Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-05-01

cumstances neglect the mental disci-
pline off, the child. Resolved, that the
study Of languages afford a better dis
cipline for the mind than the study Of
mathematics" has often been debated,
and while would take the affirmative,
we will not debate this question here
tonight OF course. the ancient or dead
languages were always meant. Modern
languages have since entered the field
and they have the advantage in that
they discipline the ear and tongue by
being heard and spoken in everyday life
as "umgangssprachen." They help the
phonetics Of English by developing the
ear, the organ that is greatly neglected
in our education. Hence the lack Of
attention and slow progress of some pu-
pills. BY studying a modern tongue with
the modern, natural, phonetic method
one takes preparatory lessons in sci
ence, an art and in music at the same
time, a new, fresh, living school spirit
enters the school,
We do not oppose the study of the
ancient languages, yet we believe they
have more value for Europe than for
America. There is much in the re-
mark of the Danish businessman, that
Greek and Latin were the classics of
Europe, as its languages were developed
by them; but German and Scandinavian
are the classics of North America, as
English is based upon them. Modern
languages should have first place in
America, and that of the home and of
the settlement should be preferred, the
child receives more discipline from the
study of it's mothers tongue than any
other. 1t establishes a life-tie that
nothing else will. 1t opens a medium
by which the child best studies the
mother and the mother the child.
Key to Culture and Heart Of. Other
Nations.
Another is the cultural argument,
opens the door to the literature and soul
of other nations. This is the argument
generally urged by universities and high
schools, and is familiar. The reason
many undertake the task of learning a
language is to read. the literature of
their special line of study or work in
other tongues. No one literature ex-
cells in all lines, that it cannot be en-
riched by others. The Hebrew, Greek
and Latin literatures ruled the ancient
world; the German, English, Scandin-
avian and French the modern, and they
all learned from one another. Amer
leans are beginning to appreciate the
vast quantity and high quality of the
! literature of the three Scandinavian
kingdoms and of Iceland, and it's inf1u-
ence upon the English world. Hence its
study grows in American universities.
The true spirit and civilization of a
people can be fully learned only by per-
sonal contact with them through their
language and literature, and this is a
god reason for studying both. Germans
who know no English miss as much as
Englishmen who know no German. II
we know only one language, the rest OF
the world is deaf and dumb to us, and
we to it; we live small life in a little
corner Of the world. 1t pays to come
into speaking and hearing fellowship
with as large part of the world as pos.
sible. Much is said these days about
living a higher, broader and fuller life
Can it be done in one tongue? No. Sucf
a life comes through the leading modern
cultural languages, as German. Englist
and Scandinavian. Each of these SHOULD
learn the other two first, because these
three Teutonic languages dominate the
culture of the world today. They are
the easiestfor Teutons to learn and con
tain for them the richest cultural treas
ures.
Indispensable in Trade Competition.
| Third we should master modern Ian