Ihr liewe Leit:
Nau iss die Zeit wu die yunge Leit aus de Hehere Schule un
Kalletsche kumme. In seim Buch Pennsylvania German (Vol. II, 1911) hot der
Daniel Miller mol dodevun gschriwwe. Sei Schreiwes waar nadierlich fer die PD,
awwer die Englische (yederebber ass net PD iss) kennde aa ebbes lanne:
“Ich hab schunn efders gsehne ass Kalletsch Buweun Meed sich
gschemmt hen mit ihre pleene, hatt-schaffiche Eldre. Sie gleiche net ihre
Kummraade mit heemnemme yuscht weil ihre Eldere net schee Englisch schwetze
kenn.
“Awwer der President Garfield hot sich net wege seiner pleene, alde
Mudder gschemmt wie er President warre iss. Wie er eigschwore warre iss, hot
sie newe ihrem Soh gsotze, un wie er sei Schpietsch gemacht hot ghatt, hot er
sei Mammi gebosst un gsaat er hett es ihre zu verdanke ass er President warre
iss. Die Leit hen ihn iwweraus gehurraht fer sell.
“Die Faeckt iss, die Eldre vun denne Kalletsch Buwe un Meed wu die
gans Zeit uff Schtelse laafe welle un sich wege ihre Eldre schemme, hen alli
Ursach sich zu scheme ass ihre Kinner so ausgeaart sin. Die Eldre hen’s gut
gemment sie so lang in die Schulzu schicke, awwer es waar en Misschteek. In
viele Felle iss es zu schpot, un der Misschteek kann nimmi karreckt warre.
Deel so Kepp, wann sie mol verdreht sin, kenne sei Lebdaag nimmi
zurechtgemacht warre.
“Zum Glick sin die yunge Leit net all so. Ich denk die groos
Mehrheit hot meh Verschtand. Ich kenn en yunger Mann, der iss aa darrich die
Kaletsch gange, un allemol wann er hemmkumme iss, hot er graad gsaat, ‘Nau,
Paepp, was kann ich dir helfe?’ Er hot sei Fleiss ner verlore ghatt, un er hot
besser schaffe kenne mit seinre Lanning wie annere yunge menner wu ken Lanning
ghatt hen. Ich meen sell waer die recht Satt Lanning. Wann’s net fer so Felle
waer, dann deet mer der Glaawe an Lanning verliere.
“Ich saag noch ee Mol: Lanning iss gut un vordrefflich wann sie
recht bedriwwe un
gut aagewendt watt, wu die yunge Leit besser un nitzlicher macht in der Welt,
un Reschpekt gebt fer annere wu net so gelannt sin wie sie.”
Der Alt Professer deet nau gleiche eich liewe Leser noch en Gedanke
iwwer die Lanning zu gewwe, desmol vum Charles Calvin Ziegler (1854-1930)
gschriwwe (Draus un Deheem, 1891):
Die Lanning muss verwandelt sei
Ins Lewe, yuscht wie Brot zu Blut;
Schunnscht dutt’s em Mensch gans wennich gut,
Kann gaar noch Schaade duh debei.
Macht’s gut,
Der Alt Professer
|
Dear people:
Now is the time that the young folks are coming out of the high
schools and colleges. In his book Pennsylvania German (Vol. II. 1911)
Daniel Miller wrote about that once. His writings were of course for the
PGs, but the “English” (anyone who is not PG) could also learn something:
“I have seen quite often that college boys and girls have been
ashamed of their plain, hard-working parents. They don’t like to take
their comrades/classmates home with them because their parents can’t speak
good English.
“But President Garfield was not ashamed of his plain, old mother
when he became president. When he was being sworn in, she sat next to her
son, and after he had made his speech, he kissed his mother and said he
was beholden to her that he became a president. The people applauded him
exceedingly for that.
“The fact is that the
parents of those college boys and girls who want to walk on stilts the
whole time and are ashamed of their parents have ever reason to be ashamed
that their children have degenerated so. The parents meant well in sending
them to school so long, but it was a mistake. In many cases it is too late
and the mistake cannot be corrected. Some of these heads, when they are
once turned, can never again be made right.
“Luckily, young people are not all like that. I think the majority
have more sense. I know a young man, he also went through college, and
every time he came home he just said right out, ‘Now, Pop, what can I help
you with?’ He had never lost his diligence, and he could work better with
his education than could other young men who had no education. I think
that that’s the right kind of education. If it were not for such cases,
one would lose his belief in education.
“I’ll say it one more time: education is good and excellent if it
is engaged in correctly and used well, and which makes young people better
and more useful in the world, and gives respect for others who are not as
educated as they are.”
The old Professor would now like to give you dear readers another
thought concerning education, this time by Charles Calvin Ziegler
(1854-1930) in a book of his verse entitled Draus Un Deheem:
Education must be transformed
Into Life, just as bread into blood;
Otherwise it does a person little good,
Can even do some harm.
Take care,
The Old Professor |
