hours to Latin, 2e
to German, 81 to French during the
last Z Of the 9 years, 18 to English
the last 6 years and 10 to religion
Ober- Real Schools omit Latin entire
ly, and assign AZ hours to French
for 9 years, "a to German (13 less
than to French), 25 to English the
last six years and 10 hours to reig-
lion. In southern German states more
hours are given to Latin and French
and less to English. Admission tt
these schools requires that the chile
be at least nine years of age and has
had a three years preparatory course
in reading, writing, arithmetic ani
religion in the elementary schools
"Real' schools, without the deac
languages, are gaining on the gym.
nasiums. The Real-Gymnasiums, il
will be seen, are a compromise be.
tween the Real schools and the Gym.
nasiums, as to the dead and modern
languages. High schools for girls
offer 81 week hours in German, q II
French, II in English and "a hours
in religion or hours more in religion
than the other schools.
! One is surprised how little time is
given in the fatherland, even since
the school reform Of 1892, to Ger.
man as an independent study. This
would be contradictory were it moi
possible to teach German indirectl,
! in teaching other languages. TIL.
English people have a different sys.
tenn, more hours for English as al
independent study and less for for.
eign languages. We believe, however
the German language is developed
better by the German system thar
English is by the English system
| The Ober-Real schools, as stated
give French Al, German "a hours
| (l3 less) and English Is hours. Wha1
would happen if American schools
following this example, devoted 4;
week-hours to German, "a to English
and Is to Scandinavian The larg,
German and Scandinavian popula
tons in America would be another
reason for doing So.
Minneapolis, Mimi, Nov. 20, 1911
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