Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-12-10
y GERMAN LANG AaE AND
z.9 CULTURE IN AMERlcA

LANoU AND
CULTURE IN sAMERicA
(By Prot. J. N. Lenker, ID. d.
NATIONAL GERMAll-AldER1CA AN
ALLIANCE.
Having just read the printed report
of the seventh convention Of the Ma
tional German-American Alliance at
st. Louis, Mo-, Oct. 6-12, send you a |
few items. Perhaps no organization
has done more in SO short q time for
the schools and culture Of America.
1t is young and originated in the Key
stone state, in Philadelphia. the city
of brotherly love, April Is, 1899, by
founding the "'German-American Cen
trail Alliance of Pennsylvania" which
gave the impulse to consolidating the
German-American element. June 10,
1900, a preliminary meeting was. held
at Philadelphia, Pa, of delegates from
only four states, Pennsylvania, Ohio,
Maryland and Minnesota. We are
proud that Minnesota, from the north
west, was one of the four charter
members, and is very active state
branch. The first regular convention
was held Oct. 6, 1901, in Philadelphia;;
the second in Baltimore, Md, Sept.
IL, 1908; the third in Indianapolis,
Ind, Oct. 4, 1905; the fourth in New
York City, Oct. S, 1907; the fifth in
Cincinnati, O., Oct. 2, 1909; the sixth
In Washington, D. c.; the seventh in
st. Louis, Mo-, Oct. 6, 1918; and the
eighth convention will be held in San
Francisco, CAL, 1915. The number Of
state organizations were in 1909, 20;
1911, 80; 1913, 43. Pennsylvania leads
with $4,000 members. 1t extends
from ocean to ocean and from Canada
to Texas and is in reality national
alliance of loyal Americans who speak
a High or Low German in dialect,
born in America or German immi.
grants from Germany, Austria, Hun.
gary, Russia, Luxembourg, Switzer.
land, Holland, Belgium or the Balkan
States. It's membership is over 2,O00,.
900 American voters. A national wo.
mems branch is also organized, and
special work is done for the young
and this brings the mothers and faith.
ers to examine into the character OF
education their children are receiving
and for which they pay taxes. "The
reaches class Of young people and
interests them in things German that
otherwise might never recover the
German they lost
There is much truth in the state
ment of the printed report that "Ou,
children leave the public schools be
cause they and their parents are dis
satisfied with the results" Wher
parents send their children to schoo
with a fair start to learn two langu
ages, and after eight years of schoo
work they have forgotten what they
knew of the one and made little pro
gress in the other, how can they bt
satisfied? If our school system il
raised to the two language STANDARD
of Germany and Scandinavia, it will
be due largely to this national ALI
ance. never attended one of theil
meetings, but became a member sole
ly because of its school and cultura
works. It's literature and reports arr
interesting and profitable reading.
The report of the St. Louis conven
ton, reveals deep and intelligent in
terest in teaching modern language!
in the graded public schools. Man!
state organizations tell of great pro
gress. The one of California report:
that the superintendent of the schools
of San Francisco sent request t.
the parents of pupils in the elemen
tary schools, asking them to stat,
what language, if any, they wished
their children to take. OF 16,104 an
swers returned, 1904 chose German
4,613 French, 2,770 Spanish and 1,63
Italian. The result was the schoo
board gladly voted more money TO
teachers in the five cosmopolitan AM
three intermediate schools, with tn
hope of increasing the number mex
year.
Philadelphia has introduced German
in the elementary schools and nov
comes the news that Boston, Mass, I