Wednesday, november 8, 1978
daily nebraskan
page 15
5 tudy of foreign languages encouraged bycomm ission
By Alice Hmicek
Foreign language study before college should receive
more attention, according to three members of the UNL
modern language department and a recommendation to
the President's Commission on Foreign Languages and
International Studies.
The number of high school students studying a modern
language has been declining since 1916, according to S.
Fredrick Starr, special consultant to the president's
commission and secretary of the Kennen Institute for
Advanced Russian Studies at Princeton University.
Many people do not realize the importance of studying
a foreign language, said Hans Gilde, instructor in UNL
modern languages and literatures department.
"To convince people in the Midwest is hard because we
are miles away from any foreign speaking peoples," Gilde
said.
Broader horizons
Gilde said an important reason to study a foreign lang
uage is that it enhances a person's horizons.
"The study of another language can make a better
human being and give them a better understanding of
other points of view."
David Gitlitz. associate professor and chairman of the
modern languages and literatures department, sees foreign
language study as a guide to cultural understanding.
"Our particular approach to the world is not the only
one or necessarily the best one," he said.
He said there are other practical reasons for acquiring a
second language.
"Nebraska is a major export state which deals with a
lot of foreign owned businesses," Gitlitz said. Companies
snap up people who can speak the language of the
customer, he said.
"Exports are not cs great as they could be," Gilde said
and pointed out Germans and Japanese have excellent
outputs partly because of their ability to converse with
foreign customers.
Learning skills as a mental discipline and attaining
better expression in Engish are some of the results, Gitlitz
said.
"The old saw 'He learns his language best who learns a
foreign language,' is very true," he said.
Starr said most of the federal government's support for
foreign languages has been at the university level.
"The attempt was to build a structure from the roof
down," Starr said. But he added that the structure has not
worked .
A number of problems are eminent because of this
structure, Gitlitz said.
Use time better
First he said the time taken in learning the basic skills
of a language at the college level could be better used for
acquiring other knowledge if students already had a langu
age background .
Evidence also indicates language learning is more
efficient at an earlier age, he said. We pick up our own
language .best at age four or five, he said, so foreign langu
age instruction would be valuable in elementary school.
Gilde said he believes students should start a consistent
study program in the 5th or 6th grade and continue it
through high school .
A current probem, Gilde. remarked, is that children
who are exposed to a foreign language often are not given
the opportunity to stay with it.
Both Gilde and Gitlitz feel there is a tendency to pro
mote language in doses too low to be effective.
"The goal is to become comfortable with a foreign
language instead of using it as a functional tool," Gitlitz
said.
Confidence needed
Gilde added language teachers need to be confident.
Too many are not ," he said . "High school teachers have to
make the class fun and games or else lose students."
This problem could be alleviated, he said, if foreign
language study was mandatory for students preparing for
college.
In Europe, university-bound students are required to
start one language at age 10 and begin another at age 12,
he said. Both of the languages are continued through high
school so students obtain a reasonable control by the time
they enter college.
However, Nicole Smith said she believes learning a
language should be relaxing.
"If fun and games is the only way, then it should be
used," she said. "Language is alive. Don't make it dead."
Solution offered
Gilde offered a solution to the problem. Larger second
ary schools should offer three languages-French, German
and Spanish-from which the students can choose and
the study should be required for anyone who is univer
sity bound, he said.
In smaller schools, he said at least one language should
be offered. Gilde recommended Spanish or German for
Nebraska, noting that French is a language of diplomacy.
The foreign language should be continued throughout
high school, he said. The language requirement at the
university could then be eliminated, Gilde added.
Although Gitlitz doesrt't propose a plan as specific as
Gilde's, he believes "something should be done. National
ly, it would be worthwhile to do more tor language
teaching at a lower level."
Liquor licenses refused, allowed by Council
By Randy Essex
One former downtown
liquor license holder was
given new life by the Lin
coln City Council Monday,
but another-whose license
was not renewed last
month was refused further
consideration.
The council was asked to
recommend a new license
for Oscar's Lounge, 245 N.
13th St., under new owner
ship. Oscar's is closed,
following state denial of a
license last month. The
State Liquor Commission
acted on a council recom
mendation in refusing to re
new the license.
Attorney Donald
Thompson tolu the council
he thought the main prob
lem with getting the license
last month was the presence
of Oscar Mueller's name on
the license. Thompson said
Robert Bryant would buy
out Mueller if the council
recommended a new license.
Council members ques
tioned the appropriateness
of recommending a license
before ownership had
changed technically.
Clean up time
"We've been talking
about cleaning up the
downtown licenses, and this
is the first time (recom
mending refusal of Oscar's
application) we've done
anything about it," said
Councilman Bob Jeambey.
"It would be amiss if we
back off because of what I
consider a 'shuffle play,' "
Jeambey said.
The matter was not on
the council agenda, and no
councilman would intro
duce the question for a
vote.
However, the council
recommended state approv
al of a license at a new loca
tion for the Spigot, at 1624
OSt.
The Spigot had been in
business at 304 S. 13th St.
until May 1 when its lease
expired. Owners of the bar
then asked for council
approval of a license in the
University Place area, which
was refused.
Desperate attempt
Spigot manager David
Hansen told the council the
application for license in
University Place was made
out of desperation. Hansen
explained that the 0 Street
location was not available at
the time.
Hansen urged the council
recommend the license be
cause the Spigot would be
the only bar in the area
appealling to a white-collar
clientele. Hansen told the
council the new bar would
offer an elaborate salad bar
because businessmen and
women would like it for a
change of pace.
Resolution endorses
friendship with China
The Lincoln City Council Monday voted to recognize
the People's Republic of China as a friend of the United
States, to name the city's first commuter bikeway the
Billy Wolff Antelope Bikeway. to deregulate Cablevision
rates and not to change a street name.
The council joined the Omaha City Council and the
Nebraska Legislature in recognizing China as a friend and
ally of the United States and encouraging better diplo
matic relations between the two countries.
The Antelope Park Bikeway. completed last summer,
was named after a long-time 0 Street bicycle dealer. The
bikeway runs from Holmes Park to about 21st and N
streets.
Councilman Richard Baker said introducing the resolu
tion was one of the most pleasant things he has done as a
councilmember. Baker said his father bought Baker's first
bike from Billy Wolff, and there are many stories of
Wolffs service to the community and youths.
Baker told the story of a boy who told Wolff he
wanted a bicycle, but didn't have any money. The boy
went to work and earned 95 cents, with which he bought
a bicycle from Wolff, Baker said.
Council members also voted to eliminate a law re
quiring council approval of Cablevision rate increases. The
council will be able to get back into the business of moni
toring rates if necessary.
Cablevision manager Tony Acone told the council last
week consumer demands would keep rates fair. Acone
explained that if rates were too high people would not
subscribe to the service .
The council bowed to citizen pressure in voting against
changing the name of Southwest 18th Street
south of West Arlington Street south to Southwest 17th
Street.
The name change had been requested so streets of the
same name would be alhgned after the completing of a
new housing project. Citizens living on Southwest 17th
Street appeared before the council three times to urge
denial of the name change because of financial incon
venience caused by changing their addresses
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