Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-11-15

SCANDINAVIAN tl6uA6ES
lll OUR G COUNTRY
DlSTRicT SCHOOLS
by ]. N. Lenker, D. D.)
XIV.

(By ]. n. Lenker, D. d.
@s <5..5@ XIV. !
In one Of the largest and best law
libraries in the west q legal author.
ity remarked to me the other day
that the teaching Of the German and
Scandinavian languages in universi-
les is compulsory, obligatory, in that
they are required to employ profess
sors and offer courses in those Ian
guages; but no student is forced to
study these unless demanded in the
departments Of university work he
wishes to enter. The teaching is re-
quired by law, the study is optional.
No student is obliged to study these
languages, but the state requires the
university to provide for and offer
them. In like manner it is compul-
sorry for the school, but optional for
the pupil, when high school and coun-
try district school authorities order
these languages to be taught. Child
rem Of foreign parents have no spec
ial favor above the children Of Am
erican parents. Two languages are
as free and beneficial to Americans
as to foreigners. Both alike receive
credits for knowing the languages
upon entering the university. School
districts, settled exclusively by Am
orleans, should take advantage of
this provision of the law for their
children. While this may appear to
children. While this may appear to be
racial, clannish or partisan cues
ton, it is not. It ought to be advo-
Gated on purely pedagogical, philo-
logical, American, international
grounds, without respect to individu-
ais or races. We speak in behalf of
Germans and Scandinavians in their
communities and cheerfully grant the
same privilege to other nationalities,
with equal rights to all children
whose parents speak only English
The impression that it is a privilege
for only one nationality should be
avoided. No child should be exclud-
ed, no language refused. The aim
should be to conserve all languages
as long as possible for the benefits Of
all. Thus an American, internation-
al brotherhood would be developed
Children are children and easily Learn
languages, regardless whether OF
| American or foreign parents. AL
should have the same chance.
LAWS OF STATES ON TEACHING
i MODERN LANGUAGES. ,~
The 100000 public school buildings
in our 48 states, worth 81, 100000.
900 accommodating 18,000,00 schol.
ars at an annual expenditure Of :
half million dollars, is a vast sys'
TEN, and is subject to continued ant
changing legislation. Wisconsin law
page 1863, Section AT Of the Wiscon
sin Statistics reads: "All instruction
shall be in the English language, ex
cept that the district board or tn
board Of education may, in their dis
erection, cause any foreign Language
> to be taught by competent teache,
to such pupils as desire it, not to ex
coed one hour each day. Distric
boards, town boards Of school direc
tors and boards Of education ma,
provide for kindergarten, for in
: struction and training of primar,
grades in separate departments O.
otherwise" The Wisconsin law, i
will be observed, resembles that O.
: Minnesota in allowing one hour eacl
day to be devoted to teaching modern
languages in the graded and countr,
schools. The course of high schoo
studies is adopted by tn
board Of education and ap
proved by the state superintend
ent. 1n high schools" says tn,
: State Superintendent, "having NOR
. than two teachers, including the prin
cipal, it is an easy matter to have
course with foreign language
North Dakota, Revised Codes, Sec
ton 826, reads: "Subject to the ap
prevail Of the County Superintendent
it (the school board) shall have pow
err to determine what branches, i
any, in addition to those required b,
law shall be taught in any school O
the district" Ordinances of tn,
Northwest Territories of Canada
1905, Chapter IS, Section 1856 e.
reads: "The board Of any distric
may, subject to the regulations of tn,
department, employ one or NOR,
competent persons to give instructio,
in any language other than Englisl
III the school Of the district to all pu
pills whose parents or guardians hay,
signified a willingness that the,
should receive the same, but sucl
course of instruction shall not super
cede or in any way interfere with tn
instruction by the teacher in charg,
Of the school as required by the re