TEACHING GAELIC IN HIGHLAND SCHOOLS.
This is a question which has for some time engaged the earnest consideration of many who are interested in the welfare of the Highlands. Much has been said and written on the subject; on the one hand by those who wish to see the language of the inhabitants excluded from the schools—nay more, use every means at their command, by word and deed, to extinguish it altogether. They argue that it is better we should only possess one living language throughout the whole country, and that, of course, the language of the Legislature, the Courts of Justice, and of Commerce. No doubt a good deal can be said for this view of the case, and we shall have something to say regarding it hereafter. On the other hand, we have those who would have the language cultivated, supported, and maintained as an active living tongue, spoken by the Highlander and used in the common conversation and business of life; and with that object have it taught in our schools just as we teach English. Others do not exactly go that length. They wish it taught as a Special Subject only, in the same way, on the same principle, and with the same encouragement to schoolmasters and pupils that is given in the case of Latin and Greek, French and German. And last of all, we have those who only go the length of advocating its use for conveying information to Gaelic-speaking children regarding what they read in their English class-books—making it the medium by which the intelligence of the pupil is appealed to, and so enable him the more easily and speedily to understand and grasp the substance of his lessons in English, a language which is to him as much a foreign one as Sanscrit or Hindustani.
On the present occasion we shall refer more particularly to the latter—those who wish to give Gaelic the dignity of being taught as a Special Subject, and those who only wish it applied as a means with which to reach the intelligence of the child while receiving an English education. We will admit at the outset, that the primary object of education in the Highlands, as well as elsewhere, must be to fit the children for the active duties of after life. We will also admit that a Gaelic education, however perfect, is not enough for this purpose. If this be so—and no writer possessed of ordinary common sense can reasonably dispute it—the teaching of Gaelic in our Highland schools can be discussed only as a question of secondary importance; unless we can show that it is through the native language of the scholars that we can best appeal to their intelligence; and, that while giving Gaelic its proper place in our system of Highland education, we can also show that we are taking a more direct and more natural course, in the end, to secure a more intelligent and vastly superior English education.
No one approaching the subject with an unprejudiced mind, after giving the smallest consideration to the subject, can maintain that a system which wholly ignores the only language known to the child when he enters school for the first time, can be either a sensible, a reasonable, or a successful one. It is doubtful if ever such a system was adopted anywhere else, at home or abroad, out of the Highlands of Scotland, and the Gaelic-speaking districts of Ireland; but whether, or not, it was ever adopted in the past we are unable, at the present day, to discover any trace of such an unnatural, senseless, and, we might say without exaggeration, idiotic system in any other part of the world. The disadvantages of such a plan of teaching are so apparent to every one except those teachers and their friends, who are totally ignorant of the language of the children they are so well paid to teach and who, from the manner in which they disregard the necessities of children in Highland districts, must, we are afraid, be held to place their own interests and that of their class far above the requirements of the country; forgetting that the Legislature passed the Education Act not so much in the interest of teachers as with the view to secure a really substantial education to the pupils. We much regret that there should be any necessity to point this out, as the interest of both teachers and children should be identical; but this clearly cannot be, so long as teachers maintain and advocate a system contrary to reason and common sense, and opposed to every system of education throughout the civilized world; and, indeed, quite the reverse of what they do themselves in the case of all other languages taught by them, except that of English to Gaelic-speaking children. When the pupil is sufficiently advanced in English to justify the teacher in taking up any of the Special Subjects, does he, for instance, while teaching Latin or Greek, French or German, begin by throwing aside the knowledge of English already acquired by his pupil, and commence to teach these foreign languages in the same way adopted by him in teaching the child English—a language quite as foreign to him as Latin or Greek, French or German? Does he begin with a Latin spelling book without any translations in English and teach him these languages on the same parrot system by which he managed to get him to pronounce and read English, in most cases without ever having carried with him the intelligence of his pupils? Not he. He knows better. If he were foolish enough to teach Latin and other foreign languages in such a way, he would soon discover that his labours were mainly thrown away, and that he would earn few special grants by the time his pupils left him. If it be so very absurd to teach all other languages, on such a false and ruinous plan, upon what reasonable grounds can the system be maintained in the case of teaching English to a Gaelic-speaking child? We are afraid the only valid reason which can be given is,—that our teachers are, as a rule, quite ignorant of Gaelic, and unable to teach it; and forsooth! the interests of the rising Gaelic-speaking generation are to be sacrificed to suit the convenience of those paid officials who are quite unsuitable, and who should never have been appointed to teach Highland children until they had acquired a knowledge of the language; any more than we would think of engaging a teacher innocent of any knowledge of English to teach foreign languages to a child born and bred in the Midland Counties of England. Would any one in his senses ever think or dream of such a proposal? and yet this is what some people maintain to be the correct thing to do in the Highlands of Scotland.
Government has already admitted and provided in the Code for testing the intelligence of the children through their native tongue; but this concession is quite useless where the teacher is ignorant of Gaelic, and worse than useless where the examining inspector is positively unable to test them as provided for by the Education Department. Would it not have been better still had it made provision to reach and rouse the intelligence through, and by means of it. The Legislature has also made other special provisions for the peculiar situation and educational requirements of the Highlands, and we feel sure, if it can be shown to be a necessity, that the Education Department will also alter the Code so as to put teachers who may possibly be kept back a little in the first two standards, in consequence of any time that may be lost in teaching Gaelic, in a more favourable position, and so enable them to draw the same grant as if they devoted their whole time to the exclusive teaching of English. We feel sure that no one whose opinion is worthy of the slightest consideration, will, for a moment, attempt to argue against a system of teaching children through the only language which they understand.
To teach thus, successfully, it would be best to adopt class books and grammars in the earlier stages, in both languages, as is done elsewhere, in every case where a foreign language is taught. These might be given up, when the pupil arrived at the third standard. After this he could pick up all the requisite knowledge of Gaelic with little difficulty; for be it observed, we are at present only advocating the use of Gaelic as a medium for imparting a sound and intelligent English education. We are happy to know that it is still the practice, particularly in those districts where a snobbish aping of Cockneyism has yet failed to overpower and crush out the old devotional spirit of the Gael, for the parents to conduct family worship, at least twice a day, by the reading of a Chapter and a Psalm out of the Gaelic Bible, while the children, who come to the age of discretion, have to follow the reader in their Gaelic Bibles, and thus they soon learn to read Gaelic perfectly. We think it, therefore, quite unnecessary to teach Gaelic beyond the stage at which it fails to be useful in helping to a better and more intelligent understanding of their English class-books, except to those who are to become ministers or schoolmasters; when the teacher, in the case of smart boys, should be encouraged to take it up and teach it as a Special Subject.
We fully appreciate, and make allowance for, the difficulty to be overcome in providing a special set of Gaelic and English elementary school-books specially suited for the Highlands, and would be disposed to forego the unquestionable advantages derivable from them were we satisfied that the teachers were capable and willing to make up to some extent for the defect by fully explaining the meaning of the elementary English lessons to the children through their mother tongue; and then teach Gaelic as a Special Subject in the more advanced standards to those who intended to continue their education with the view of following any of the learned professions. We had ample and conclusive proof that Gaelic reading can be acquired by Gaelic-speaking children in a very short time. Not long ago the Gaelic Society of Inverness offered prizes in the Parish of Gairloch to the best Gaelic scholars; for the best reading, the best spelling, and the best translations from Gaelic into English, and from English into Gaelic. We were informed by some of the teachers that before these prizes were offered they never taught Gaelic to the children; and even when they decided to compete, only taught it privately after ordinary school hours. The progress made, as exhibited by the examination was, on such short notice, really marvellous. The reading and spelling were almost perfect, and the translations were such that we believe translations from English to Latin and Greek, or vice versâ, of equal faithfulness would secure a bursary in some of our Universities. We are writing from actual experience, having taken a part in the examination; and one single fact of this kind ought to have more weight in argument than all the theories which those who are ignorant of the facts can propound.
We have repeatedly heard and seen objections made that a Gaelic education was calculated to hinder the Gaelic-speaking child in his progress in English, and that he could not overcome the difficulty of acquiring a correct English pronunciation with the same ease and facility as if first taught to read it. We have even heard it stated seriously that a Highlander who read and wrote Gaelic could never be a good English writer, and were challenged to prove the contrary.
When we first went to school we knew not a single word of English. We attended one where it was the rule that no English was to be taught until we were able to read the Gaelic Testament, after which we had to translate our Bible lesson on alternate mornings from English into Gaelic, and from Gaelic into English. There were eight or nine other schools in the Parish, in one only—the girls' school—in which the same rule was applied. We had an excellent teacher who taught Latin and Greek (and we think, in one instance, Hebrew) to the more advanced pupils. We have made enquiries as to the result, and find that from forty to fifty of the boys who were taught in our school have raised themselves to good social positions throughout England, the South of Scotland, and the Colonies. The few who remained at home are known to be the most intelligent and best informed in the Parish; and the great majority of those who have been educated on the system now in fashion have forgotten all they have ever learned and have taken to the herring fishing, while a miserable existence about their parents' crofts is enough to satisfy their highest ambition.
It is quite unnecessary to prove that those who advanced their social position from home, have acquired a better pronunciation than those who have never left it, and who have forgotten all they were ever taught; and in reply to the objection that those who are taught Gaelic can never write English with the same ease and fluency as those who obtain an exclusively English education, we assert that those of our Highland countrymen who knew, spoke, and wrote Gaelic best are pre-eminent amongst us as the best writers of English—such, for instance, as "Old" Norman Macleod; the late Dr Norman Macleod; Dr Macleod of Morven and his three sons; Sir James Mackintosh; Dr Mackintosh Mackay; John Mackenzie of the "Beauties of Gaelic Poetry;" Dr Maclauchlan; Dr Clerk, Kilmallie; Sheriff Nicolson; Mr Cameron of Renton; James Macpherson, of Ossianic fame; Dr Kennedy, Dingwall; Mr Blair, Glasgow; "Nether-Lochaber;" D. Mackinnon, Edinburgh; The Macdonalds of Fort-William and of the "Times;" and many others we could mention. We shall be delighted to see produced a list of writers from the Highlands, even if possessed of the so-called qualification of a total ignorance of the Gaelic language to equal these men in English composition. The contention of our opponents is really so irrational and absurd as to be unworthy of notice, were it not that we see men of position seriously giving expression to such absurdities. We have even seen a gentleman who has been elevated since, much to the surprise of the profession, to the position of an inspector of schools, stoutly maintaining it in large type in the columns of one of our northern newspapers. Such arguments amount to this—that a real and thorough knowledge of his native language, whether it be Gaelic, English, or French, is a drawback and a disqualification for acquiring and writing a foreign one, and that the greater his ignorance of his native tongue the greater the proficiency of a scholar in a foreign one; while common sense, (which is unfortunately, in educational circles, sometimes, and especially on this question, very uncommon), and all the experience of the past go to prove the very opposite.
It is pleasant to find the rational view making steady progress even among those who were understood for a long time to hold a different opinion. Mr Jolly, Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools, who is unfortunately ignorant of the native language of the children whom he examines professionally, expressed himself unfavourable to teaching Gaelic in Highland schools, before he had time to examine the question for himself; but having looked the matter in the face, and given it serious consideration, we are gratified to find him stating at the last annual meeting of the Gaelic Society that he belonged to the class who desired that Gaelic should be used for getting at the intelligence of the children when reading English; and who afterwards wished the Gaelic language and literature to be introduced when the children had mastered the mechanical difficulties of reading, and were able to enter into the meaning and spirit of what they read. "Although a Lowlander he had every sympathy with those who desired to preserve the Gaelic; and he held exactly the same views on the subject of Gaelic teaching as are held by Professor Blackie, the Rev. Alex. Macgregor, and Dr Clerk, Kilmallie." We have a pretty good idea as to what the Rev. Mr Macgregor's views on the question are, as well as Professor Blackie's, and are therefore quite satisfied with Mr Jolly's. The Professor, we are happy to say, has engaged to give expression to his, in a definite form, on an early date in these pages; and we feel sure that they will satisfy all reasonable men.
We attach great value to the expression of such an opinion as Mr Jolly's, arrived at after mature deliberation and observation of the requirements of the Highlands; from one who is himself a stranger to the language, and who would naturally be prejudiced against it; for we must keep in mind that in expressing such a favourable opinion he was to some extent weakening his own position as an Inspector of Schools, unable to examine in a language which he honestly affirmed, and with a candour which deserves acknowledgment, ought to be used, and at a certain stage taught in the schools. We are quite satisfied to place this opinion against the views of another inspector in the north, whose only reply to the advocates of Gaelic in our schools is—that such a system would limit the sphere from which to choose teachers—forgetting, or choosing to ignore, that the teachers ought and must accommodate themselves to the system which all rational men admit to be the only true and successful one, and the only one practised everywhere else out of the Highlands. A gentleman who could publicly use such an argument as, "If the language ought to be kept alive by being taught in school, surely Edinburgh and Glasgow are the places where this should be done, where the children know nothing of it, and not in the Highlands where the children already speak it with fluency,"—is perfectly innocent of the real question at issue, and deserves little notice or attention in the controversy.
We have by no means exhausted the subject, but shall, meanwhile, content ourselves by laying down the following propositions:—(1), That it being an acknowledged educational principle that the unknown can only be made successfully known through the known; and as this principle is not only acknowledged but practised everywhere else out of the Scottish Highlands we must hold it to be the only rational one to adopt there also; unless it can be shown that the Highlander is constructed intellectually entirely different from the rest of humanity. We must therefore, to be rational, teach the unknown English through the known Gaelic: (2), We must adapt the Code to the requirements of the special circumstances of the case: (3), Our teachers must keep in mind that after all, they are only a part (although a very important part), of the system by which Parliament has wisely decided to place education within the reach of every child in Scotland, and if it can be shown—and it is self-evident—that teachers who are ignorant of the Gaelic language are not competent or suitable to carry out the intentions of the Legislature, they must just accommodate themselves to the requirements of their position, and qualify properly to discharge their duties by acquiring a sufficient knowledge of Gaelic to enable them to impart education according to the only rational system, in use, in all civilised communities: (4), To get the full benefit of the concessions already made by the Education Department as to the testing of the child's intelligent understanding of his English reading by means of his native language, it is absolutely necessary that our Inspectors of Schools should have a sufficient knowledge of Gaelic to enable them to test the understanding of the children as intended by the Department, and now provided for, in the Code.
The great and primary question is, how to impart a sound education to the rising generation? The means—the teaching staff—are only important in so far as they serve to bring about the great end and principal object of all—an education in the true sense of the term.[A]
A. M.