German-Texan Heritage Society Newsletter, Volume 9, Number 1, Spring 1987 Page: 19
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From:
Sister M.
Immaculate Gentemann,
C.D.P.
Commitment To German
Propels Kinderschule StaffThe teachers'who staff Frederick-
sburg's Kinderschule have many re-
wards, but getting a paycheck isn't
one of them.
Since its inception last fall, the
German classes conducted here for
six to ten year olds have been taught
weekly and coordinated by volun-
teers.
The program, which is the brain-
child of Ted and Beatrice Alexander,
has as it s goal strengthening the
teaching of language in schools.
Volunteers for the program were
drawn to that concern.
"When we first moved here, I pre-
sented my concern about preserving
the German language at the Deuts-
che Verein Friedrichsburg and they
appointed me the head of a commit-
tee that included the late Ella Gold,
Elisabeth Conflitti and Betty Scrog-
gin," Alexander said.
Not only did the idea for trans-
planting Alexannder's Lubbock Kin-
derschule spring from that commit-
tee, but suggestions for teachers
came as well.
Annabel Wilkinson, Laverne Boos
and Glenda Summers became the
original staff of teachers when the
school opened in September of 1985.
Elisabeth Conilitti became the man-
ager for the group and also worked
with students. Alexander rotated
working with each class sometime
during the Monday afternoon ses-
sions, and Mrs. Alexander made the
myriad of visual nids used in the
program.
This year due to illness, Mrs. Boos
has taken a leave and veteran
teacher Edna Crenwelge has
assumed her duties.
All of the teachers have a working
knowledge of German and all spoke
German at home.
'That's very unique. That's thereason German ought to be promoted
here," Alexander said. "It's almost a
sin not to teach German in
Fredericksburg."
No salary is paid to anyone on the
staff. "There's no way we could pay
them enough anyway," Alexander
said- I
An entire spring and summer be-
rore the classes began, the original
group met to discuss their approach
to the program. The Alexanders had
used an oral/visual method of
teaching in Lubbock, where they
were both on the faculty at Texas
Tech University.
. "There is a leeriness among
teachers when you tell them that
there will be no books," Alexander
said.
"We all would have felt safer with
a hook," Mrs. Conflitti confirmed.
"But the children have to learn
how to talk first," Alexander said.
Once the classes began, the
teachers met every two weeks for a
while, then once a month. "And we
still talk a lot on the phone," Mrs.
Alexander said.
At the meetings, the Alexanders
would give demonstrations with
visuals. Sometimes the teachers
played students' roles as they
learned to do directed dialogue.
Mrs. Crenwelge, the group's
newest member, is a former Doss
school teacher with 40 years experi-
ence.
"I minored in German in college,
but I grew up with it, too. When I was
in grade school, our pastor and his
wire taught a Summer Schule for
German that I remember attend-
ing," she said.
Both Mrs. Wilkinson and Mrs. Sum-
mers are full-time teachers as well.
Mrs. Wilkinson teaches second grade
al St. Mary's School and Mrs. Sum-mern is a fourth grade teacher at
Fredericksburg Intermediate
School,
Mrs. Conflitti studied language in
Berlin but immigrated before she
could complete her degree. Sheeven-
tuallyobtainedherdegree in the Un-
ited States.
All the teachers expressed their
admiration for the work Mrs. Alex-
ander does on the visuals. "Without
her, the schooljust wouldn'the possi-
ble," Mrs. Conflitti said. Everything
from large, colorful posters to indi-
vidual handouts is produced by Mrs.
Alexander.
As for Alexander, the teachers say
he is a "past master at involving stu-
dents," Mrs. Conflitti said.
The $10 fee that the children pay
each semester goes for materials and
for utilites at Holy Ghost Lutheran
Church.
The Kinderschule will conclude
its third semester with a Schluss-
feier or closing ceremony Monday,
Dec. 8 at 3:45 p.m. at Holy Ghost.
The children will present samples of
what they've learned, including
Christmas carols.t k'
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Ca tBY THE NUMBERS--Students likr'Jessica Carra.
no from Annabel Wilkinson's class were studying
German numbers during Moniuy't ses'iun at Kin-
dersclhule The classes are held weekly at. I Ioly Ghostlutheran Church. All teachers and helpers in the
program volunteer their time. -Standard-Radio
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German-Texan Heritage Society. German-Texan Heritage Society Newsletter, Volume 9, Number 1, Spring 1987, periodical, Spring 1987; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1507400/m1/23/?rotate=270: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting German-Texan Heritage Society.