Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-05-01
URGES THREE-LANGUAGE
STANDARD OF EDUCATION
concluded from Page 81

overwork. Will men, reared under our
system, be able to compete with men
trained under the German system? The
first and easiest thing to introduce into
our schools is the three modern langu-
age course. That would put a better
school spirit into schools and pupils, a
more human, International work spir-
it. 1t would be addition in the real
sense that would in a few years spell
subtraction, liberating teachers and pu-
pills from being overburdened with Eng
lish, and English and English, in read
ing, spelling, grammar, composition,
phonics and language, meaning thereby
only English, and not even including the
language of the home and of the neigh
borhood. Germany's pupils are not ov-
erburdened with German. That is we'll
learned at little expense by correct
use of it daily in home and school, at
play and work.
Expense no Objection.
The last objection, I mention, is the
expense. In the minds Of some good
people this IL really an objection, though
it need not be. If blank cards with the
option Of taking language in place of
nature study, drawing or other studies
were sent to parents as in Chicago, the
parents wishes could easily be learned
and by a little reimbursement of classes
the homo language could be taught in
the elementary grades without a. dollar
extra expense. to the better satisfaction
of parents and greater profit of the chill
dren, whose interests are the first to
be considered. Teachers are now in the
schools who could take the substituted
work without extra teachers being en-
pleysd If parents had blank option
cards sent them many would choose 30
minutes q day in the home language to
60 minutes in two other branches they
thought of less Importance and thus
even save expense and tighten and make
moro effective the schools work in Eng
lish.
In case 1t is an extra additional
branch and the average teacher receives
5000 a year who has nine long and short
periods daily, one language class daily
for whole year would cost only 500.
A class in every schvor of the 81 grad
ed schools Of Minnea9olis would cost
only $1,000 a year,or 1874 yearly for
ian-Danish. Minneapolis expends one
million dollars yearly for the salaries
Of grade teachers and not a dollar goes
to teach a modern language and not a
single pupil in the grades is studying a
modern language besides English, yet
half of it's $4,000 pupils are from homes
where two languages are spoken. Other
cities do not consider the expense. In
the grades of Cincinnati 1902 pupils
take German, Cleveland 1883, Indian
apolis 6.501, Milwaukee 27,673. Other
languages besides German are also
taught in the grades Of these cities
Is 1t not time that the question of a
three language education is discussed
in the northwest? If the proper school
sentiment were developed among par
ents and the authorities, the expense
would not stand in the way. Such are
the main objections,we will now briefly
consider the
Arguments Favoring q Three Ianguag.
Education. Languages Disoi-
pine the Mind.
The first argument is that modern
languages discipline the mind, wher
taught in the elementary grades and il