High Schools Consider Starting Instruction in Russian Language

Public high schools have begun to show an interest in teaching Russian language courses, Albert B. Lord '34,chairman of the Slavic Department, revealed yesterday.

He said that the Slavic Department has recently been consulted by high schools across the country about the possibilities of such a move. The department has never received such inquiries before this year, Lord stated. He felt that the awakening of interest in Russia undoubtedly results from the notoriety produced by the U.S.S.R.'s earth satellites.

Russian is taught in several private preparatory schools, including Browne and Nichols, Lord said, but this is the first time he has heard of any public high schools considering such a course. Although there has not been a large number of inquiries, Lord thought that they were "straws in the wind."

Lord foresaw an increase of Russian instruction in high schools, but he did not expect it to revival French or German. He guessed that Russian would be taught on a part-time basis for quite a while. "All of the schools are only interested in trying it out," he said.

The University's Slavic Department may gain a new group of students interested in learning Russian specifically to teach it in high schools, Lord thought.

Horace G. Lunt II '41, associate professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures, speculated that most present Russian concentrators would be more interested in college teaching.