"Mr. Thornton is a passionate and ambitious gentleman", said Mr. Joseph W. Errant today to a reporter of this paper, "but, he is not the Board of Education. His motion to submit the German Department of Educations Affairs to an investigation was accepted by the Committee for administrative matters, and Mr. Thornton himself will direct the inquiries. But one does not need to entertain any fear on account of this. When the Committee members look closely at the number of pupils who participate in German instruction in the different classes, they must themselves come to the conclusion that the percentage is an extremely large one. The children of German parents who half at the Middle Schools. The other children who take up German lessons, require their preliminary instruction which they can complete in the High School until they master the language entirely. Over there for instance, is sitting a young lady - a Mulatto by the way - Mr. Errant pointed to this secretary, - who here in the Public Schools has obtained such a good knowledge of the German language that she was able to correct literary works of a well-known German newspaper editor and statesman, of grammatical errors. In case Mr. Thornton should 2believe in earnest that the money for German instruction is entirely thrown away, I will prove to him the contrary by the example of this young lady. But it is unbelievable that the Board of Education will agree to Mr. Thornton's whims. The German instruction is for this year not in danger and, as the Board of Education in its present combination accepts and regulates the course of instruction, also not for the next year. The future, of course, depends on the nominations which Mayor Swift will make during the summer to fill the vacancies."

"And what is the status of the introduction of the Bible or of an extract of it as an instruction book for the Public Schools?"

Mr. Errant smiled. "I do not believe that for such a motion in the present School Board, there could be interested any more than four or five of the twenty-one members", he said. "There never was an earnest thought given to such a theory in Chicago, and therefore one does not need to be excited about the petitions of the Christian Women's Clubs on the other side of the house. An overwhelming majority of the School Board Members is for strict secaration of church and school. Against the introduction of the Bible or biblical stories into the Public Schools are also considerations of other kinds. An efficient extract of the Bible could hardly be combined without giving manifold reasons for just protests. Therefore also those leave their hands off this, who might be 3prepossessed for the plan itself. The agitation that is going on at present in Turner and Labor circles against the "Introduction of the Bible" seems to be based on the false supposition that one has to deal with a "reactionary" majority of the School Board. This is absolutely incorrect; still it should be recommended to the adversaries of the Bible as a text book to take heed that the resolutions are drawn by the advice of people who are somewhat familiar with the grammatical rules of the English language and are not uncultivated enough to deny any value whatsoever to the Bible with its rich contents of wisdom and true poetry."

"There is a complaint of some parents, Mr. Errant, "that class teachers dare to teach children certain religious perceptions."

"These people should make a complaint to the School Superintendent, and if this does not help, either to the Board of Control of the district concerned or directly to the Board of Education.