The Washington times., 1917-10-28
D. c. PUPILS
GIVE STUDY
Of GERMAN
THE GO-DY
kaIser's Language Likely to
Fall Among Dead Tongues in
Schools Here. Class En-
frances Indicate.

frances Indicate. 4
The language of the Kaiser IL not
finding much favor in Washington
high schools these days and IL the
present rate Of decrease prevails,
German win soon fall to the level
OF the dead Greek and Latin tongues.
Since the United States entered the
war q marked falling off In the study
of German has been recorded, conse-
quently there are more French and
Spanish students than ever before.
The startling decreases in the white
high schools are not so prominent
in the colored schools. German Is
holding its own at the colored Dun
bar High School, where eleven classes
have been organized, the same num-
ber as last year. But even, this is q
loss, claims G. c. wilkinson, prin-
elpal OF Dunbar. as thirteen classes
had been PLANNED on paper for 1917"
Three teachers are engaged teaching
German at the Dunbar, two OF them
devoting their entire day to the sub
ject.
60 Glasses Before War.
In 1916 before the United States
entered the war there were thirty
seven classes of German in the white
high schools and twenty-three classes
IN the colored high schools. Today,
there are twenty-four classes in the
white high schools and nineteen
classes or approximately 80 students
of German IN the Washington high
schools.
In 1913 Central High School boast
ed Of sixteen classes OF German with
,455 students. Today the 450 has been
cut nearly in half. Only 26l students
in q school of over 2,200 pupils, are
learning to "Sprechen sic Deutsch."
Before the war, German was the
language sought above all others.
Now. both French and Spanish have
replaced Il.
Al Mckinley Manual Training
School there IL q loss OF three Ger
man. classes and about 100 pupils.
French Is now being taken by seven
classes. and is expected to soon pass
the German classes In enrolment
spanish is far ahead Of German, there
being eleven full classes studying the
trade language.
Spaniah I'm High Schools.
A decided slump in German is
noted at both Eastern and Western
High Schools. The war brought about
n so per cent decrease in the study OF
German at Western where four
cIaSsss have been reduced to two,
and these are advanced, there being
no demand for beginners German.
For its size, Western is the French
stronghold, there being six classes
IN operation Spanish, with four
classes, IL also ahead OF German.
Eastern High School has suffered
the loss OF three German classes.
Last years seven having been re-
duced to four this year. Only six
studsnts applied for beginners Ger
man at the opening Of school this
year, and as school rules require ten
students TO make a language class.
the six were compelled to study with
= more advanced class.
Although Dunbar High School has
not lost any German classes, Arm
strong Manual Training School, the
other coiored high school Just around
the corner, has only eight classes in
place Of last years twelve. OF this
eight. however, six are freshmen
classes just taking up the study Of
the Teuton tongue. At Armstrong,
there are three classes in French, a
rnin OF one class over last year, and
two classes in Spanish. gain of
one cIhGs over last year.
Vet a COmmereiaI language.
dernan passed out fy6m Business
High School four years54go. This sig
nffcant fact, Is I'D by school Of
feials, to prove u German is not a
commhrcial lang <ge. Spanish pushed
German OF the program at Business
High, as the one desirable CONNER
cial language.
Spanish IL the commercial Ian
ruage and should be taught in bust
ness schools declared Principal Allan
Davis, Of Business High School.
This year there was some demand
for French, but 1 believe more from a
patriotic rather than a business
standpoint" said Mr.. Davis. Business
has four Spanish classes.
Washington school officials believe
that the astonishing decrease in the
study OF German is due directly 20 the
war. Although the French and Span
ish lists OF eligible teachers are eX-
hausted- several names remain on the
German list
Many high school teachers OF Ger
man believe that. Washington stu
dents are doing wrong by neglecting
the study. After the war, said some
Of the teachers. German will be in
valuable. One teacher pointed out
that the study of German now Is as
necessary as the study OF French. be-
cause when the American armies In
wade Germany they will find a knowl-
edge Of the language to great ad-
vantage.
Ajpamphlet just gotten out by the
coDimittee on public Information,
written in German. on How the War
Oame 70 America" has been received
by Superintendent Of Schools Ernest
L rhurston- The pamphlet may be
come German text in the local high
school classes.