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Jacob
Gerbrandt, a Mennonite minister, took up the cause of the teacher
in Drake. He wrote a letter to the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix
in response to an article on the incident. Gerbrandt felt that the
article was biased. Gerbrandt begins by giving his reason for writing.
(Read full article)
“Sir:
It was my intention to entirely refrain from participation in
this controversy, thinking the less oil poured on turbulent waters
the better, but your persistence in maliciously insulting the
majority of the Canadian citizens of Drake, as well as some in
the city of Saskatoon, demands a response.”
He
then explains why there were so many Mennonites in Drake, as well
as why they spoke German.
“During
the years 1923 to 1929 our numbers at Drake were considerably
augmented by new settlers from Poland and Russia. This fact particularly,
has necessitated the conducting of short term German-English Bible
schools, not only at Drake but in other Mennonites communities
as well, since the German language is a common medium of intercourse
among Mennonites, so that the proper relationship between the
home and church may be maintained. If you have any knowledge of
human mentality, you should know that the learning of a new language
is practically out of the question for the average adult of mature
years.”
Then
he responds to the accusation that the school may not have been
just an innocent Bible school. The men who visited the school claimed
there was only one Bible and the teaching was not religious.
“Apparently
these men do not know a Bible when they see it. At any rate there
wasn't one among them competent to judge whether the teaching
was of a religious nature or not, if, as they claim, it was all
in German.”
Gerbrandt
also disputes the claim that the townspeople had asked the Mennonites
to stop teaching in German.
“Not
a single member holding a responsible position in our church was
approached before the raid. If these so-called ‘loyal citizens'
had made their grievances known in gentlemanly manner, the school
could and would have been discontinued.”
Compare
this to an article that is not quite as understanding of the Mennonite
position.
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