Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-01-10
INDIANAPOLIS HIGH SCHOOLS.
5zftt FOUR YEARS IN GERMAN. MS s1s {.

INDIANAPOLIS u , HIGH SCHOOLS q, y
FOUR YEARS IN GERMAN.
In the indianapolis high schools. the
report says. Courses are offered to pu-
pills beginning German and to those who
have completed the seven-year course In
elementary schools. The work Is de-
signed to give grammatical knowledge
in q natural way. Emphasis is laid on
correct pronunciation. practice OF the
ear in dictation. free composition. and
Independent oral and written expression.
The reading course has been arranged
to give acquaintance with Germany,
with the nature and customs Of the peo-
pie, with Germany's culture and intel
lectual life"
The German club is made up Of stu
dents from the advanced classes. LEG
lures are delivered in German. Last
year Germanic mythology was consid-
cred. and several, Of wagners master
pieces were explained. Two entertain
ments were given under the auspices OF
the club. the proceeds going to the dec
Grafton, in typical style, OF one Of the
German classroOms The German teach
ers hope to contribute, through these
in which Germany and America shall
unite in solving the problems Of HUI
manity.' =. ..4 -
Pupils who have completed the sew
en-year course in German in the district
/ schools, are offered four years Of ad-
vanced German in the high schools, eley-
| en- years in all. This is not too long; to
master second language. The high
school work is essentially continue
| ton and extension Of that in the gram
mar grades. The evils of translation
English are 'minimized by giving the
pupil only such practice in rendering
German into English as will assist him
| in passing the examinations held by the
College Entrance Examination Board
| In the application Of the direct method,
| translation is the exception, and not the
rule" =
Director Nix further states: by the
intensive study Of a number Of master
works, the pupils mind is brought into
| contact with some of the greatest minds
| that directed the development of Ger
man thought and German ideals, and in
fluenced in so remarkable degree the
highest intellectual life of the American
people. To give the pupil an insight in
| to modern German life, with it's Gus
toms and manners, it's joys and SORROWS,
and to render him more proficient in
every day conversation, the study. Of
the classics, alternates to some extent
| with the reading of modern fiction and
plays
SHALL MINNEAPOLIS, BE A CENTER
OF SCANDINAVIAN CULTURE
| IN AMERICA? .*..s
America, 1t is said. is rapidly becom-
ling New Europe. In this process each
nation contributes it's share and each.
nationality will find its strongest con-
stituency in districts and large cities,
where their racial, national and cultur-
al life will be the most representative.
Each country of Europe has already a
cultural center in the new world, some
reaching far back into history. AS a
rule these centers are in the cities
where The respective nationalities are
the strongest: the Portuguese in Rio
,Janeiro, the Italians in Buenos Aires,
the Spanish in Mexico City, the French
lin Quebec, the Dutch in New York
lCity, the English in Boston, the Ger
mans in Milwaukee. But where. is, or
where shall be, the cultural center of
the Scandinavians, the people who first
discovered the new world and rank third
in developing its resources? Some hold
Chicago is the logical center Of Scan
Idinavian life and influence, because. it
is in the heart of the United States and
has more Scandinavians than any other
American city, with 1876 Of them in
1900, born in Scandinavia or whose two
or one parent were born there
Others claim New York City is the log
ical center, because it is the metropolis
Of the New World, is in the heart of
the cultural east, is nearer to the Scan
linavian Netherlands and ranks second
in it's Scandinavian population, there be-
ing 112,868 in 1900. The third city that
is competing for this international hon.
or is Minneapolis. It's claims are the
following: including Canada it is in the
center of the northern part of North
America and in the Old World the Scan
dinavians are a northern people and will
naturally drift to the north of the New
World; it is in the center of the north
west where the .Scandinavians are the
most numerous and where they have
put their stamp and imprint upon the
irst and pioneer settlements and civili=
| 11tloH VI IuC COuHlAy, RANKS
in the number of ScandinaVians, num-
bering 93,404 in 1906: The strongest ar
gument, however, in favor Of Minneap-
oils, is that while in Chicago: with H.
698,575 people in 1900 and in New York
with 3,437,202 people in 1900, the Scan
Il dinavian element is relatively small, in
Minneapolis it was nearly half (93,404)
, Of the total population Of 202,718 in 1900,
with good prospects of maintaining the
present ratio. Minneapolis is nearer to
more American Scandinavians than is
either Chicago or New York, and more
people would be benefited if the center
Of the culture of northern Europe were
located in the larger of the Twin Cities,
the northern metropolis of America.
Minneapolis has also minor considera-
tons in it's favor. Its state university
has more Scandinavian students than
Iany other state university. It's library
has a fair collection of Danish, Nor
iwegian and Swedish literature. which is
being increased, and the Scandinavian
languages are taught in its high schools
with prospects that they will. be intro
duced into it's graded schools. In all
the centers Of European nations in Am
erica with one or two exceptions their
Language is maintained in the primary
and grammar schools, otherwise such
central cultural institutions would be-
come soon museums, lifeless monuments
Instead of the resultant force from AM
erican life and Scandinavian. life think
ing and working together. The largest
city that does the most to plant the cul-
ture and language OF the parents in the