The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-08-27
LEGION TO TAKE ACTION
AMERICAN BODY AROUSED
OVER NEW ULM CASE
MAY LOSE STATE AID
Education Head On Compulsory
Teaching of Foreign
Languages

Loss of state aid funds and the pos
sibility of court action confronts the
New Ulm school board If it persists
in any attempt to make study of Ger
man in the grade schools compulsory,
p. c. Tonning. deputy commissioner
of the state department Of education.
said today. Similar action will be
taken against any other school board
in the event OF any violation OF the
state education laws, says The Min
neapolis Journal.
State headquarters of the American
Legion. acting on the recommenda-
ton of Franklin DOlier, national
commander, who visited the twin
cities yesterday, today took steps to
prevent compulsory study or any for
eign language in Minnesota schools.
Horace Whitmore. department adult
ant, said instructions would be sent
to every legion post in Minnesota to
report to state headquarters any Vi
olaion or the state Compulsory school
attendance act, which provides that
instruction must be in the English
language.
Several Violations Charged.
Under tlEs law as interpreted by
Rollin Smith, assistant attorney gen
eral, in a letter to the New Ulm
school board, and by Clifford L. Hill
ton, attorney general or Minnesota,
in 1915, pupils in Minnesota schools
cannot be compelled to study any foIN
eign language.
This law is being violated in sew
eral districts in Minnesota, members
of the American Legion said at a
conference with the national COM
mander during his visit in the twin
cities. Members OF the American LIE,
-gion state executive committee said
they knew OF schools. both public and
private, which were violating the
state law either by conducting their
instruction in some foreign language
rather than in English, or were COM
polling students to study a foreign
language.
mo person can think as an Ameri-
can in any foreign language, whether
II be German or some other tongue,
John Bowe, former vice commander
Producing a resolution directing the
state officers OF the legion to coop
crate with the state department. OF
education in enforcement of the law.
Z D'Olier Urges Action.
Mr.. D'Olier urged the legionaires
to attack any movement for compul-
sorry study of any foreign language,
and to rap 1t hard.
Quick and decisive action by the
legion in Minnesota not only may halt
the moment in Minnesota, but will
help to prevent a recurrence OF the
same movement elsewhre in the
country" Mr.. DOlier said.
He called attention to me fact that
the American legion at its frs ma
,tional convention in Minneapolis last
November took decided stand
against the teaching Of foreign Ian.
guages in the schools to the detri
ment of instruction in America cit
'izenship.
A. H. Vernon of Little Falls, newly
elected department commander of
the American legion in Minnesota,
said the veterans would do everything
in their power to find instances of vi
olation of the state education laws,
report them to the state department
of education and assist in every way
possible in the enforcement OF the
law.
Official Prepares to Act.
The deputy commissioner OF educa.
ton said today that his department
would act instantly on every case re-
ported by the legion.
The state compulsory education law
specifies that a school to satisfy the
requirements of compulsory attend
ance must be one in which all the
common branches are taught in the
English language, from textbooks
written in the English language and
taught by teachers qualified to teach
in the English language, from text
books written in the English langu--
age and taught by teachers qualified
to teach in the English language. A
foreign language may be taught when
such language Is an elective or pre-
scribed subject of the curriculum,
but not to exceed one hour in each
day" The law also says that pub
| lie school board may excuse a child
from attendance to permit him to at
| tend a private or parochial school, on
l,condition that such school complies
with the state compulsory education
law.
"This provision" Mr.. Tonning said,
'"means that a school board cannot
permit a child between and 1G
years old to attend a private school
which either gives it's instruction in
a foreign language against their will
"a school which violates the provi
sions of this law may be declared by
! the state department of education to
| be no longer public school,; its state
aid fluid may be withdrawn, and Ii
such action fails to compel the board
| to obey the state law mandamus OF
injunctioll proceedings may be insti
tuted by any interested citizen TO
force the board to obey the law.
Withdrawal OF state aid funds
would be the first step taken against
any school which attempts to make
the study of any foreign language
compulsory"