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pooling experience on occasions such as the present, and made reference as an example to the Conference on Mission Policy at La Zoute. The Arua and Aba Conferences had dealt with subjects similar to those of the present Conference but on a restricted scale. All present wanted the uplift of the African native, a work needing all the talents we possess. Only Government could succeed in calling a conference to tackle such problems as those now before the meeting and in carrying out its suggestions. Members of the Arua and Aba Conferences had therefore suggested such a Government Conference.
The speaker referred to Professor Westermann’s presence and the ~ value of his help. The Conference had not met a moment too soon ; co-operation would become more and more difficult in future. Ortho- graphists in Uganda were not popular, as each wished to plough his own particular furrow; a combined effort like the present would help much to ensure co-operation. The Government in Uganda and in the Southern Sudan were now definitely shouldermg educational responsibilities. The speaker offered grateful thanks to the Sudan Government for arranging the Conference and making such excellent provision for the comfort of the delegates. —
Committees for the following language groups were constituted :
Dinka Nuer. Shilluk Acholi. Bari Latuko. Bahr el Ghazal Languages, excluding Dinka. Madi.
It was announced that Professor Westermann would be available for consultation with any committee.
A Text-book Committee was also formed.
_ It was agreed that there should be morning and afternoon sessions.
SECOND DAY.—Tuesday, 10th April.
MoRNING.
The Chairman called upon Professor Westermann to make a state- ment on the subject of orthography.
PROFESSOR WESTERMANN: We are dealing with a definite group of African languages spoken in a circumscribed geographical area and also for the larger part within one administrative unit. Many of the languages are interrelated and a number of them have sounds peculiar to them only. These reasons, apart from others, make it desirable that, as far as it is possible, a uniform system of script and of orthography should be aimed at for these languages.
The script we want to introduce is intended for use by Africans, not for use by Kuropeans who want'to learn the language. We should keep this constantly in mind. It means that we should try to look at the problems from the African’s point of view, not from our own.