Show FEWER FADS AND MORE ENGLISH Both of These Are Advocated for Public Publio Schools by Men of Prominence SPANISH IN SOME FAVOR PRACTICAL VALUE GREATER THAN FRENCH OR GERMAN GERMANA 1 A A large number of representative men who have been interviewed In regard to the proposed plan to place French and German as optional studies In the grammar grades of the city schools have expressed themselves as opposed to the movement The general thought seems to be that the schools are al alread already read ready taxed to the utmost and despite the statements of the board members that the children are overcrowded with witha a mUltiplicity of studies which to say the least are of doubtful value The business men nien whose experience has brought them into contact with the ac acquirements of boys from the eighth grade in spelling alone are especially In favor of putting the extra time in inon Inon on spelling rr If any expansion Is con contemplated contemplated they say ay It should be in the HIgh school the Spanish lan language language guage sh should uld be taught either addi additional additional or as some suggest In place of one of the languages now in the course View of Former Governor Heber M 1 Wells saId HI HIam I Iam am opposed to the movement to French and German in the grades even if they are to be made optional I am willing however to learn the opinions of educators and I am ready to be shown the value of such a plan I believe there is too much of an effort In the modern modem public school system to branch out and I would like to see seemore seemore more time gIven to the teachIng of English The modern system seems to tobe tobe be at fault in the matter of readIng and spelling The fads are the really ex cx expensive pensive parts ot of the school system but If I favor any I should favor the things which will give the pupils a practical education with great stress oi reading and spelling I think when a child fin finIshes finishes the eIghth grade he should have havea a pretty good knowledge of English and the other languages will be more helpful to him It If he acquires them when he has mastered EnglIsh gram grammar grammar mar and is in a position to compare the Important questions of other grammars with his own English Should Come First FirstE E A Wedgwood who had an experience ence of over a year in the Philippines saId saIdI I feel that the first eight grades of the school course should be devoted to the study of English and there is none too much time for Its study as it Is In order that boys and girls may take up the High school work they should be better equipped with a knowledge of English than they are now when they enter the higher InstItution But if there is to be any expansion In the study of languages by aU all means let it be the introduction of the Spanish lan Ian language guage in the High school instead of the extension downward of the two lan Ian languages already there The great ques questions questions facing the country today are questions of commercial policies and commercial supremacy This country Is bound within the next few years to tobo tobe bo be brought into active trade relations with all the Spanish speaking coun countries countries tries She Is In a geographIcally to assume first place In trade re relations relations lations with South America Mexico and Central America and the Philip Philippines Philippines pines are already hers The prospect of our young men in these countries are the finest and the first equipment for fora a young man entering on such a bust busI busIness bustness ness career Is a knowledge of Spanish AU All cannot be scholars and while the Spanish language is a working tool to these young men who are to en engage ae in mining or civil engineering or whose interests lead them in any way to those countries French and German are merely accomplishments of the thc tic order desirable in themselves but not comparable in value to the Spanish language Says Fundamentals Are Needed w H Alexander mining man and formerly a teacher of experience said The public school system was not to make linguists of public school children Public schools were founded and they should be main maintained tamed solely to give children in the grammar school grades the fundamentals of an that every child will require and should have for the Intelligent pursuit of e et er day affairs There are many who think that the English language is 13 to dominate the whole world Whether this Is so or not It Is the business of American s schools to hew pretty closely to the lines for which they were make better American citizens I do not believe in trying to fit our children to fall faU Into the ways of the people who come to our shores but rather In making those people to fit our Ideals and to conform to our I do not question the g od from an artistic standpoint of a knowledge of French or of German but I do think such a knowledge should be acquired outside the grammar schools And ADd right here where the thema ma matter of expense is such a vital one I t feel el that all nonessentials should be subordinated to essentials C P Brooks civil engineer and member of the board of public works said saidI I 1 am opposed to this plan because It Is necessarily very expensive and the results are not of the tangible kind First the knowledge gained In Inthe inthe the short time in the grade schools will willbe willbe be only partial and will take from the time of the more practical studies Then if it were made more extensive it would still be of small practical value A man has little practical use for either French or German unless he hebe hebe be a specialist In scientific lines The Theoretical Theoretical men dealing in scientific re research research search may make use of their studies in German In universities but the theman theman man of practical affairs has little need of either of the two languages already in the hIgh school I believe that there are already too many nany things taught in the public schools and I should fa favor vor any system which would concen concentrate on the teaching of the three rs and good sp all good spelling Thinks Children hildren Overloaded Judge fudge Edward P F Colbum president t tp f p pf the Salt Lake Real Est Estate e J tion expressed an opinion decidedly adverse to the plan I am positive that the pupils of the public schools of Salt Lake are al alrEady rEady overloaded with studies lie said So convinced of this am I that I have removed my two children from the public sch schools and placed them In private institutions The Th courses of offe fe ferel l in the are fly to too heavY There Is too much of the su superfluous The children leave the pub public lie lic schools with a smattering of every everything everything thing and no absolute knowledge of anything The l subjects pre replaced for the frivolous The young men and women who attend the pub public lie lic schoOlS want a practical education They do not get this Arithmetic is shunted to one side for football and college athletics I nm am In favor of fun mixed with work but the mixture in the schools is too much football and not enough good sound sensible men mental mental tal training I believe the introduction Introduction tion of additional studies is oil upon the fire That goes |