Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-11-20

BY Prof. J. N. Lenker.
LECTURE TOUR WEST.

r.
Last week it was my pleasure to lee
ture at Winthrop and meet with It's
school board and to speak to the high
schools Of Madison, Granite Falls and
MOntevideOs At Madison I visited the
first grade class in Norwegian, taught
by Miss Erickson of the Mankato Nor
NAL school. have always advocated
the language Of the home and settlement
in the elementary grades, but after Wis
iting the first grade class In Madison
am more confirmed that neither the
university nor the high school is the
place to learn the abc's of second Ian
guage. Any Swedish or Norwegian per-
son, who has a certificate from a state
normal school and reads and speaks the
language fluently is able to teach 1t In
their respective grades in the same way
as English is taught. Some think grade
teachers are not to be had and there
fore the work must be postponed This
is misleading. A great number of grade
teachers, graduates of our normal
schools and other schools, could begin
at once to teach either Swedish or Nor
wegian in the grades. Text books are
numerous, published in the Netherlands
and in this country for grade work. The
book used at Madison is Prof. Knute
Lokensgaards. Supt. NOrdby and Miss
Erickson are talking of writing new
one. We wish Madison great success in
their grade and high school work in
Morse. May many follow their example!
SCANDINAVIAN IN UNIVERSITIES.
The study of Scandinavian languages
and literature in universities is not of
recent date, as the following figures will
plainly show. 1t was introduced in the
New York university as early as 1858,
University of Wisconsin, 1869; Columbia
University, 1880; Minnesota, 1882;
Northwestern, 1885; North Dakota, 1898;
Chicago, 1898; John Hopkins, 1885; Har-
ward, 1888; Bryn Mawr, 1890; Western
Reserve, 1891; California, 1892; Yale,
1893: Pennsylvania, 1895: Leland STAN
ford, 1894; Michigan, 1888; Morse langu-
ages and literature and the Swedish In
1896; Vanderbilt, 1891; Indiana, 1885,
South Dakota 1902; Illinois, 1909; Kan
sas, 1909; Nebraska, 1910; Washington
State, 1910; Willamette, 1910; Oregon,
1911, also in Princeton, Cornell, Ohio,
Cincinnati, Missouri and Texas. Three
institutions Offering Scandinavian in
1880. eleven in 1890, twenty-one in 1900
and thirty-seven in 1911. These courses
include Old Morse, Old Icelandic, Nor
wegian and Swedish, whose education
al Importance must be appreciated by
these institutions of learning.
SCANDINAVIAN IN HIGH SCHOOLS
It is only during the last two or three
years that it's introduction in the high
schools has gained impetus as the fol-
lowing will indicate. The study of Scan
dinavivan in the high schools is being
pursued in our state as follows: Lanes
boro, Rushford, Spring Valley, Minne-
apolis in four schools, Willmar, Daw-
son, Madison, Fergus Falls, Thief River
falls, Crookston, Fosston, Duluth, Vir-
ginia, Benson, st. James, Cokato, De-
troit, Henning, Milan, Lindstrom and
Hanley Falls. It will also be introduced
into the high schools of st. Paul, though
turned down once, also Of Montevideo,
Granite Falls, and Winthrop. Scandin-
avian is thus in thirty or more high
schools. It is also taught in six other
states. In Wisconsin,; Stoughton, Stan
ley and Hudson; in Iowa; DEBORAH, Story
City Lake Mills and Northwood: in H.
linois, Chicago, Moline and Rockford; in
North Dakota, Grand Forks; in New
York; jamestown and Brooklyn; in
Washington, Everett. 1t is difficult to
gather complete statistics and no, doubt
there are others not heard from. Tell
us If you know Of any. In the country
district schools, the work is also grow
ing.
Minneapolis, Mimi, Nov. 10, 1912.