Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-28
SPANISH TEACHERS
HEAR WORK LAUDED
Language Remains as Only
Barrier to World Peace,
Peru Envoy Says.

Basing their discussions upon the
theme of cooperation between the
United States and its Spanish-speaking
neighbors, the ENJOYS from Peru, Spain
and Colombia addressed the American
Association of Teachers of Spanish at
a banquet last night at the Willard
Hotel in connection with the associa-
tons thirteenth annual convention
which is meeting here under auspices of
the George Washington University. DR..
Henry F. Suzzallo of the Carnegie
Foundation for the Advancement of
Teaching also was speaker.
DR.. Don Herman Velarde, Peruvian
Ambassador, declared that a diffusion
of English and Spanish throughout the
Western Hemisphere would destroy the
only remaining barrier between the va
rious nations.
The Spanish Ambassador, Senior Don
Alexandra Padilla Bell. emphasized
the Importance of the Spanish Ian
guage with the assertion that it is used
as native tongue by more people than
is any other language excepting English.
Declaring that the teacher of Span
ish opens the channels for mutual I'M
Outstanding with the Spanish-speaking
countries, Mr.. Don Enrique Olaya
Herrera paid tribute to the work of
the convened association, which, he as
serted, was promoting understanding
between the United States and Latin
America.
The association will attend the cere-
monies in which Ortiz Rubio, Presi-
dent-elect of Mexico. will be awarded
or hnT1nra IL l.
ington University at 1915 O'Clock this
morning in Continental Memorial Hall.
DIR. Mann Reviews Methods.
The passing of the old-fashioned and
tedious grammatical methods of teach
ing the Spanish language to English
speaking pupils was reviewed bv DR..
Charles r. Mann. director of the Amerl-
can Council on Education and CHAIR
man Of the national advisory committee
on education. at yesterdays session of
the convention.
DIR. Mann. who was reporting the
progress made by the committee on
modern language study, composed of
school teachers of Spanish of various
sections OF the country, declared that
the modern tendency in teaching the
language Is to make use of the me-
chanics Of automatism. Automatism, he
explained, is the physical and mental
reaction of pupil to the sound of a
word.
Commenting upon the committees
work in approving the automotive rather
than the grammatical system Of Ian
guage study. DR.. Mann declared that
the greatest contribution which the
committee has made is the acceptance
of the fact that there is nothing de-
grading" in recognizing the merit OF
automatism as against the trying verb
parsing and ultragrammatical method
OF teaching.
DIR. Wilbur Opens Convention.
The convention was opened by DR..
William Allen Wilbur provost of George
Washington University. in the absence
OF DIR. Cloyd Heck Marvin, president of
the institution. who was to have de-
livered the opening address. In his talk,
Provost Wilbur stressed the cultural
value Of the study of Spanish and out
lined the value OF the language as
means of promoting international I'M
Outstanding.
The convention, which adjourned for
luncheon at the Cosmos Club shortly
after noon today. will continue through
tomorrow. The formal banquet which
is an announced feature of the COLI
ference, will be held at Z o'clock tonighy.
at which time the Ambassador of Peru
will be the speaker.
This afternoons program OF speakers
includes Prof. Arthur l.. Owen of the
University Of Kansas. Prof. S. L. Willard
Rosenberg OF the University of Cali
fornia, Prof. Esther L. Crooks OF
Goucher College. Prof. S. Patterson OF
Syracuse University, Prof Colley Spark
man of Mississippi State Teachers Col
lege, and Robert H. Williams of Column
bia University.