The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-06-05
LETTERS TO
THE EDITOR
49, my TONGUE"

NEW -CGK. June 1-tEditor The
We. Virginianl-The Review Of Re
views april numberl under Ne head
ing Educational Developments in
Warning Europe" subhead Language
OF Enemy Nations depTecctes the agi-
tation in this country against the
teaching Of German in the public
schools and quotes from the Modern
Language Association in Great Brit
ain as 70 German and the Mannheim
Gazette as TO English and French. The
exceptional conditions in this country
have apparently escaped notice. Were
we a homogeneous people so that
German would be studied wholly b.
American children, some part Of the
reasoning would apply. But we are
not. We have a very large number
of foreigners and il is Of utmost I'M
portance for the preservation OF the
Republic that the children Of these
foreigners should be made "Ameri-
cans" in the FIRST generation (eyen at
the expense OF a loss OF 'cosmolitdn-
ism" The possession, and recogniza'
ton as their native tongue, Of the Ian
guage Of their nation is Of primary
Importance. They must grow up to
feel that Germany is a foreign nation
and that Germans are foreigners 10
them. (For German read in the al
tentative all other national designa-
tions.) So long as our immigration
maintain itself al high figures this
consideration outweighs all others.
The ideas and Ideals which the first
generation OF native born children OF
immigrants imbibe during youth
must. for our and their common sas-
ETY., be those Of their native land
America. The absolute necessity Of
education for all and especially for
the children OF immigrants we have
long recognized. We have been edu.
eating in desperate need and desper-
ate haste to cut.step the perils to free
institutions OF ignorance with its train
Of superstition and enslavement. We
must go a step further this war has
taught US that-and wean our bant.
lings from foreign ideas and ideals
the unconscious home tendencies in
their families will be hard enough to
struggle against, we must not in
crease or foster them in their school.
ing. The gain we make In creating
Americans, far outweighs the loss,
indeed it is in a different category.
The gain is Of an essential, the loss
is Of a superiority.
Again in another aspect our stu.
alton is essentially different from and
our conditions the exact opposite Of
either the English, the French or the
Germans. We are not subject To tn
same pressure a. proninquity as they.
For us Spanish would represent.
though in part only. what German
does as towards England and France
and what English and French do as
towards Germany. Finally one may
note that the English quotation given
IN the article baSes its argument
wholly on commercial reasons and
the German one on a very thinly veil.
ed propaganda intent. The position
II takes Is IN terms that after this
war Is over she" Germany will
strive more than ever 70 penetIate
into the world" With that warning
We would be insane to permit the
children Of America to be corrupted
and tainted by being induced into
German paths Of thought. What
have said relates in no wise to the
study Of German or any other foreign
language by persons who have already
firmly formed ideals.
Yours very truly,
CHAS. STUART DAWSON,
Trustee Of American Defense Society.