New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-19
Private Schools
To Teach "Kultur"
Here Are Planned
Germans Alarmed at Pro-
posed Ban on Language
by Education Board

Information reached officials OF the
Board of Education yesterday that GER
tain German interests, alarmed over
the dcl,ine of German studies in the
public schools, are planning to estab-
lish a system of private schools in
which German "kultur" is to be taught
Those behind the plant are declared
to be chagrined because Of the pros
pect that the teaching Of the German
language is TO be dropped from the
elementary and intermediate schools
and that the German textbooks in the
high schools are TO be purged Of all
laudatory mention of the Kaiser.
Several German societies, officials of
the board were told. have taken up
the plan and have gone SO far as to
consider places where the new classes
may be instructed. The educational
officials learned of the project through
teacher of German, now in the public
schools, who reported he had been
asked to take charge of class. Act
ing on this information a quiet in
vestigation has been begun to deter
mine how many such teachers have
been approached.
For two months the Board OF Educa-
ton has been considering how much
German teaching it might eliminate
from the schools without impairing the
system. Several weeks ago the com
mittee on studies and textbooks, of
which Franklin II. Giddings is chair
man. recommended to the board Of
superintendents that the teaching of
the German language be dropped from
all except the high schools. The super
intendents have not yet reported their
decision.
The culling out of pro-German senti-
ment from high school textbooks is al
ready under way. A special committee,
headed by l.. A. wilkins. assistant to
DR.. John L. Tildsley, assistant super
intendent in charge. of high schools,
reported to Gustav Straubenmuller,
acting City Superintendent, the names
of about a dozen German textbooks
which contained passages praising the
Kaiser and German "kultur."
Undoubtedly there arc numerous
persons who arc keenly hurt to learn
that German lore is being gradually
elected from the schools, and these
persons unquestionably are responsible
for the movement TO establish private
German schools" said a public school
official yesterday. "Once German was
by far the most popular of the foreign
language studies
an past years it has been a cause OF
pride TO German Americans that Ger
man history, literature, art, music and
language have been taught so generally
in the New York schools. IL is no Won
der. then, that some of these persons
should seek to keep alive these studies.
even if private schools have to be
established to do it,"
A special session of the Board of Ed
ucaton this afternoon will consider the
cases of the three teachers who were
suspended from the De Witt Clinton
High School for "holding views sub
yersive of good discipline and tending
10 undermine good citizenship" These
teachers Thomas Mufson. Samuel ID.
Schmslhausen and A. Henry Schneer-
have been recommended by the high
schools committee for dismissal.
The Public Schools Neighborhood As
ISOLATION, through Mrs. Josephine
Wolfe, chairman Of the fair play COM
mittee, yesterday sent 70 each member
Of the board a protest against the dis
missal of the teachers.