Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-02-11
Assistant Superintendent FIadeIfo Baca
Again Takes Sharp Issue With Dr. Roberts

Editor Morning Journal.-ln his adj
dress, Two Fundamental Errors in
the Educational system Of New Mex
leo, DR.. Roberts blames the enabling
net for the second error forced upon
us because Of the words therein
said schools shall always be conduct
ell in English That this Is an argu-
ment advanced without pretense to any
foundation everyone will admit for
The enabling act does not prohibit the
teaching Of Spanish or any other lam
guage, and that with regard to the
adoption Of a bliugua or ans other
method The enabling act is as silent
as mute. if the words schools
shall always be conducted IN English
apply as a prohibition 10 the teach
Ing Of spanish or the use Of blin-
quail method, does Il not also apply
20 Latin, or Spanish when taught to
Anglo Americans Is II a prohibition
IN one instance and permission or
mandate in the other our high
schools and educational institutions
teach Latin and Spanish and In both
instances uae blingual books and biz
linguai methods--transiat from
such languages into the English and
tlte-Nefsa, also conversations. What
about 'he enabling act, and il
WE are so exacting why not prao-
tice what we preaeh2 Hence. 1t
follows that it y not the fault
Of the enabling act, but purely
and simply the fault lies, notwth-
standing The expressed argument Of
Dr. Roberts with the educators in au-
thority,
The present hoard Of education
adopted for the FIRST time IA little
over year ago, Cyrs' First Book in
Spanish and English and Mantilla s
Second spanish Reader, Mr. Montoya
of Bernhlillo county reports that the
little children learn the first book
bilingual Ia about half the school
term ana has asked aud was granted
permission 10 use another book Of a
similar nature Appletun's First Book
tHilineualj pesMarais, Madrid
Moutoya OF sandoval Baea, Montaner
and Gallegos report that in their re-
speotiVe counties where these books
are used Spanish American children
are learning successfully the English
language nesMarais, when he finds
d district whore the children are not
learning any English, at once sends
them a good supply of Cyrs First
Book. Raea, from Valencia. has been
granted the permission to use Nalen-
Nuela q GArrrenes bilineual method
aud he speaks highly of its efficiency
in his county, Montnya, OF Rernalillo,
speaks highly of what his teachers are
accomplishing Same time last Sep
tember conference Of educators,
county and high school saperintend-
ents and others which met here In
Santa Pc. adopted a resolution em-
phasiSing the Use Of the hooks adopt
ed by the board of education and all
OF this Notwithstanding that innocent,
but blamed, enabling act!
Now who is TO blame for the first
fundamental error nr. Roberts adj
mits he knows of no error in all our
pedagogical experience more persist
ent Than the tendency Of the school
man to generailge from TOO meager
/ data tte finds one thing that works
| welt with one student aud then SAYS
This is a good thing for an students.
/ but, mark his words Just quoted
/ His address contains only data (par-
| tial Quotationsl that emphasize the
error IN all ouf pedagogical expert
| enee, e., the tendency of the
I school man 90 generalige from too
meager data, ana ergo forthwith,
1 he falls into the fatal error with stan
/ ley Hall "the kafflr boys for four
/ years are taught nothing bat their
own tongue aad then later the bright
ef OF them can go on and study the
| French or English language and cnl-
infe They find this works well with
kaffirs. hence, "generalize. what
works we'll with the kaftirs
II