The School Board was in session yesterday. President Wells acted as chairman. All members were present, though Mr. Vocke arrived very late.

Business of relative unimportance was read and referred to the respective committees .....Repairs, plumbing, galvanized ironwork, etc., fall in this category.....

Principal Doty submitted a list of 125 names of women teachers who deserved certificates, among them Jeanne Rosenfeld....[Altogether six German names appear.]

German Instruction

Messrs. Emil Hoechster, Doctor Hessert, Max Stearn, and General Schaffner, 2members of the [German] Committee appointed at the Turnhall meeting, presented the petition which contained fifteen thousand names favoring continuance of German instruction, music, and drawing in our public schools. Mr. English moved that the petition be referred to the School Committee on German Instruction, and that this body report thereon at next week's session.

Mr. Stone submited an opposing petition which was signed by only one person.

Mr. Pruessing said that he did not know just what the Committee should do about the [first] petition, as the matter really involved the entire School Board; besides there was mention not only of the German language but also of music and drawing. Mr. English replied that since Messrs. Pruessing and Hotz were also members of the Committee on Music and Drawing, it appeared to him that it would be best to let such a voluminous request--signed by so many citizens--continue in the regular channels.

Mr. Arnold offered the following resolution:

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"Resolved, That it appears inpractical to neglect instruction in German, music, and drawing;

"Resolved, That the subject of selective studies be submitted to a committee of five, of which the President [Wells] shall be chairman: and that if the said committee reports in faver of continuing instruction in these subjects, then it [the committee] shall state whether the expenses incurred in the teaching of these subjects, will diminish; whether expenditures should be more or less curtailed; whether any changes should be rule to make instruction more effective; and whether it is possible to make some provision whereby these special subjects will not affect other branches detrimentally; Be it also

"Resolved, That the Committee shall more those recommendations necessary to promote the usefulness and efficiency of our public schools."

Mr. Arnold remarked that the subject had been thoroughly discussed, for the 4three branches were included in the curriculum, and he had never had any inclination to exclude them. At the time when Mr. Stone told him that there was a marked decrease in the German classes, he [Mr. Arnold] became of the opinion, of course, that German was not a very essential study. However, [he now believes] that the evidence proves that a demand does exist, and that Mr. Stone, probably, will also now admit the inadvisability of discontinuing the language instruction. He [Mr. Arnold] desires that the Committee should give a report about German classes in other cities; that Messrs. Stone, Pruessing, and English shall be members of the Committee; and that his resolution be accepted unanimously. He has no fear [he says], that the character of the American people will be changed to any degree by immigration, because [he considers] the influx too small in comparison to the present population.

Mr. Arnold spoke at length about the subject [German instruction in the public schools], and emphasized that the sum involved was too small to be worth dissension with a large part of Chicago's population.

Mr. Keith said that in his opinion too many courses were being taught and that 5the question was what studies could be eliminated; besides [he could not see that] ten thousand dollars was a trivial sum. Nevertheless, he thought that the time would come when every businessman would have to be able to speak German, French, and English. Moreover, in his opinion we face the possibility that the controversy will become a political issue which would be still worse. The question of expense involved in the maintenance of German classes could be solved by employing teachers who could handle German classes as well as their other classes; however, he realized that the matter was not such a simple one in so far as the time element was concerned. It is not fair to let fifty children wait, so that a group of ten may be given German instruction. He [Keith] commended Arnold's resolution.

Mr. Pruessing denied that German lessons have a harmful influence upon other subjects and added: "Experience shows that instruction in two languages produces a more alert mind. An American language does not exist. The nation is a conglomeration of peoples who came from many lands to uphold a republican 6form of government--and not to learn English. Anyone speaking German only, can be just as good a citizen as the individual who is restricted to English. However, all Germans are intent upon learning English,but they are not willing to give up their own language to do so. The Pennsylvania-German jargon would never have developed had both German and English been taught properly in the schools there. The petition intends to eliminate the dividing line between the German-speaking people and those who speak English only."

Mr. Stone denied that he harbored any antagonism toward the German language or the Teutonic people. "German is a wonderful language; inspiring. Here is Vocke, who was virtually at death's door; yet who, nevertheless, gave a half hours's speech in behalf of his native language at the Turnhall meeting." He [stone] noted, that Germany's most illustrious poet [Goethe] availed himself of that miraculous language in writing his greatest poem dedicated to the apotheosis of H...., a woman; and that Germany's greatest philosopher [Kant] wrote a sentence two and one-half yards long in that language. He 7[Stone] used to believe that it was deplorable that the Goths and Vandals terrorized Italy, but now he realizes that the Goths and Vandals came to Rome on a friendly mission and only requested that their language be taught in the public schools of Rome. When this was denied, they did away with Democrats, Republicans, and, unfortunately, everything else. Mr. Stone also cited a large number of statistics, items which were disproved time and again, among them the claim German was taught in St. Louis where 7,230 children enrolled in the course; yet, the number soon diminished to amere 129 who continued the study.

Mr. Armstrong replied that whatever the object of Goethe's masterly creation, it would always be recognized, and if Kant's sentences were two and one-half yards long, one must remember that Secretary Evarts, following the same method, produced sentences two and one-half blocks in length. According to his [Armstrong's] view, German will never be the dead conversational medium of the scientists in America--it will remain a living language. He [Armstrong] 8investigated thoroughly the factors involving the supplementary, non-compulsory studies and he finds that excellent results were attained.

Vocke, after a very successful rejoinder--which made it necessary for Stone to apologize for his remarks--repeated, in the main, the various points made at the Turnhall mass meeting. In the opinion of Vocke, German instruction in our public schools presents the best means of promoting assimilation.

Bartlett favored the selective studies and added, if the council wished to ascertain whether the taxpayers were willing to provide funds for German instruction, then it was only necessary for that august body to circulate a petition on Wabash Avenue, Lake Street and Madison Street, calling for the discontinuance of the linguistic study, and the answer would be apparent. He [Bartlett] knew that the bona fide taxpayers desired the language course, together with drawing and music.

[Mr.] English again started the groundless tirade about insufficient school 9rooms, and said that the money to be spent on German should be used for the construction of new schools.

Bartlett asked whether the money, the saving which accrued by eliminating German, could be used for additional buildings.

[Mr.] Enlgish retorted that if the language classes were eliminated, more space would be available for the teaching of the common branches.

Pruessing was the next speaker [no details], and Stone declared that he [stone] received a petition from the Illinois Social Science Association, which he had forgotten and left at home, but that he would like the Committee to consider it.

Bartlett made a motion to end the discussion, but withdrew the request after English favored the resolution of Arnold which was finally passed unanimously.

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English made a motion that the Building Committee should report how much space for school classes was needed in the Seventeenth ward. This motion was accepted.

Arnold offered a motion providing for the continuance of the selective subjects until the Special Committee could submit its findings, and he asked for an immediate vote.

Mr. English moved that the Board adjourn. This motion was defeated by a vote of six to nine. Mr. English moved that Arnold's resolution be tabled; this was also opposed and defeated.

Stone offered a motion to adjourn, which was also defeated.

Then Mr. English again made a motion to table Arnold's motion [about continuing the selective studies until the Special Committee could bring in 11its findings.]

[By this time] the President had decided that he would not tolerate these constant attempts to cause delays.

Stone appealed against the President's decision; however, it was upheld by all the others, with English and Stone the only dissenters.

Mr. English again sought an adjournment and was defeated.

Upon a definite request by the President to abstain from further dilatory tactics, the debate finally reached the voting stage, and a decision to conclude the meeting was reached, with all voting in favor of the decision, except English, Jacobs, Stone, Brennan and Faake.

The motion [Arnold's] was finally accepted by all except Stone.

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The following gentlemen were nominated to the [Special] Committee: Arnold, Pruessing, English, Stone and the Chairman.

Adjournment followed.