£ece a 4…]
pointed by the Chairman of the Language Conference ||
the Fifty-Second Annual Meeting-of the Wis- ||
consin Teachers’ Association, (Milwaukee,
1904), to Consider the Advisability . . . .
and Feasibility of Extending
the High School Course
Prepared by Professor A. R. Hohlfelp of the . . .
‘. . . . . . . . . . . University of Wisconsin. . . .
C. P. CARY, |
State Superintendent . -
MADISON, WIs. ||
DEMocrat PRINTING Co., STATE PRINTER.









































































§§ #.
§§
º:
§:
º
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Mr. Old Gomuł O NIt
Appointed by the Chairman of the Language Conference
of the Fifty-Second Annual Meeting of the Wis-
consin Teachers' Association, (Milwaukee,"
- “. . . . . . . . . 1904), to Consider the Advisability
and Feasibility of Extending
the High School Course
in German.
Prepared by PROFEssor A. R. HoHLFELD of the
University of Wisconsin.
ISSUED BY
C. P. CARY,
State Superintendent.
MADISON, WIs.
•e . . . DEMOCRAT PRINTING Co., STATE PRINTER.
. IQO5.










*e.
*
#*&
The report of the Committee of Nine, having under consider-
s
ation the advisability and feasibility of extending the high
School course in German, is an able and valuable document.
The ability and high standing of those whose names are ap-
pended to the report is sufficient to justify the educational de-
partment in publishing and distributing it without comment.
It is issued that superintendents of Schools, and all others in-
terested in education may have an opportunity to give it the
careful study which it deserves.
C. P. CARY,
State Superintendent.
| 47939
|*-::§

sº
This committee was unable to meet before November 18th
and 19th since it was not appointed until late in the fall of the
present year. There has thus not been time enough to carry
on an extensive correspondence or to give the various phases of
the question committed to us such specialized attention as might
have led to the preparation of a fairly exhaustive report."
It is urged, therefore, that at the Milwaukee meeting the
necessary measures be taken to insure the continuation of this
line of investigation, so that, a year from now, the matter may
be brought before the association in more comprehensive and
authoritative form.
This is the more desirable as the question considered by the
committee, by necessity, involved the consideration not only of
German but also of other foreign languages whose interests
were not directly represented in the deliberations that underlie
this report. It is true, German is in Wisconsin as in the cen-
tral states generally the modern foreign language studied in
the grades and high Schools; but from a purely educational
standpoint many of the arguments of this report apply equally
well to French and perhaps to Spanish. Also the study of
Latin had to be considered as influencing the status of the mod-
ern languages. For these reasons, in its deliberations and
some of its recommendations, the committee advisedly exceeded
the direct limits of its commission and spoke of foreign lan-
guages in general, including Latin and the modern languages.
The latter term was meant to include primarily German and
French.” |
* Aside from the helpful suggestions of all members of the committee brought
Out in the discussion, this report owes many points of information to material
collected by Dr. F. W. Meisnest of the University of Wisconsin.
* Greek does not directly affect the line of arguments here presented and is,
therefore, not included in the terminology chosen; nor can the case of Spanish
be considered sufficiently developed to demand special recognition here.
º
This committee was unable to meet before November 18th
and 19th since it was not appointed until late in the fall of the
present year. There has thus not been time enough to carry
on an extensive correspondence or to give the various phases of
the question committed to us such specialized attention as might
have led to the preparation of a fairly exhaustive report."
It is urged, therefore, that at the Milwaukee meeting the
necessary measures be taken to insure the continuation of this
line of investigation, so that, a year from now, the matter may
be brought before the association in more comprehensive and
authoritative form.
This is the more desirable as the question considered by the
committee, by necessity, involved the consideration not only of
German but also of other foreign languages whose interests
were not directly represented in the deliberations that underlie
this report. It is true, German is in Wisconsin as in the cen-
tral states generally the modern foreign language studied in
the grades and high Schools; but from a purely educational
standpoint many of the arguments of this report apply equally
well to French and perhaps to Spanish. Also the study of
Latin had to be considered as influencing the status of the mod-
ern languages. For these reasons, in its deliberations and
some of its recommendations, the committee advisedly exceeded
the direct limits of its commission and spoke of foreign lan-
guages in general, including Latin and the modern languages.
The latter term was meant to include primarily German and
French.” l
* Aside from the helpful suggestions of all members of the committee brought
out in the discussion, this report owes many points of information to material
collected by Dr. F. W. Meisnest of the University of Wisconsin.
2 Greek does not directly affect the line of arguments here presented and is,
therefore, not included in the terminology chosen; nor can the case of Spanish
be considered sufficiently developed to demand Special recognition here.
6 THE IIIGH SCHOOi, COURSE 1 N GERMAN.
In still another direction did the committee feel obliged to
go beyond the exact wording of its task. The great majority
of Wisconsin high schools that offer German have only a two
years' course coming in the last two years of the curriculum."
Extension of the work, therefore, necessarily means starting
lower down in the course, and thus the committee was forced to
consider whether a longer course in a modern language, for
educational and practical reasons, had better be begun in the
first year in the high school or in the upper grades of the com-
mon school. Since the committee is of the opinion that the
latter plan is the wiser, its report has to deal largely with the
question of a foreign language in the upper grades.
The introduction of a new movement or the acceleration of
an old one, in any given system of education, is not likely to
be organically sound unless it can be shown to be the natural
result from within of existing conditions and actual needs.
The committee, therefore, begs to present, first of all some con-
siderations which, in its opinion, give the problem committed
to it a special significance at the present time, a significance
which can be claimed to be “growing out of the mature of
things” as they at present exist in our state and country.
1. The conviction has long been felt and expressed in edu-
cational circles that through the introduction of some suitable
disciplinary subjects, now generally reserved for the high
Schools, into the upper grades of the common school, three de-
sirable objects could be accomplished: (a) The curriculum of
the common Schools themselves could thereby be enriched and
strengthened, so that the students whose schooling does not ex-
tend beyond this period, would enter life, not indeed with a
larger amount of directly available facts, but with minds more
vigorously trained and more broadly developed. (b) The gap
which now exists between the 8th grade and the 1st year in
the high School would thereby be considerably lessened, so that,
* According to the records in the office of the University Inspector of High
Schools there are at present in Wisconsin eight high schools offering four years
of German and the same number offering three years.
THE HIGH SCHOOL COURSE IN GERMAN. 7
instead of a sharp break, there would be, as there should be, a
more gradual transition from the one curriculum to the other.
(c) The last years of the high school course could in this way
be relieved of their over-crowded condition, so that room could
be found in them for those subjects which require a relatively
greater maturity of mind.
2. These ideas have not only been generally discussed of late
years, but they have received special attention in this body
through the able report of a committee of five of which the
late President Adams acted as chairman. This report, on “the
shortening and enriching of the courses of study in the grades,”
was presented at the meeting of this association in 1899 and
was printed in the “Papers read before the Wisconsin Teachers’
Association, 1898–99, Bulletin of Information No. 6.” That
committee having had an entire year for investigating the sub-
ject went carefully into the study of the general problem, both
from the psychological and comparative standpoint and its re-
port culminated in this recommendation: “The course should
be modified by judicial excisions and the substitution of a bet-
ter and larger amount of linguistic study, perhaps algebra, and
the introduction of manual training.” Thus in this state and
association the ground is already prepared for the considera-
tions which the present committee submits, and the present re-
port, in a measure, is based on the facts and arguments already
presented.
3. The report of your former committee, though arguing in
a general way for the introduction of “strengthening” studies
into the grammar grades, presents primarily the case of Latin.
On page 17 we read: “While in not a few of the schools Ger-
man, geometry and algebra, have been introduced into the 7th
and 8th grades, the tendency towards such an introduction
seems not to have been so general as has been the case in
Latin.” For this reason it seems to be appropriate to round
out the former report by presenting here the claims of a mod-
ern foreign language which appear to the comittee to be even
more convincing than those of Latin.
4. The present report is also in accord with what is probably
the most general recent tendency in the educational theory of
N.
8 THE HIGH SCIIOOL COURSE IN GERMAN.
language teaching, i. e., the rapidly growing conviction, under-
lying the idea of the German. “Reformschule,” that the study
of the ancient languages should be preceded and prepared for
by the study of the easier modern languages, and that the lat-
ter, in addition to the mother tongue, should form the basis of
the linguistic and literary training for those students who for
lack of time or aptitude are unable to include the classics in
their course. In other words, the modern languages are com:
ing more and more to be recognized as the common linguistic
training for all students beginning at a relatively early age,
whereas the classics are reserved as a later addition for fewer,
though not necessarily few, students.
5. This reform movement again, while based in Europe on
purely pedagogical considerations, agrees well with a decided
change in the modern national ideal of our own country. Dur-
ing its long period of more or less voluntary isolation, as far as
the great common problems of the world are concerned, this
country could afford, with relative impunity, to neglect the
study of the modern languages, literatures, and institutions.
This must become an impossibility from the moment that
this nation, conscious of its acquired strength, desires to take its
full part in the solution of these problems. Not only in the
estimation of our own people but of well informed observers
the world over, this moment has certainly arrived within the
last decade. Questions of international politics, commerce and
industry are a part of this broad movement, but only a frac-
tional and hardly the most significant part. Also in the realm
of science, education, sociology, art, literature, in short in the
entire world of intellectual achievement, the same change has
become moticeable: a national coming of age with its demands
for a full share of the rights and responsibilities of voting citi-
zenship in the affairs of the world. Such a situation assigns
to the study of the modern languages a necessarily more im-
portant position than was the case under the older ideal of isola-
tion and, at the same time, carries with it the assurance that the
change, being independent of the variable educational theories
of the day, will prove to be permanent. Thus far modern lan-
guage study, in America, in extent and thoroughness, is greatly
THE HIGH SCHOOL COURSE IN GERMAN. 9
behind the practice of almost all European nations except Eng.
land. And it is especially interesting to notice that a remark.
able change in this respect is also setting in in England where
the former period of isolation was due more to insular habits
of thought than to an excess of unsolved internal problems, as
In Our Own Case.
These considerations will probably suffice to show that the
peculiar conditions now confronting us in this state and coun-
try are such as to warrant a movement in favor of the extension
of the serious study of the modern languages.
No one, unless he is on principle opposed to the study of
foreign languages and literatures, will deny that any reasonably
strong and well developed high school ought to offer at least
two four years' courses in foreign languages, one in a modern
language and one in Latin. For students intending to go to
college, if a choice must be made between Latin and German,
four years of Latin may be better, inasmuch as the modern lan-
guages are on the whole more readily made up in college. But
a high school which is strong enough to offer the Latin training
for those who desire it, should even more readily provide for
the continuous study of a modern language; for there are al-
ways a very large number of students who do not take Latin.
In this latter category are found not only the majority of the
students who do not intend to go to college, but also the major-
ity of the boys, who, intending to go to college, are preparing
for the scientific or technical and professional courses. Very
few of these ordinarily take Latin in the high school, at least
not for a sufficient number of years to derive real benefit from
its study. Many of them would, however, take up a four years'
course in German, if it were offered and its advantages empha-
sized. The modern language appeals to them as more directly
useful, as a subject which their later college course distinctly
requires and which is very desirable for all advanced scientific
work. Besides, those who do not go to college, after four
years' study of a modern language, would have acquired a
knowledge in reading, writing and, in many instances, even in
speaking the language which would be of distinct benefit to
them in after life, practically as well as culturally.
*
:
*
10 THE HIGH SCHOOL COURSE IN GERMAN.
In other words, this committee is far from wishing to enter
into a discussion of the relative merits of four years’ courses in
Latin and German in the high school. Theoretically each lan-
guage has its own distinct advantages and either language thor-
oughly and energetically taught, will be of great advantage to
any student as a disciplinary, and at the same time a broaden-
ing subject. The point, however, which cannot be emphasized
too strongly is the truism that the four years' course in Latin
will do no good to those who do not take it; and this means a
number which necessarily will always be large, and with us un-
fortunately is even larger than it ought to be. If, however,
the majority of this class could easily be made to see the advan-
tage of four years’ study of a modern language, they would
gain from it a linguistic and literary training similar to that
which the others receive from Latin. And, after all, this train-
ing is the one thing needful even more than the knowledge of
any one individual language. Such an arrangement would still
leave room for students who do not care to take any foreign lan-
language at all, although it is to be hoped that this number will
rapidly decrease and eventually vanish.
The fact is that in Europe secondary courses of education
without modern languages are utterly unknown, whereas in
our country, even in educated circles, there still lingers the
motion that the study of German, for instance, exists in our high
schools merely for the purpose of satisfying the demands for
such instruction on the part of the German element of our pop-
ulation.” Such a view of the situation is, of course, naively
erroneous. But unfortunately it is likely to work damage by
prejudicing the minds of those who in no wise feel identified
with the German-American element and thus consider the sub-
ject as clearly useless to them. Even persons of a fair amount
of education can be found who maintain that if German is
taught to our American youth, we might just as well teach them
Russian or Polish or any other language that happens to have
its representatives in our population. It would be carrying coals
*These demands, no doubt, are justified in certain localities. This report,
however, does not deal with this phase of the subject, but considers the modern
language situation solely in the light of its pedagogical, cultural, and practical
importance Of general application.
THE HIGH SCHOOL COURSE IN GERMAN. 11
to Newcastle if before this Association a special attempt were
made to defend the disciplinary, cultural and practical value of
the study of German or French; but the committee desires it to
be distinctly understood that its recommendations are exclu-
sively based on educational considerations without any regard
whatsoever for what racial or social conditions may render de-
sirable in certain localities. The recommendations of this com-
mittee would apply as strongly to the schools of Massachusetts
as to those of Wisconsin,
If, however, a four years’ course in a modern language is
highly desirable in almost all of our high schools, it does not
necessarily follow that the subject should be begun in the first
year of the high school course. In fact, it would be preferable
to introduce it in the seventh or eighth grade of the common
schools. In this case, it might either be entirely omitted in the
last year in the high School or reduced to about three periods a
week during the last two years, whereby room would be left at
the top of the course for subjects which, in their very nature, re-
quire maturer minds than do the introductory years of foreign
language study. Two or three hour periods would be fatal in
language courses if introduced at the beginning of the work.
There, daily recitations cannot possibly be dispensed with.
They would, however, be quite feasible and productive of good
results toward the end of the course where the student is well
grounded in the principles and has learned to read with some
degree of ease.
Besides, by starting a modern language—or possibly Latin—
in the upper grades, students desiring more than the ordinary
amount of language work could easily take both courses with-
out being obliged to begin two foreign languages in the same
year, which is never good policy pedagogically.
The other advantages of strengthening the upper grades and
connecting them more organically with the high school, as stated
above, have been so fully treated in the Adams report that there
is no need here of traversing the same ground again.
That there is no difficulty in successfully beginning the study
of a foreign language, ancient or modern, at an even earlier
age than is here contemplated is fully attested by the practice
12 TIIF IIIGII SCIIOOF. COURSE IN GERMAN.
of all European countries. There all students planning to ac-
quire an education extending beyond the absolutely required
elements begin the study of Latin, or of a modern language, at
the age of nine or ten; whereas in most of our schools the stu-
dents do absolutely no work in a foreign language until about
the age of fourteen (those beginning Latin in the first year of
the high school), or sixteen (those beginning German in the
third year of the high school), or even eighteen and above
(those not beginning a foreign language until they reach col-
lege). This state of affairs is especially deplorable, as it is an
established fact that the elementary work of a foreign language
is not only much easier for the student but also better retained
by him when begun at a rather early age than after adolescence.
The drudgery connected with the acquisition of a foreign lan-
guage should be got out of the way at a time when it is not yet
felt as such and when, on the other hand, little real training
can as yet be had from more difficult subjects requiring greater
independence of judgment. An unquestioned authority in
American education, President Eliot, tersely put the matter at
the Boston meeting of the N. E. A. in February, 1893: “All
experience shows that a foreign language, whether ancient or
modern, should be begun as early as ten years of age, whereas
the ordinary American school program made no provision for
beginning any foreign language before the age of fifteen.”
The Adams report describes at length the French system of
elementary and secondary education for pupils from about eight
to seventeen years of age, according to which the first foreign
language is taken up in the first year of the course, and the
second four years later when the student is twelve. Practi-
cally the same condition exists in Germany and, less regularly
organized, in England.
The answer frequently made in reply to representations of
this kind is that European countries, on account of their prox-
imity to each other, are in need of a great deal of training in
moderm languages for purely practical reasons which would not
apply to our conditions. Such a view is, on the whole, erro-
neous, as far as countries like England, France and Germany
are concerned. There undoubtedly is justification for it in ref-
THE HIGH SCHOOL COURSE IN GERMAN. 13
erence to smaller countries like Belgium, Holland or Norway,
in which, however, a far larger amount of modern language
study is required than in England, France or Germany. In
the latter countries educational and cultural considerations
alone determine the amount of time devoted to linguistic
studies, without any reference to travel or any other personal
intercourse. Germans have always traveled in Italy far more
than in France or England, but even when Italy became a
member of the Triple Alliance no one on that account tried to
introduce Italian into the German secondary schools in place
of French or English. On the other hand, the experiences of
the Boer war have done much to increase in England the re-
gard for the study of French and German, because they helped
to emphasize the need of keeping in touch with the great rival
countries in all matters of higher civilization. In cultural and
intellectual relations miles of land and sea do not count as bar-
riers, and our interests in the achievements and aspirations of
the leading countries of Europe should be no less keen and
broad on account of the distance between them and us.
In this connection it may not be inappropriate to say a few
words regarding a tendency unquestionably existing in many
quarters in Europe which is antagonistic to an excessive amount
of linguistic training and which rests on the belief that other
studies more liberally introduced into the courses of study
would produce better results. Properly to understand the sig-
nificance of such a reaction one must, however, consider the ex-
isting conditions to which objection is made. These are found,
for instance, in the German classical gymnasium where during
each of the last six years of the nine years' course sixteen hours
a week, ont of a total for thirty, are devoted to foreign languages,
or in many English preparatory schools where at the age of
about twelve years a boy is often required to give nineteen out
Of thirty hours a week to the study of Latin, Greek and French.
If, in the view of such practice, some European critics raise a
voice of warning we can readily understand it. But it takes
our breath away when American educational men, with wise
faces, quote this anti-linguistic reaction in Europe in defense
of our own practice that up to about fourteen or sixteen years
14 THE IIIGH SCHOOL COURSE IN GERMAN.
of age a student should not know what a foreign-language looks
like. It is like offering medicine for indigestion to a hungry
beggar asking for bread. -
If then, sooner or later we shall have to begin the introduc-
tion of at least one foreign language into the grades the question
naturally arises which shall it be, Latin or a modern language.
Only a decade ago most educational authorities in this country
and abroad would probably have pronounced in favor of Latin
without hesitation and many will do so even now. But just
in this respect, as indicated in the beginning of this report,
a remarkable change has recently begun in Europe, starting in
Germany, spreading to the Scandinavian countries, capturing
the whole of France, and finding constantly growing numbers
of earnest advocates in all other countries, including England
and America.
As this movement which favors the postponement of the
classics until after a modern language has been taken up, is
not referred to in the Adams report, it may be proper to Say
here a few words about it." -
As is well known, the German system of Secondary educa-
tion has for a long time permitted three parallel courses of
study, each mine years in length, taking the students at about
nine years of age and keeping them until about eighteen: the
classical gymnasium, the Realgymnasium, and the Oberreal-
schule. Aside from other differences in the amount of time
given to the various subjects of study, these three courses differ
primarily in the character of the foreign language work. The
classical gymnasium has nine years of Latin, seven of French
or English and six of Greek; the Realgymnasium has like-
wise mime years of Latin and seven of French, with six of
English and no Greek; the Oberrealschule finally has nine
years of French and six of English, but neither Latin nor
Greek. Both of the courses which contain Latin used to re-
* English readers can be referred to vol. 3 of the “Special Reports of Educa-
tional Subjects, of the Great Britain Education Department,” containing a
number of articles, by M. E. Sadler and others, in regard to the new move-
ment. Also see “The New Way of Taching Classics in Germany” in the Edu-
cational Review for September, 1904.
TETIE HIGH SCHOOL COUIRSE IN GERMAN. 15
quire the beginning of it two years before the beginning of
the modern languages.
The first trial in reversing this order was made in Altona
in 1878 where a Realgymnasium, and an Oberrealschule were
combined on a common foundation of three years without
Latin. Instead of Latin a modern language was taken up
in the first year and the second modern language in the third
year. Then, with the beginning of the fourth year the bifur-
cation of the school commenced ; the students of the semi-
classical course beginning. Latin and giving less time to the
modern languages; those in the modern course continuing with
a relatively larger number of hours in the two modern lan-
guages only. The Altona experiment was watched with keen
interest all over Europe and gradually, in spite of the dis-
favor of the central authorities, found its way into a number
of institutions in Germany.
Far more successful, however, was the later Frankfort ex-
periment introduced in 1892 by Dr. Reinhardt of the famous
Goethe-Gymnasium of that city; and it is generally the Frank-
fort course to which reference is had when “Der Lateinlose
Unterbau” (The substructure without Latin) and the “Reform-
Schule” are discussed. The general principle of the Frank-
fort plan in as far as it concerns us here is the same as that
of the Altona course, the beginning of foreign language study
with a modern language (in Germany generally French) and
the postponement of Latin until the fourth year. The third
language—either Greek or a second modern language—accord-
ing to the Frankfort plan is put off until the fifth year of the
course, whereas in Altona the second modern language is be-
gum in the third year, still preceding Latin.
Besides, the Frankfort arrangement allows the student at
the end of the third year to go on in any of the three lines:
fully classical, semi-classical and purely modern. -
The following diagram, so as not to appear too complex,
represents Only the classical and semi-classical superstructure.
I6 THE HIGH SCHOOL COURSE IN GERMAN.
The Frankfort Curriculum.
Language lessons per week.
Common Gymnasium and Realgymnasium. In each
Non-classical case the figures in the upper line refer to
Foundation. the classical gymnasium.
b à b 81 b al
Classes ... . . . . . . W I V IW III III II II I I
Age. . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 or 10 || 11 || 12 iſ 13 || 14 15 16 || 17 | 18+
º 10 10 8 8 8 8.
Latin * * * * * e is a e º a e e - e. e. e. e. I tº a s - e s a sº I s s e º 'º - * * } 8 8 6 6 6 6
* * * * 8
Greek. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ł........'...l..... *...*...* | *.
- 9
French ... . . 6 6 6 } I ; ; ; ; §
English........ [.... • e i u ę e a tº s e a i < * * * * * * * } :::::::::::::::: 6"|’’ ‘’’ i"|''''' i"|''''' 4

The interesting and instructive feature of the Frankfort
movement is that it is far from Owing its origin to any hos-
tility toward classical studies. Dr. Reinhardt, the enthusiastic
champion of the new movement is not only a famous school
principal and a recognized educational leader, but also a pro-
found and enthusiastic classical scholar. He firmly believes
that the study of Latin will ultimately gain by having its
path prepared by the study of an easier and nearer modern
language. The natural road to Latin, to him and his numer-
ous followers, is from the nearer to the more distant. Latin
men often ask the modern language teacher whether the pupils
with Latin do not find French or German easier than those
without it. Of course they do; very much so. But the ques-
tion is whether the students first trained in a modern language
will not succeed better in Latin and whether, after all, Latin
does not need such assistance more than the modern languages.
The Frankfort experiment, in Germany and, in fact, in the
entire educational world, attracted profound attention, and
since 1901 when the first graduating class of the school com-
pleted the nine years' course to the full satisfaction of the
governmental examiners, the number of its adherers has grown
very rapidly.
According to statistics for the year 1901 as many as sixty-
two Reformschulen" have been established in Germany and the
THE HIGH SCHOOL course IN GERMAN. 17
principle on which they rest is coming to be more and more
recognized as sound and as productive of the best results in
both the ancient and modern languages. -
The French, according to the writer in the September num-
ber of the Educational Review, have become so convinced of
the efficacy of the plan that they have quite recently intro-
duced it as an integral part of the secondary school system
of the whole country. Only after a preliminary grounding in
a modern language does the French student decide which of the
four diverging lines of the French system, he desires to fol-
low: full classical; Latin with science; Latin with modern
languages; or purely modern. And all of the four courses
when properly completed entitle the student to identically the
same privileges. * *
Even in England where the traditional character of the
public schools and of the demands they make on the prepar-
atory schools would make the introduction of such a move-
ment very difficult, a number of educational leaders now ex-
press themselves as convinced of the wisdom and desirability
of the Scheme.” One opinion must suffice instead of many,
We choose it on account of the great reputation of Mr. M. E.
Sadler as a leader in the modern educational reform move-
ment in England: -
“However strongly we may feel the wisdom of the Frank-
fort plan, and however much we may desire to see the day
when Latin will be postponed until about thirteen (and Greek
two years later still) and the time so saved devoted to the
study of French and to careful training in English composi-
tion, English literature, the elements of natural science, his-
tory and geography, drawing and manual exercises, so ad-
justed in a well balanced curriculum as to form a broad and
stable basis for a liberal education, we must nevertheless re-
gretfully admit that, so far as our most famous English
schools are concerned, the day of that reform is still remotely
distant.”
Here in America we have no such traditional difficulties to
* Of these, forty-four are in Prussia, eighteen in the other German states.
Fitfy-one follow the Frankfort plan, eleven that of Altona. -
2See Great Britain Reports, vol. 6, 1900, pp. 70, 88 and 187.
| S THE HIGH SCHOOT COURSE IN GERMAN.
Overcome, Surely not in this part of the country; and the in-
troduction of a modern language in the upper grades would
but very rarely interfere with the position now held by Latin.
On the contrary it would, in the opinion of the committee,
increase the chances of that language. Where Latin is at
present unpopular, this unpopularity in many cases is due to
students who either find the subject very difficult or even entirely
beyond their powers. Such conditions easily breed dissatisfac-
tion in whole classes and schools. The number of these stu-
dents would surely diminish if through the preliminary study
of German the one class could come to Latin better prepared
linguistically, while the other class would have proved its in-
ability to handle as difficult a language as Latin by the diffi-
culty they would have found in doing the work in German.
In case a foreign language is begun in the grades, the com-
mittee without wishing to be uncompromising prefers it to be
a modern one. Such an introduction would not only prove of
benefit to the greatest number, but it would also be a stepping
Stone toward better work in Latin on the part of those who
take it up in the high school. And if Latin is a difficult sub-
ject for first year students in the high school it will be more
difficult in the seventh or eighth grade, not on account of the
difference in age, but because there the principle of the selec-
tion of the fittest has had less opportunity to operate.
The committee is quite aware that the actual introduction
of a foreign language into the upper grades, like any other
serious change in an established curriculum, will be beset with
Various practical difficulties which will have to be solved
differently under different local conditions. On the ground
of such difficulties, objection could be made to any proposi-
tion looking toward the im provement of our courses of study.
Improvement always means an increase of thought and labor.
But just that is the “glory of the imperfect” that it stimu-
lates us to unwearied effort in the pursuif of the better
and the best. -
How best to accomplish the reform here suggested is a ques-
tion which this committee does not feel called upon to answer.
That is the task of the practical school men to whom the fram-
ing of courses of study is entrusted. Valuable suggestions are
THE HIGH SCHOOL course IN GERMAN. 19
given in the Adams report. That there are no insuperable
difficulties in the way is attested by the practice of the Euro-
pean schools, as well as by those American schools which al-
ready give foreign language instruction in the grades without
falling behind in any of the other essentials of a thorough
education. The committee discussed this, like many other
questions not fully set forth in this brief report; but it de-
cided, at this time, not to go into the details of this phase of
the subject beyond the suggestion contained in the third of
the following recommendations. -
These recommendations represent the practical propositions
which gradually took definite shape during the discussions of
the committee:
1. The disciplinary value of a foreign language justifies its
introduction into the upper grades of the grammar school.
2. The committee, therefore. recommends that a foreign
language, preferably a modern one, be introduced as soon as
practicable into the upper two grades of the grammar school
as a disciplinary subject desirable for all students.
3. The committee believes that it is neither wise nor
essary to introduce such a language as an extra study. In
general, room can be secured for it by a rearrangement of the
subjects now constituting the elementary and high School
courses of study, and if necessary by certain eliminations from
such subjects as arithmetic, geography and technical grammar.
4. The committee further recommends that those high
schools now offering but one foreign language for less than
four years should extend the course in that language to a full
four years' course before offering a second.
Respectfully submitted,
- A. R. HoHLFELD,
F. E. Doty,
B. MACK DRESDEN,
R. B. DUDGEON,
F. W. MEISNEST,
CARROLL G. PEARSE,
A. D. TARNUTZER,
A. W. TRESSLER,
ELIZABETH WATERs,
Committee.
i
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