American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-04-14
Reported for the American Republican,
MARYLAND INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION.

MARYLAND INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION. I
Sitting Of Saturday .4prH 4. Mr.. Harshaw
read before the Institute very able, instruc-
tive, and elaborate paper on the subject of En-
glish Grammar as embraced in the following
questions-"What is the best method of i'm
parting instruction in English Grammar? At
what age should instruction be commenced"
Mr. Harshaw laid down the following propo-
sition:-"Grammar can be successfully taught
at the very commencement of a child'S educa-
ton, and, from the great advantages to be de-
rived from it, it should Justly have the first
place in the education of the youth" This he
illustrated cogently and effectively, lie consi-
dered that the term "English Grammar" en-
braccd something more than the information
derived from "Etymology and Syntax;" that
it ought also, in practice as well as in theory,
to embrace that derived from "Orthography
and Prosody." If he were asked what he
would consider the first lesson in Grammar for
children, he would reply, Letters; second, SyI-
lables Htird the joining ofsyllables into words;
fourth, the combining of words into sentences,
tie would commence his instructions by ask
ing the number of letters; next lChat is letter?
These and similar questions would fix their
attention, and, n very important object would
cause them to think. They would soon find
out, that there was very small thing with
which they had been conversant, ever since
they began to spell and of which they were yet
ignorant. He would then inform the children
that a letter was "nere arbitrary mark to re-
present sound.n Nor should the definition of
a letter rest here. Every word in it should be
made perfectly familiar, for unless the pupil
should fully cmprehendo the meaning Of tho
words, "Tbiirary and represent he is nothing
benefited.
The second lesson should inform the pupil
Of the power of some of the letters and the diff
ferent sounds they have in various words, con-
GLIDING by an eXemplfcation Of there sound
how formed by the mouth and the different po-
stions of the organ of speech in giving them
uterance. At the commencement OF each les
son much advantage is derived by rccapitu-
latiOn Of the exercises of the previous day. By
these constant repetition, explanations and il
lustratlons experience shows that the most OBJ
fuse intellect can be made to comprehend -
The pupils should be practiced in frequent mi-
tatons of what they observe their instructor
do. This is pleasant and easy exercise for
children. They can thus easily acquire not on
ly knowledge OF the letters and their vocal
sound, but also Of the mode by which they are
formed. These exercises are exceedingly I'M
portant in making pupils correct speakers and
readers.
When pupils have made more progress in
reading, they should be trained in the art of
"SylLabicaiion." For this object DR.. Lowth's
rule is the best:-"ln spelling, divide words in
to syllables as they naturally divided in q
right pronunciation, without regard to the de-
rivation Of the word, or the possible combine
ton of consonants at the beginning of a sylla-
ble."
The next step is to make the pupil acquaint-
cd with the structure Of lcordS. The lecturer
entirely disapproved of the mode of learning
the meaning of words from a dictionary or
spelling books. He considered that the proper
method was to enter into an analytical invcsti-
CATION of the word, and the synthetcal comb-
nations of them from the significant syllables
of which they are formed. This course opens to
the minds of youth the true nature of language,
and enables them to form the most extensive
and useful classification. They cannot, it is
true, obtain correct idea of the roots without
knowledge OF the Ancient Languages, but the
nice shades Of difference which the prehXos and
alfixes give to the root, they will, by little
pains, readily understand. 70 teachers who
have not attempted or witnessed the results Of
this method, it will be surprising to find what
nations little boys and girls really are; how
quickly their reasoning a,ultes are developed,
and what an accurate knowledge OF the mean-
ing of words they acquire, compared with that
which they would acquire by the same industry
in committing whole columns OF the dictionary.
They have likewise become proficient spoilers,
and have classed and arranged properly some
thousands of words. And all this has been eff
aH with tnv ~
Lastly, the combining Of lcOrdS into Syllables
should be carried OH almost simultaneously
with the previous exercises. The pupils should
be made to comprehend the nature of ciassibca-
lion by more familiar illustration, such as may
readily occur to the mind of the instructor
Their attention should be then directed to
nouns, the names of objects, These they will
be able readily to point out in the reading les
son of the day. Next the adjectiCe; then the
rerb. Next variety Of sentences, containing
these parts of speech, should be constructed in
such manner as to point out the different re-
latons of the names and the collocation Of the
adjective. And 50 on through the dfferent
parts of speech constituting the language.
After the conclusion of Nh Harshaw's very
instructive discourse, the subject was postponed
till the next meeting,
SUDDEN Extraordinary Case. Mr.
John Fetters, petit juror of the Court of SEES
sons of Philadelphia, died very suddenly one
day last week. The Chronicle says:
Drs. Rorer and Fetters were called in, and
a post mortem examination of the body was
held, the result of which astonished both ply
sicians. The immediate cause of the death Of
Mr.. Fetters, was disease ofthe heart, but what
surprised them most was the fact that the
heart, the stomach, the liver, and the whole oil
the interior vessels were wrongly situated, as
i l.