Show OPPOSE PLAN OF SCHOOL Many Citizens Question Wisdom of Proposed Introduction of Lan Languages Languages Into Grade Schools THINK MOVE SUPERFLUOUS SPANISH SUGGESTED INSTEAD OF FRENCH AND GERMAN There are many who do not favor the proposed introduction of French and German as elective studies in the grammar grade courses of the public schools of this city There are others who believe thIs action would be of great benefit to pupils The mat matter matter ter is under contemplation by the school b board ard and will wUl be brought up for dIscussion at the next regular meeting It is argued by those in opposition opposition to the action that the pupils are already overtaxed Advocates of the scheme say that this is not true and assert the recitation and study hours can be so arranged that the new stud studies studies ies will not interfere with other stud men ines included in the grammar grade courses Thomas a member of the board of education is heartily ln in favor of the proposed innovation There are many reasons why these languages should be taught he said The young boy or girl can learn a language much more easily than a grown person The young are able to absorb easily and what is thoroughly learned in youth is never forgotten There are two to especially strong rca rea reasons sons for the Introduction n of German and French and Spanish as elective studies in grammar grade courses One reason is the commercial value of ofa a thorough knowledge of these three languages The second reason has in it the literary value gained in the mas of the three tongues Difference in Children The cry against their Introduction made by persons who believe the school children are overtaxed is really the only objection that can be made agaInst the prop proposition There are children who learn more rapidly than others Some children have difficulty in keeping abreast with their class These children study diligently but make slow progress progress and often fall be behind behind hind despite theIr earnest efforts The These e VV phildren seem seem to be overtaxed in n reality they are trouble 1 igns s that their brig brighter ter master easily and quickly No teacher Js Is so bUm to her lIer pupils work as to impose lessons upon them when they cannot master them When a pu pu cannot keep up with his bis class he may remain in the same grade until he Is able to move higher The nat natural natural ural slowness of some pupils has led many people to believe the pupils are overtaxed Hence when it was pro proposed proposed posed to make German and French elective studies many people objected under this belief The commercial value of a thorough knowledge of other tongues other than our On om is Inestimable Both Ger German German man and Frenc open up great fields for the young man or woman Span SpanIsh Spanish Ish too is a tongue that the young oung people of the United States will find useful Our PhIlippine acquisItions af afford afford ford a new field for the young Amen Ameri American can who can speak the Spanish lan language language guage The same can be said of New Mexico There is always an opening for the young man or woman who is isable isable able to speak several languages Al Almost Almost most as great as the commercial value of the persons ability to speak several languages is the literary value The first and most important effect study studying studying ing other tongues has upon a man is its tendency to broaden his mind He learns the characteristics of a foreign people in learning their He sees the conditions existing in foreign countries by studying the language of that country He learns more of this world through the studying ot of several tongues than years of studying of his history history tory Studies Made Elective The cry that pupils are already overtaxed will not stand under investigation These stud studies les ies would be made elective The pu pUs desiring to study them might do doso doso so Pupils who find no difficulty in gaining hIgh merits in other studies would woula be allowed to study anyone any one of th the three languages they chose This would be done without depriving them of time to learn other lessons The hours of study and recitation would be so arranged that the language his les lessons sons would in no way Interfere with other hours The matter will be given thoughtful serious consideration by bythe bythe the board of education before any sion is made and the board of I thin tion has not the reputation of coming to conclusions hastily I for one am amin amin in favor of the introduction of these languages as elective studIes in the grammar grades I can see no reason why the pupils would not be benefited greatly by this action Some one once said with a new language is born a anew anew new soul in the child and I believe this expression true and sensible McCornick Is Opposed W S head of the bank banking banking ing firm finn of McCornick 8 Co said saidI I can answer with one surd There is too much time already devoted in the public schools to su superfluous superfluouS studies and not enough time given to practical studies The time spent by children In learning these two languages would necessarily have to be taken from their hours in school These are now crowded to the minute I cannot see that the bene benefit t gained through studying of these two lan languages languages would justify the time and la Ia labor bor being spent in their learning What we need In the public schools is genuIne practical training Too much cannot be expected from the pupils They cannot be expected to come from tb aC men and aDd women The pUblic schools are Continued on Page 2 V V II OPPOSE PLAN OF SCHOOL BOARD Continued from Page 1 for the masses Th ih public schools are supposed to train young boys and girls to be practical men and women A great majority of the pupils attend attending attendIng ing the public schools will not be able to continue through college and high higher er schools Their parents are poor and the traIning they get in the public may have to carry them through the world Hence too much tIme cannot be given to the practical cal subjects the learning of which will enable the pupils to enter the world and begin the battle of life Ufe Breeden Favors Spanish Attorney General M 1 A Breeden Is not strongly in favor of the proposed plan If there Is any foreign language to be introduced in the grammar grades he says that language should be e SpanIsh Spanish would be useful he said saidA saidA A young man or woman who Is able to speak Spanish fluently wilt wUl find it the means of earning a livelihood Our Philippine possessions afford an excel excellent excellent lent field for the young man and wo we woman weman man of today Men and women of all professions will wUl find the Islands just the place for the pursuance of their chosen occupations There is room for hundreds of brIght young men and wc women men in the Philippines To be sue suc ce in any country a person must be able to meet the people of that country to the best advantage and to todo todo do this easily it is necessary to speak their language There are also opportunities for the young American in New Alth Although ugh New has bas been under the American flag for many years the people ople of that country are still speaking the Spanish lan I practiced law in New Mexico for fifteen years and during that time learned the Spanish language I ac acquired acquired a thorough knowledge of the Spanish tongue and argued cases be before before fore Spanish juries There are count countless countless less opportunities for the young man manor manor or woman in New Mexico if he or she can speak the Spanish tongue I would find nothing objectionable In InthA thA introduction of Spanish as a study In the grammar grade courses if there is no danger of overtaxing the pUpils In the introduction of German and French I can see no special advantages advantages Porter Is Opposed Don H Porter manager of the Ken Kenyon Kenyon yon hotel said saidI ur I am not In favor of introducing these two languages into the public schools of Salt Lake If the United States is to have close relations ith France or Germany German let the French and Germans learn United States If the people of the United States are to be brought into constant contact with the races let the Spaniards learn United Stats States and by United States I mean the English language There Is much to be gamed gained In making the English language a world spoken tongue And AndI I believe that this will be a matter of few years I have seen men of other countries who are anxious to learn the I English language The Spaniards are The French are The are Teach English to foreigners dont tire the minds of the young Americans by teaching them foreign languages There Is more to be gained by teaching English to outsiders than there is in inthe Inthe the spreading of foreign languages through the United States I believe belleve In the plain practical education for the public schools People who have mon men money mency ey cy and means can send their children to higher schools to learn foreign lan languages languages The pUblic schools should of offer offer fer the training for our young people Higher schools can offer accomplish accomplishments monte ments French and German and Span can be taught to persons who wIsh to speak these tongues but the young man or woman Who ho must make mak his or her way through the world needs a thorough knowledge of English arith arithmetic arithmetic and other practical studies Railroad Men Against It ItT ItE T E Ogley commercial agent of the Rock Island doeS not favor the proposed introduction of German French and Spanish into the grammar grade courses ur I believe more time and attention should be given to the teaching of English he said There are men and women today who have passed through the public schools and high schools who when they enter the world to make their bred bread and butter show a lack of training in the most common subjects There Is too little individual attention given to the average pupil This will iLl always ways be betrue betrue true because the teacher with fifty pupils under her cannot be expected to teach each pupil separately but this condition could be bettered if less time was applied to studies which will never be of any practical use to the young man or woman when he or she l lOaves aves school The majority of pupils attend attending attending ing the pUblic scHools will have to de depend depend pend upon the traIning received In the public schools when they leave the eighth grade The more common sense they get the better fitted they will be to attain position and hold It French and German are all right for the boy or girl whose parents have time tIm and money to spend sp nd upon them but the bo boy or girl who must get aU all he or she can from the tho school training cannot derive fun benefits from the hours crowdell with too many studies Richard F of the Burlington Route in this city was another all ail road man who expressed similar sea sen sentiments to those uttered by Mr Ir Og Oglesby Oglesby lesby L |