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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 11, 1962)
THE BATTALION Thursday, .Tannnry ft, 1062 College Station, Texas Page I? Modern Languages — A&M’s Newest Trend A&M’s teaching activities have i a result of the recent upsurge in taken on an international flavor as I foreign language enrollment. Language Lab Control Panel . Dr. J. J. Woolkel listens to students. SAVE now at CONWAY S CO. It is now possible to Make Substantial Savings on Men’s and Boys’ Shirts on Sport Coats on Slacks on Shoes on Jackets on Sport Shirts on Dress Shirts on Robes on Gloves and Pajamas Conway & Co. 103 N. Main Bryan J. J. Woolket, head of the De partment of Modern Languages, said the movement is nation-wide but is especially evident here be cause the school’s large number of engineering and agriculture stu dents are showing a surprising interest in foreign languages. He said there were 433 students studying foreign languages in 1956. The current semester shows an enrollment of 817, represent ing 11 to 12 per cent of the col lege’s total enrollment. What’s behind the trend? Wool ket cites a number of reasons: Students have become more in terested in the study of foreign languages, not only in the high schools but also at technological schools. More college graduates are seek ing and getting employment in foreign countries. More Americans are traveling abroad. College graduates are facing military service overseas. Americans have become more vitally involved in the over-all international situation. Jack A. Dabbs, professor in the department, tells of one outstand ing example of this trend. “When the first Sputnik went up, our Russian language enroll ment went up, too,” he said. Dabbs added that government encouragement and the activities of the Modern Language Associa tion of America have had much to do with the upswing in language studies. Woolket said he anticipates that language courses will continue to grow in popularity. He said A&M is considering programs that will better prepare its graduates for foreign service assignments by giving them training in foreign languages. The department offers four years of Spanish, three years of Russian, three years of German, two years of French, and an in tensive course in Bengali for spe cial groups going to East Pakistan on government missions. Eight teachers comprise the faculty, speaking more than a dozen tongues. Spanish is the most popular lan guage taught here, Woolket said. Enrollment in Spanish classes this semester is 402. The next most popular is German, with 195 stu dents; third, French, 115 students; and fourth, Russian, with 91 stu dents. The department head said it would be difficult to say which of the top four languages is the hard est. It’s largely a matter of indi vidual ability and attitude, he said. “Many students take Spanish because they have already been exposed to it. This is of great help to them when they begin their study of foreign languages in college,” Woolket said. Both Woolket and Dabbs said they have noted that a good back ground in Latin is helpful in learn ing almost any other language. And they have found that the study of any foreign language will improve the student’s proficiency in English. Sfllii Wk* Modern Language Lab Session The oral approach is emphasized in the and head set. Students listen to a master Department of Modern Languages’ fully tape, speak the words into a microphone equipped laboratory. There are 40 booths, and then hear a playback, each with its own dual-track type recorder Afghanistan’s black, red and green flag shows a mosque, re flecting the nation’s Islamic char acter. America’s Nazis: are they really a threat? The American Nazi Party is a nest of hatemongers. And it’s only one of 1,000 radical right-wing groups. In this week’s Post, a U. S. senator speaks out in “Voice of Dissent." He rips into home-grown fascists. And tells why he thinks they’re even more dangerous than Reds. The Saturday Evening POST JANUARY 13 ISSUE NOW ON SALE! PEANUTS By Charles M. Schulz IM SURRENDERING... |'M GOING TO MISS OTHMAR ON MV HANDS AND KNEES TO SURRENDER... I GOTTA HAVE MV BLANKET BACK...I CAN'T GO ON LIKE THIS...DO I LOOK HUMBLE? (rii These prices good thru Sat. Jan. 13. In Bryan only. We reserve the right to limit quantity. Step Up Step out of tiie Ordinary! Imperial Sugar 5 « 45 Food Club Peaches23 Rath Lunch Meat ^ Chunk IcmQ, Avocados Food Club tto. Can U.S. No. 1 Calif. Calavos Add Flavor To Salads Ea. Fresh Lettuce Cello Head 37' 2.5 7. 2 - 19 Rath Franks Rath Black Hawk 12-Oz. Pkg. 39 c Canned Picnics - 3 - $ 1 89 CHICKEN HENS Fine For Stewing 2}/2 to S Lb. Avg.— Lb. 25