El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-03-14
Letters To The Herald

Captain. n. n. March II.
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CAPTAIN n u. Marcn II
Editor Il Paso Herald:
Z There is so much room for discus
sion Of the matter in regard to the
bningual bill or the study OF Spanish
I in the New Mexico schools, but ! just
want TO express my opinion in regard
70 It. Spanish the beautiful language
OF Cervantes, being my mother Ian
guage, j love IL very much and am
very much interested in anything that
pertains to It and the people who
speak it.
& I have had considerable experience
in teaching Spanish-speaSing children.
and I know that II is a great advan-
tage to a child to be able to read and
write Spanish. The child who begins
TO study English with even a little
knowledge Of Spanish makes 100 per-
cent better progress than the child
who does not know Spanish. II IS an
aid TO them instead OF a detriment, as
some contend.
There IS another, and a good reason
WHY the study OF Spanish should be
encouraged. There are many school
districts throughout the entire state
where there are scarcely any English
speaking children. In other words. the
schools are almost entirely attended
By Spanish-speaking children Teach
ers are employed every year, who do
not speak any Spanish at all. In such
schools the progress o. the pupils Is
very slow. II Is not the fault OF the
pupils nor their lack Of ability to
learn. but the lack OF mutual under
standing between teacher and pupil
have taught in rural schools where
boys and girls from Il TO II years OF
age attending school more or less
regularly from five to nine months
every year for from five to seven
years, had not advanced beyond the
third grade Boys and girls are grow
ing M to be men and women without
a sufficient knowledge Of English 10
be able 10 read a newspaper and IN
derstand e clearly. much less read q
book. In such communities the only
place where children hear English
spoken or have an opportunity TO use
IL. is the school room After they
leave the school room they hear no
more English until the next day.
A law requiring Spanish to be
taught in the grades, as so many
| thought had been suggested BY Gov.
LarraZola, IS out OF the question, but
would e not be better for Spanish
speaking children 10 be given an or
portunity to learn Spanish than for
them to grow Up uliterate2 Think
how much better off they would be n
they could read and write the Ian
EuaEe they speak. even though Il is
not the language that belongs to the
country. how much pleasure they
would derive from II and lue luloElla-
ton they could obtain from reading
newspapers and literature printed in
I that lanEuaget The study and knowl-
edge OF Spanish does not create anti
American feeling nor hatred for the
"Eringo,T as someone stated recently
Much TO the contrary, II creates and
stimulates a desire TO learn-not only
English, but other good things that
help 70 make better and more useful
citizens.
The Spanish speaking population Of
our country are not foreigners" They
were born American citizens, and
there Is no reason for suspectinE that
they do not want 70 learn our Ian
guaEe. II Is true they were not in
vited here They were here and re-
I ally oreiguers invited themselves into
their country. offering them the priv
lileEe to remain or leave. just as they
l chose. They chose TO remain and had
/ a right TO do So 1t seems to me they
should have the privilege OF retaining
I the language that was spoken in the
country they belonged tO-a Language
I that other people who are not preiu-
diced against II strive 10 learn wheI
It does not interfere with their educa-
ton in English nor make them les;
loyal to their land and country
CAIissl sara de AEuayo.