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Page 79 text:
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Foreign Languages Much has been said about the importance of languages in the school curriculum. So much in fact that, although it is a part of every school program, the idea prevalent in the minds of people is that languages are non-essential in comparison with other school subjects. A majority of pupils reject the study of languages. Is it because of the difficulty of the study ?. The more exact reason is the failure to catch an insight into the real value of both modern and extinct languages. In speaking of the importance of languages one fact stands out promi- nently. Since the beginning of learning, language has been the founda- tion upon which education is based. A slight review of the past shows the beginning of language study in Greece. The Grecian lad was taught his own language. To learn to read or to write from the Grecian alphabet was as difficult for him as any Latin lesson is hard for the modern pupil. Imperfect as may have been thfs beginning, the Greek saw a need for learning and placed emphasis upon reproduction of Grecian ideas and pro- gress by means of language. The interest in this subject increased. Then Latin colonies began to get a foothold in the Grecian peninsula and con- tinued to do so until Grecian power gave way to Roman rule. But the Roman was just as far sighted as the Greek and learning continued with even more vigor. For a length of time the Greek language continued to keep pace with the Latin but in course of years Creek died out and Latin became the predominant language taught. Roman colonization spread the Latin language to all parts of the then known world. Even after the fall of the Roman Empire it was still spoken. The Barbarians from the north, conquerors of Rome, mingled with the Roman people and from that mingling of dialects sprang new languages. To-day Romanic countries-Spain. France and Italy--have drawn their code from the Latin. In speech they go back directly to the Latin and these languages are the tongues of South American countries as well as of European nations. The Englishlanguage which is spoken throughout a large part of the civilized world, has received so many additions from Romanic sources that to-day We scarcely utter a sentence Without using a 77
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Page 80 text:
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word once used by citizens of Rome. And yet .... Why study Latin ? Even after the arise of new languages Latin remained a fixed study in the curriculum. With the growth of Christianity came the critical period, scholars were no longer content with the study of Latin. A re- search of the Greek language was made and old Greek Literature and alphabet was resurrected. Here was a new step in education. It was a desire to know something of the past, to understand former people, their customs and their language. As the Romance languages began to c me to the front the use of Latin defined and finally it became extinct as a spoken language. However, the use of Latin and Greek as stu lIes con- tinue. Through them we can get a knowledge of the early l1'stJ1'y of lan- guages. By the close of the fourteenth century a great change had taken place on the European continent. There had been a rapid growth in the educational system. German science and trade established a need for the study of German. The first modern language took its place in the curric- ulum. Likewise within the last decade French became an important lan- guage for study. The advent of the War caused increased enthusiasm in its use. During the war commercial relations with Spain and especially South American countries made a study of Spanish urgent. What then, is the importance of language study ? Without it the modern citizen cannot intelligently exist upon the knowledge of the lan- guages of diierent peoples depend the progress of civilization. An insight into the ideals of one another through their languages he'ps ration to understand nation. The dead languages link us with the past, a study of modern languages makes possible a more enjoyable and prosperous present and a more vivid future. -MIRIAM TAYLOR. 78
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