Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-04-18
PROPOSE A SOUND,
FAIR LANGUAGE BILL
Jennings Measure Would
Prohibit Teaching Alien
Languages in All
Graded Schools.

The state legislature will hardly be
able to avoid determining the ques-
tion of whether the teaching of for
eign languages in elementary schools
public, parochial and private-shall
continue or be prohibited.
In few days State Senator Jen-
nings will introduce through COM
mittee bill so worded as to prohibit
the teaching of any foreign language
in any public, private or parochial
school below the high school stan
dard. This division corresponds eX-
actly to a bill introduced in the as
sembly by Axel Johnson. In order,
however, to meet objections raised to
all other measures of this kind, the
Jennings bill will contain provision
safeguarding parochial schools against
state supervision.
Under the Jennings plan, all
children attending grade schools or
schools that correspond to grade
schools will be taught only the Ian
of the country. They will get thor
ough grounding in our own language
instead of mere smattering of it
and some other language.
They will be better equipped to make
their way in the world and to dis
charge the duties and responsibilities
of American citizenship. The other
provision OF the proposed bill should
dispel any fears regarding state sup
erviSion of these private and paro-
chial schools. Senator Jennings is a
member of the Catholic church and
therefore cannot be accused of pref
udice against parochial schools.
Moreover, large numbers of Catholics
firmly hold the opinion that no for
eign language should be taught in
any elementary school. The ques-
tion is civic, not religious.
Leaders of various churches that
maintain parochial schools freely adj
NIT that in the course of years
English will be the only language in
any of these schools. Against this
stands the fact that this change,
which could have been made volun-
tarily at any time within recent
years, has not been made. Indefinite
delay is against sound public policy.
Then, too, it must be obvious that
under any policy waiting those COM
munities in the state which are most
backward in the use of the English
language would be the last to make
the change. In other words, instruc-
tion in the country's language would
be made exclusive first in the COM
muniuies where it is needed least and
would be made last in the commune
ties where it is needed most. Action
by the legislature, on the other hand,
would at once give the benefit OF con-
centrated instruction in English to
the children from whom it is now
held to an extent that is deplorable,
not to say dangerous.
With the parochial schools protect
ed against state supervision, and
with the understanding that there
shall be no interference with reli-
gious instruction to children in the
language that they understand, what
ever that language may be, it is earn
estly to be hopeo that the Jennings
bill will be passed--if possible, by
agreement on both sides, but passed
in any event. 1t is sound and fair.
Should a measure so reasonable as it
is be defeated, an issue will be raised
that will have to be deter
mined by the people of the
state at the general election
one year from next fall. The respon-
sibility for dragging the question into