Education has been present for a really long time, but it has not been perfected in the way it was taught. The way you educate someone can have a change for the good or worse on their society. Alphonse Daudet (1840-1932) was a French writer who wrote about the impact of Germany on their education system and the town’s sense of unity in The Last Class: The Story of a Little Alsatian. American missionary and author of Village Schools and Traveling Soldiers, Arthur Henderson Smith (1845-1932), stated how in China, only one twin was allowed to become educated while the other becomes “wild”. In the interview between Celeste Headlee and Anton Treuer, American academic and author who focuses on Native American studies, Behind the Native American
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Instead of the continuation of learning French in schools, the students had to learn German. When this happened, many people were outraged. Students would think, “My last class in French! And I barely know how to write!” (Daudet 16-17). Not being able to complete their lessons in French prevented them from fully learning it. This sudden change of education caused a loss of language because the French language was not completely learned. When German was going to be taught, the teacher, Monsieur Hammel, said “‘so long as it clings to its language, it is as if they held the key to its prison’” (Daudet 23). This shows that having a connection to the French language can help set people free themselves from the prison that they find themselves in. This prison would be the Germans and their language. If German was to completely take over, the “key” would be gone. The methods of which the German language was inserted into the people’s lives in Alsace also united the village. On the last day of class in French, “...at the back of the room, on the benches which were usually empty, some people from the village sitting” (Daudet 12). As French classes were coming to an end, most of the village came to see it off. This unity helped the village of Alsace show a sense of nationalism. This action showed how even though education methods can be wrong, it can also help unify some people. In France after the war, there was a loss of language due to the outside German
Instead of the continuation of learning French in schools, the students had to learn German. When this happened, many people were outraged. Students would think, “My last class in French! And I barely know how to write!” (Daudet 16-17). Not being able to complete their lessons in French prevented them from fully learning it. This sudden change of education caused a loss of language because the French language was not completely learned. When German was going to be taught, the teacher, Monsieur Hammel, said “‘so long as it clings to its language, it is as if they held the key to its prison’” (Daudet 23). This shows that having a connection to the French language can help set people free themselves from the prison that they find themselves in. This prison would be the Germans and their language. If German was to completely take over, the “key” would be gone. The methods of which the German language was inserted into the people’s lives in Alsace also united the village. On the last day of class in French, “...at the back of the room, on the benches which were usually empty, some people from the village sitting” (Daudet 12). As French classes were coming to an end, most of the village came to see it off. This unity helped the village of Alsace show a sense of nationalism. This action showed how even though education methods can be wrong, it can also help unify some people. In France after the war, there was a loss of language due to the outside German