Learning Spanish First Hand

(By Millard H. Pryor)
"I felt in a general way that every
prospective language teacher should
live for a while in the country whose
language he intends to teach," is a
statement made by Prof. Charles P.
Wagner, of the Spanish department.
"Only the foundation can be laid in
the classroom. The best plan is to
saturatie oneself with the theory of
the subject and then to go to the
foreign country. Students who have
profited by two or three years of
competent instruction in an American
college will be surprised at the amount
of fluency they will have gained in
three months residence abroad. How-
over, mere foreign residence without
previous study in the language seldom
brings any great practical facility.
"While no one expects that six
weeks in Spain will perfect, a student
in a knowledge of Spanish, even after
considerable study, there is something
about first-hand knowledge of a
people, their civilization, historic
monuments, and art that is an essen-
tial part of the equipment of a really
inspiring teacher. I hope that our
school administrators will sometime
come to realize the truth of this and
make the salaries of modern language
teachers large enough so that they
can take an occasional trip to the
country whose language they. are
teaching."
In accordance with this policy of
more highly specialized teachers for
each subject, Professor Wagner con-
ducted a tour of Spain last summer,.
for the purpose of giving teachers of
Spanish a better foundation.
The center of this tour was the
tenth Holiday Course for Foreigners
offered by the Centro de Estudios His-
toricos of the Spanish government, at
Madrid, a course for the express pur-
pose of enabling foreign teachers and
students of Spanish to obtain the best
pnasible equipment. 'This course in-
cludes lectures in the Spanish langu-
age, phonetics, conversation,'literature,
and reading and written work, also
electives in Spanish art, history, and
geography by some of the best authori-
ties in Spain. Dormitories in connec-
tion are equipped for a limited number
with all the conveniences of an Ameri-
can hotel, which is uncommon in most
continental hostelrys. the course last
summer was attended by more than
110, the greater part being Americans
and English. At the end of the month,
certificates of attendance were given
and all who passed a non-compulsory
examination received diplomas.
The party conducted by Professor
Wagner consisted of 19 people, six
beingMichigan students preparing to
teach Spanish, and., seven Michigan
alumni. Having a school in common
and a common interest in Spanish
added a great deal to the spirit and
interest of the expedition, Professor
Wagner points out.
The itinerary included visits to
many interesting points in Spain and
France, as short trips of one or two
days were made every week-end while

the classs were in progress. The the ,famous old. Alhambra by torch- Blasco Ibanez's novels.
days in Paris, Versailles, and the flight. This was made possible by the Some of the students who made the
party landed in France and spent 1d, special interest in the party of a Span- trip state that it would be hard to
nearer battlefields. A month was then ish- LLx-lMnit er of Education. The estimate the benefits they received. In
spent in Madrid in attendance at the tour of the castle wos accompanied by regard to the Spanish people, one
school ard in the shorter trips. ruit" a ceremiony. The torches pos- says that her opinion has been entire-
Twelve days were next devoted to sesed peculiar qualities of investing ly changed. While at first the people
visiting the more important cities of the acient fortres with an almost appeared worn out and slothful, first
Spain, and the. final week was spent nmgial cuthine, and this coupled with hand knewledge showed her that they
in southern France. A few members the specially arrarged concert of are very much alive. Another benefit
of the ;arty lengthened their trip by gypsy scngs and guitar music made of the trip spoken of is the interest
visiting England, some making the a spectacle that would be hard to such a tour gives to the literature of
journey from Paris~tc London by air deerite. The last two times the castle the people. When one is familiar
plane. was exhibited in this manner were for with even a few of the places men-
While in Granada the party was the pleasure of King Alphonso III tioned, the book becomes more real
fortuna'e in being Iesmitted to view and for the moving picture of one of and living.

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Mrs. R. A. Weal
601-6115 East tiltiau OL.

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