The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1952-09-19
"A PLEA FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGES
Scottish Rite News Bulletin)

plea that there be reconsideration of the place of
fOren e Ssuey nv our Ea4 "
missioner of Education before the 55th Annual Meeting
of the Central States Modern Language Teachers Assoca
McGrath prefaced his address by citing that,
at international meeting education, the dele
gate from Egypt addressed the gathering in fautess Eng
ish The next day he used French the other official
ference language and later in private conversation with
the discussion in German In addition, of course he
master of his native tongue, Arabic.
Doctor McGrath pointed out that while the educators
from 40 other countries did not have command of
many foreign languages the delegate from Egypt yet
most of them could with at least Ian
guage besides their
At this conference the United States was rep
resented by five persons each of whom had not less than
nineteen of formal schooling and each of whom held
the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy PhD, yet not
OF them could use another language with suffcency to
audience formally from the floor This he said, is not
unusual as Americans who travel in foreign countries
quickly impressed with the ability of natives of other
tries to understand and speak several languages besides
their own
There several reasons for this condition One is
that citizens of the United States do not have occasion
foreign language except in the bngual sections such
the Southwest and Florida where Spanish is spoken
and in louisiana and Maine where French is frequently
used The result is that students do have chance
study foreign language before they enter high school,
Doctor McGrath explicitly points out that he is not
proposing that every American child should study foreign
language at early age any age that matter
He said merely trying to make clear that the citizens
of other nations have had the opportunity to study foreign
feels that there should be reappraal of the foreign
guage question with view to making the study of
foreign language available at least optional basis
to pupils in the fourth fifth or sixth grades He holds that
1t is psychological fact that young children learn speak
without accent because their speech habits have not
yet been rgdy formed and for this they
parents.
He points out that whether we discharge our world
responsibilities well OF poorly foolishy wisely igno-
ranty or Understandings will be determined by ability
TO understand US However valuable military and
egn assistance programs may be- our long lead
ersp must rest frmer grounds than military other
forms of material assistance because people
and others fear dependency quoted the late
Doctor Bennett Director of the Pont4 Program as saying
that could not succeed in uniting free nations
the banner of democracy except those
VINO differ from us in culture color and creed that
understand and respect them.
Doctor McGrath holds that it is only through ones
ability to another language though in limited
capacity that becomes conscious of being member
OF another nationality culture group and that there
lore our national interest to give many of citizens
as possible the opportunity to obtain these cultural nsghs
and hngulstlcs abilities. SW.
Patrick Henry said Give me liberty or give me death
LIS descendants now just say Gmmie' Logan Kansas
Republican
Governments have right to engraft into civilization
the Duriesque nf uncivl economies. Mary Baker Eddy