The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-03-02
Eight-Year-O|d Lad Learns
Spanish Language Almost as
Quickly as GroWn,up Persons
Byron MCFaII Finds Foreign
Language So Interesting
That He Never Misses a
Session,
By Aletha Barr Taft.


A great many of the most modern and
advanced authorities III educational
circles have the belief that the present
system OF teaching foreign language Is
all wrong. That we do not begin early
enough that It Is a mistake to postpone
the teaching of French, German, span
ish as the desire may be, until the high
school days that the chld's most sus-
ccptlble age for languages is up TO the
age OF II that after this his ability t.
acquire a foreign speech grows more
difficult with years.
Reform Attempted
With this theory then these authori-
ties are trying to bring about a reform
or changc--Su iar unsuCccSsiully-iu
the study oi foreign language They
are trying 10 have them introduced into
the schools at much earlier period
That there is much OF truth IN what
/ they contend is always proved by the
case with which chlldrcn m a foreign
country become really good llngulsts
while their elders are struggling along
trying to learn the neccsslGc, OF speech.
1 Right here in Oklahoma City VIC
have an interesting case which helps
TO prove the point and incidentally
. shows a commcndahlc spirit ol amhi-
/ ton and desire for knowledge
One evening in the carly iall-n iac'
It wa, ,ull summer-two little bows
were playing in and out OF the Car
negie library They ran here and there
/ and boy-lkc forgot the sign which ad-
monishcS mo Talking -
Spanish Glass in Session.
At TN, time there was IN session in
one ~ the downstairs rooms the Span
l,h class which met and ,ull meets
twice a week under the direction OF Mr
T.. ! Gordon
he NOISE OF the two Youngsters Ma
'uralIy disturbed the work IN TIM, clds-
Mis-, Phelps then Librarian. was a
member OF the class and stepped out
INT, the hall to quiet the BOYS She told
them that IT they cared to do ,o and
would he quiet they might come into the
runm and listen to the recitation
The invitation was accepted, probably
through curiosity Tie next time the
class met they were thcrc and the next
time It met they were there Nttcr q
lew more times one ot them failed 10
make hi, appearance, but the other OF
them has been on hand at every meeting
OF the class sinrc
This lad is Byron McIall lr0l West
lhlrty-lr,t street, who up - 'lu, week
lived ncNt door to the library. which
made a very convenient and interesting
play ground
Became Interested
BYRON evidently found the study OF
Spanish very interesting, indeed, a, he
has never missed a single lesson, uo
matter what the weather or conditions
! OF course Mr. Gordon and the elias, ot
grownups took his attendance as a Joke
At FIRST Then ii dawncd upon them
that he was doing as good work M a
waN as they He learned rapidly and
was soon able to hold up his part oi
the class work
Byron is Just & year, old and IN the
fourth grade at the Emerson school
He is a good student and a member ot
the school orchestra recently organized
He evidently believes in filling m,
niche IN lie well
Not so very long ago Mr.. Harrison
OF the school board was paying Emcr