A Rational Program For Teaching Languages in American High Schools

Extract

At the outbreak of World War Two the most startling shortage revealed by our country was of linguists — people who could handle with ease and fluency the numerous tongues required by our war needs. The Intensive Language Program of the American Council of Learned Societies and the Army Specialized Training Program were the solution of the problem, but it was a solution which was not extremely efficient and, above all, anything but prompt.

For the normal, everyday requirements of a global post-war world, as well as for a possible recurrence of the emergency, America needs language specialists. This means not merely people who can handle the four western European languages of the normal high school and college curriculum, French, German, Italian and Spanish.