Next Wednesday a meeting, under the auspices of the Chicago Turner Society, will be arranged in the North Side Turner Hall. The object will be to attract larger circles. Students of the Waller High School, will perform the well known comedy "Flachsman as Tutor", by the recently deceased German poet, Otto Ernst. The occasion is therefore, noteworthy, because it will prove, that German lessons in our high schools are again in a befitting place. The fatal war caused damages in this connection which were bard to rectify. It caused a complete removal, of the German lessons from our public schools, and halted the German teachings in our high schools for a long time.

German, as it was taught in the fifth through the eighth grades in the public schools before the war, was worthless. It was handled carelessly, and the not always competent teachers had not only to fight against the indifference of many children of German parentage, and, what is more regrettable, of many 2parents, as well, but also with the half open and half latent opposition of some of the school directors. If the course could not have been improved, then nobody can lament the loss, because the children did not learn much. It was often looked upon and carried out as a plaything. But at that time it would have been possible to improve the teaching of the German language, if the German element had shown the necessary methodical determination. The war, with its systematic persecution of all that was German, may have forced many of those German parents to reconsider, and subsequently to regret their former indifference.

Their children, probably, would not have been so easily willing together with the descendants of other races, to discard and condemn everything that was German, if they had had the opportunity to penetrate into the German character. They would instead have accepted the slanders with the well known grain of salt, which stimulates independent judgment. The damage cannot be repaired now. 3But our fellow citizens of German descent should take care not to make the same mistake in the future. Especially, the new immigrants should see to it, that they uphold their habits and customs, and the memories of their German homeland, to their children. That can be done only if they persuade their children to adopt the German language in word and script.

The English manguage in this country, undoubtedly, deserves first place. Every child should master it as their mother tongue. At the same time, enough leeway is left to learn a second language, which must be, under all circumstances the German language, for the descendants of Germans. Only when some one is thoroughly familiar with the German language can the treasures of German literature and science be at his disposal, and by being the possessor of its knowledge, can he understand the German character and appraise it rightfully in regard to its value. There should be no objection if children of German parents would learn the German language from them.

Everybody knows that this is not the case. If everywhere in the homes the 4German language were spoken, it would be possible for the children to learn to speak it fluently, and probably thereby preserve it permanently. But it is a well known fact, that as soon as the children enter school, the German language at home is displaced completely by the English language. That is a common occurrence, but German parents should make sacrifices to preserve the German language for their children and the ability to use it in word and script.

In the local high schools the German language is taught again. But how many students of German descent make use of it? If they wanted to employ statistics, the result would be disgraceful for the German element.

Therefore, the Chicago Turner Society, in its endeavors to make it possible for the students of the Waller High School to arrange a public performance of a German comedy, deserves high praise for upholding the German language among our local fellow-citizens of German descent. Consequently they should consider 5it their duty to have their children attend the performance.