Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-01-21

Editor Of the Morning Journal.
Yesterday J asked for space to
touch more particularly up the bilin-
guai method in vogue I'm Nova Scotia
for the teaching Of English to the
French-spcalying children. II may be
well to summarize the status OF the
French race In the province.
In l713, the province of Nova SEQ
tia became permanently a part Of the
British empire. Nearly all the popu-
lation, exclusive OF Indians, was
French. After the expulsion Of few
thousand OF tho Acadians In i755
many English soldiers came. from
Massachusetts and later q number OF
Scotch settled In the eastern part OF
the province. During the revolution
AIRY war many English who were loyal
TO the empire removed from the New
England states 10 the province. The
nineteenth century was, however, far
advanced before the English popula-
ton exceeded the French and there
are still several counties where the
French population forms a large part
Of the total. The French lived for the
most part in communities by them
selves and retained their own lan-
gunge and customs. My recollection
is that the public school system was
established somewhere about 1864.
Practically all teaching, except in n
few private schools was done in Eng
llsh. Many OF the French didn't at
tend and the pupils who did, in most
instances failed TO make satisfactory
progress. Little especial attention
was given TO the teaching Of English
as such, with the result that the
Frcnch population fell far behind the
English in a material as wen as edu-
c0tional way.
when the Reform Came.
This state OF affairs continued un-
III 1902. In that year the governor
appointed a commission of five
Frenchmen and three Scotchmen, all
eminent educators and Including DR..
A. II. Mckay. the eminent supcrin-
tendent OF education today, "for the
purpose Of investigating the best
methods Of teaching English i'm the
schools situate IN the French districts
OF the province" These commissions
crs made the most thorough lnvestiga-
ton, acquainting themselves thor
oughly with the conditions in the
French districts, and hearing the tos-
timony OF many language experts.
inexperienced teachers ordinarily
available for employment IN such
schools efforts made 10 teach English
were largely failures;" that with "uni-
formlty and persistency efforts had
been made TO teach children from
French homes with none but French
speaking playmates by means of the
English language alone" and further
that while futile efforts to teach
French-spealting children English
were being put forth, the general ed
ncatlon of the French children was
being seriously neglected"
But the first recommendation made
by the commission was as follows.
THAT English can be best and most
effectively taught in the French
speaking school sections by daily use
In speaking and writing that language
from the pupils first entrance into
school. to be followed by the pre-
scribed English readers not later
than the third or fourth erade.'
Explodes DIR. Halls Theory.
There doesn't seem TO be much of
the little or no English" OF DR., Hall
and perhaps Or. Roberts about that.
The commission recommended sec
ond, that the general education of
FrenCh-spcaking pupils should be
carried on concurrently with their ac-
uuirement OF English. and that this
can he accomplished most successfully
hy use of their Vcrnacular." The final
recommendation was that us far as
possible bilingunl teachers should be
employed in the French districts.
After the report OF the commission
had been made 60 the governor, thel
department of education promulgated
four "Acadlan school regulations
which IN substance are as follows
The appointment nf hilingual
superintendent 70 assist the various
county superintcndents in the French
districts. A free course at the nor
mai college for hilinguOl teachers.
Permission TO use French readers at
the outset provided the teacher is
capable ~ giving colloquial instruc-
ton IN English. SO effectively that by
the snd Of the fourth year, the pu-
pills may thereafter be instructed
wholly IN English no language hut
English 10 be Imperative On any pupil.