Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-20
Americans a One Language
People.

A plea for the SclentlnC Study anu
teaching of Spanish and other lam
guages and the elimination OF obso-
lete methods. with illuminating sta
tistics. is the subject of an interest
ing article which appears In the cur
rent number of the Bulletin Of the
American Union, Washington
The article was prepared after much
research by Dr. Harry Erwin Bard,
secretary of the Pan-American society
of the United States.
The writer selected ll2 institutions,
from 622 colleges, universities and
technical schools that have provision
for foreign language instruction, He
calls attention to the growing import
ance of the study not only OF Span
ish and Portuguese, but of the Ian
guages and customs of the people of
Russia, Japan and China with whom
the United States is coming increas-
ingly in contact. In the study Of Rus
sian only five out of 1l2 leading in
stitutions offer studies in that Ian
guage, a total of 792 hours. In the
Japanese language only one out of
liz offers instruction in a single half
year course of two hours a week. In
the Chinese language two out OF H.
institutions offer courses of instruC-
ton in Chinese, aggregating a total
Of $40 hours.
There are 50,000,0O0 people to the
south OF US whose official language is
Spanish, whose early culture and
learning were inherited from Spain,
each country having its own pc
culiar ambitions and characteristic
traits. These people are our neigh
bors and friends, Our relations with
them are of the greatest Importance,
whether commercial or political or Of
other character. We should know
them as neighbors and respect them
as such, Ninety-seyen of the 112 in
! situations selected provide for instruc-
ton in Spanish, but the aggregate
number of hours provided for is less
| than one-third the number provided
| for in German
There are 25,000,000 people to the
south of US whose official language Is
Portuguese, whose early learning and
culture were inherited from Portugal,
whose friendship for us is traditional
1 Only 10 of these H. institutions have
provided for instruction in the Ian
guage Of the people Of Brazil. and
these 10 institutions provide for only
/ Il courses aggregating only some .I1G
/ hours Of instruction, or one per cent
( OF the number of hours Of instruction
provided for in German.
Americans are known the world
over as people Of one language, In
most countries the mastery of at least
one foreign language is considered an
indispensable element of culture, and
has long been so considered. But most
/ Americans would appear to think ii
ludicrous that they should be expected
to have a speaking knowledge Of any
language other than their native
| tongue. This is an unfortunate con.
dition. During the long period Of our
/ isolation the matter of foreign Ian.
/ guage study was Of comparatively lit.
tie practical importance. but with oul
rapidly growing intercourse with other
| peoples OF the world foreign Language
! instruction comes to demand prefer.
ential consideration.
The translation. pathological and ex.
egetical method Of foreign languagt
instruction elaborated four or fv.
centuries ago is still more or less slav
ishly followed in most of our educa,
tional institutions of today. with the
results that students, even after Ions
| years of laborious study fail of tina
mystery of the language which mod
ern conditions demand more and more
| Not only this. but students are prac
tically Obliged TO devote q very large
| proportion of their time available fol
!! language study in the study of Ian,
guages from which the great majority
of them will derive little or no prac
teal benefit.
Our higher institutions OF instruc
4 ton are confronted with responsible
tiles which should be met prompt,
and effectively A proper readiust
ment of provisions for foreign Ian
guage instruction with obvious ana
necessary reforms win prove an i'm
portant step in this direction. Courses
in history, geography. literature. gov
eminent and institutions also need re-
adjustment: but in the case of Ian
guage courses the need is immediat,
o gwsnrx.