Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-04-27
DAVENPORT, IOWA. WEDNESDAY MORNING, APRIL q, 1889


pect pure edI1hation from the "Pierisu
Spring that has been appointed TO irrigate
and vivIfy the educational organizations ol
the city and county. 1t was proper for u
TO require from this source, at least. . cor
rect use Of terms. and correct use Of
style generally. including the Observance Of
the fundamental rules Of grAmmer.
We are authosized to presume this to Be
. laborea effort and in its authors best
style. since it WIS prepared for publication ;
and tits certainly not illibsrsl to suppose it
to be in his cu.t0mary style Of official COM
munications. How greatly is the influence
Of such an example to he deprecated when
it is remembered that the youth Of the
county will look up to it - worthy Of imi-
tation 1t is not sufficient answer to say
simply, that it is ineligible; even persons
unable to read at all employ ineligible
language, and every candidate before re-
ceiving his certificate Of qualifications TO
instruct at all. must demonstrats his ability
to teach the English languse~vorrsctly.-
Shall less be required Of those to whom ID
assigned the responsible duty Of selecting
Teachers and certifying to their quslifca-
tions
But let us attend to little detail BY way
of illustration. The first sentence reads
"In compliance with the Ia y request made
at one Of your former meetings. de-" The
article "the" is here improper; but it is
here employed a. indefinite and designating
no particular. but request merely that
is, the report was made responsive to a re-
quest, and not on the motto. t''.s author.
The only corresponding usage knea TO us
is that common among uneducated fish,
chow is tho health?" "how is the father
The pronoun Of the first person-the all
important "I"-occurs twice in the first
seven lines and under circumstances where
a well settled custom Of official papers has
established the third as more elegant and
appropriate. Instead of 'these facts will
report" it is better to say, these facts ,ciH
be reported
Can there be anything claiming to be
English, more inartidcial and inelegant than
the following choice extract viz: Many
expenses being reckoned for the entire
school year, it is impossible to report the
result Of expenses up to this date only
The English Of this would be, "several
items being calculated for the entire year,
it it impossible to report the actual expsn-
ses to this date. Many expenses!" and
"the result Of the expenses| and these
phrases are found in a school superintend-
ent's report!!. "Ln making liberal al
lowance for contingent expenses that may
occur between now &C." Will some teacher
favor us by parsing the Introductory word
"In," and show the antecedent term Of re-
lation! "New" is made noun by usage
found only, we believe, in the Patch
Between now' certainly is not scholar
like.
"No,o by estimating the number Of chill
year--shoms the cost Of tuition de-
To s.y nothing of the tumble Of this sen
tence generally, it contains .fre inexcusable
blunders, and we challenge the entire array
Of city and county teachers to parse the
first four words italicised. "Now" is nei-
ther an expletive term nor word of eupho-
ny. and could with equal propriety have
been inserted at any other point in the sen
tence; "by" has but one term Of its proper
relations expressed or implied; will be-"
the first future, is errOneously employed
for the second future or future perfect;
shows" an active, trsnsitive verb. has
absolutely no subject nominative expressed
or implied "cost of tuition" is not sane
toned by good use.
The additional expense for one teacher
&C.; :" this is one of his numerous mistakes
in applying the adjective to the wrong sub
stantive, and very common one Of poor
scholars. He simply means the expense
of an extra teacher" There is perhaps no
one particular more indicative of crude
seholarship, than this misapplication of
qualifying terms.
But we are occupying too much spac-
with this puerile document, and, passing
over numerous other blemishes, will close
with the luminous conclusion that another
years progress like the present, will give
the youths Of this community educational
advantages equal to any city Of the same
age" Think of that ye laggard "youths"
who now neglect your golden opportuni
ties; press on, and in one short year your
advantages will equal a city of the same
sgel" for 90 saith the superintendent
JUNiUs.