The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1920-08-25
New Ulm Has
Another Squabble
BOARD OF EDUCATION SPLITS
EVEN OVER COMPULSORY
GERMAN FOR GRADES.

Half the New Ulm school board
members want to make the study of
German compulsory in the sixth, sew
enth and eighth grades of the New
UIm public schools. The other half
want to limit it to an elective course
in those grades. The two factions
split on a tie vote, three to three,
when the question came up at Fridays
board meeting. 1t will be voted on
again at the next board meeting. The
town is divided over the matter and
the controversy threatens to bring
more unfavorable notoriety to this lit
tie community which is just emerging
from. the shadow cast upon it by the
pro- German stand of some of its pub
lie officials in the early days of the
war. Proponents of the compulsory
plan frankly state they think the Ger
man language should be perpetuated
in community settled SO largely by
Germans
w. 7. Eckstein, president of the
board, led the discussion in favor of
making study of German compulsory
and was supported by DR.. j. H. Vogel
and John Henle, while Alfred w.
Mueller argued against such action
and offered a motion that German be
made elective in the grammar grades.
1t is already an elective study in the
high school. The vote resulted in a
deadlock, DIR. C. A. Hintz and Herman
Raabe voting with Mr. Mueller.
The argument was advanced by
President Eckstein that lowing to the
local situation" the study of the Ger
man language should be made COM
pulsory.
Mr.. Mueller said he failed to see the
strength of the argument, although he
did not want to go on record as being
opposed to German instruction.
Such an argument would apply
equally in a Norwegian or Swedish
community" he said.
1t was decided that the fall term of
sehool'is to open Sept 7 and another
meeting of the board will be called be-
fore that time to settle the question
Mr.. Eckstein gave notice that he
would stick by his guns, while Mr..
Mueller is equally determined to de-
feat him, he said Minneapolis Jour
nal
The following extracts from a
lengthy article on the New Ulm prob
lem are taken from the Minneapolis
Journal of August %. These opinions
have an important bearing on the sub
ject.
Compulsory study of the German
language, now in effect in the public
schools of New Ulm, is unlawful, ac-
cerding to an opinion given to the New
Ulm school board today by Attorney
General Clifford L. Hilton What
state authorities will do in the situa-
tom has not been determined"
Even to make foreign language
an elective study in common schools
requires a unanimous vote of the
school board,s and not a mere MAORI
ty, it is held in the opinion, written by
Rollin L. Smith, assistant attorney
general"
"The American Legion will take de-
finite steps to prevent compulsory
teaching of German in New Ulm
schools, A. H. Vernon of Little Falls,
department commander of the Mime
sofa Legion, said today.
$50 far as the American Legion is
concerned" Mr. Vernon said, 1--WE
are unalterably opposed to making the
teaching of any foreign language in
the grade schools of the state COM
pulsory, and especially German. We
will make an aggressive fight to stop
compulsory German study at New
Ulm, and will take the matter up with
the state authorities"