Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 December 2020
The Accompanying table gives the most recent data obtainable on the extent to which foreign languages are offered and studied in public secondary schools in the United States. The last national survey was made by the U. S. Office of Education in 1948–49, and comparisons are made with the results of this survey to show the subsequent gain or loss in each state for which more recent figures could be obtained. For some states the data are incomplete because the state department of education does not know, and apparently does not care to find out, what the pupils in the high schools are currently studying. In seventeen states, the information existed only on reports filed by each high school, and it was assembled through the help of foreign language teachers who went to the state department of education and spent days tabulating the reports.
1 California: Italian I, 257; II, 132; III, 38; IV, 23; tot. 450; .1% HSP; Hebrew I–III, 75; Chinese, 29. Connecticut: Italian I, 467; II, 339; III, 88; IV, 49; tot. 943; 1.5% HSP; Polish, 19. Massachusetts: Italian I, 979; II, 520; III, 91; IV, 5; tot. 1,595; 1.2% HSP; Greek I, 30; II, 13; tot. 43; Hebrew I, 30; II, 34; tot. 64; Polish I, 53; II, 34; tot. 87; Portuguese I, 242; II, 97; tot. 339. Minnesota: Norwegian I, 68; II, 59; tot. 127; .1% HSP; Swedish I, 71; II, 56; tot. 127; .1% HSP. Missouri: Hebrew I–III, 1 school. Nevada: Italian, 61; 1.4% HSP. New Jersey: Italian I, 1,595; II, 1,169; III, 389; IV, 110; tot. 3,263; 2.0% HSP; Hebrew I–III, 128; Polish I–III, 66. New York: Italian I, 4,838; II, 2,720; III, 893; IV, 145; tot. 8,596; 1.8% HSP; Hebrew I, 1,666; II, 1,155; III, 984, IV, 219; tot. 4,024; .8% HSP; Norwegian I, 21; II, 11; III, 5; tot. 37; Greek, 11. Ohio: Polish, 22. Oregon: Russian, 58. Pennsylvania: Italian, 927; .2% HSP; Greek, 26; Polish, 220; .5% HSP. Rhode Island: Italian I, 287; II, 234; III, 50; tot. 571; 3.4% HSP; Portuguese I, 30; II, 15; tot. 45; .3% HSP; Hebrew, 10.