“A Language That He Wants to and Must Forget” (1918)
“A Language That He Wants to and Must Forget” (1918)
This chapter is a letter disagreeing with the Arbeter Ring's educational policies. It argues that the efforts of the organization's National Education Committee are being wasted on teaching their audience subjects without practical value for the immigrant Jewish community. The author of this piece instead favors an Americanized education, with an emphasis on teaching English rather than Yiddish. Yiddish, it is argued, is a dying language—the use of which has become infeasible when applied to their adopted country. Moreover, the author invokes the Jewish propensity for adapting to whatever country they have migrated to—thus it becomes all the more imperative to Americanize their education. The chapter also leaves some praise for some of the Committee's efforts in Americanizing its curriculum.
Keywords: Arbeter Ring, National Education Committee, educational policies, Yiddish, English language, Americanized education, immigrant Jews
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