The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1865-12-20

when boy, frst attempting composition,
Tie governor used to look over our work
with close scrutiny. He taught school, and
We think he taught properly. One "fashion'
our father.teacher had was to drop "settihg
copies" rs soon as pupil could "read writing
the pupil was then set AZ copying articles
from the English Reader and other books. IF
the writing was fair. the sheets without blot.
the apelling correct, the capitals right, the
pauses and paragraphs in their places, we were
pronounced "good boys;' if any error occurred,
the job had to be done over, and over, and
over, till these requirements we're complied
with. This seemed rough then, but it wasn'nt
abad schooling, after all. We learned COM
position, spelling, punctuation aud penman.
ship 1t the same time. II memory serves US
correctly, it is our impression that the old gen
tleman required us to write one of Junius' let
tiers to Sir VIM. Draper, as many as eight
s'7Ss oper before We got our discharge. We
can almost repeat that lo.tc now, after IS years
have been added to our age. We believe that
This plau 10 far preferable 10 the modern eys-
sen Of teaching the same branches. After
little familiarity with the writings Of authors.
We were required to read from their works, lay
the book aside and endeavor to tell the same
stories, speeches or narratives, in our own Ian.
suage. Having. by COPY. acquired some
knowledge Of the way to write correctly, it
vas not difficult for each one of the class to
get up composition in pretty good shape
These original productions were carefully
pruned Of errors, and useless words and very
otten the ambitious young gent or lady bud to
copy and correct the composition Our teacher
was ''death" on extra adverbs and adjcctiyes,
calling them proof Of the weakness of the main
structures. and invariably excluding them from
the written piece. Often We have occasion to
sotice the volume Of words used by some TO
convey an idea muci, better expressed in half
the space. Since our association with journal.
ism, We have seen this writing fault more than
ever-one.half the articles sent to us for pub.
ication, would be infinitely stronger il TWO
thirds Of the words were left out. We adj
wise young writers-and old ones, TOTO look
ever their communications oorrect them crit.
sslsy, mark ont all words not necessary to the
general sense, then rc-cory. notice the pauscs.
capitals, 60. &c and then send ito the NORTH
Iowa TiArs for publication.
Our thoughts have been driven into this
channel By reading tho following lines begin
ming modern novel:
ssIn the midst Of Tho most thckly.wo ode,
part Of the English county Of Hampshire, /.
handsome rural mansion il embowersd in un
= brage0us shade, in whose ornate surrounding
aud picturesque location. family enjoys para
disc like domestic bliss"
To "clear it from fractions" as they say i,
Algebra, or to cut the useless words from il
NJ would wriso it thus
HIn the county Of Hampshire, Eng
hnd.. mansion is cmbowered- -th
anoatibss OF > family enjoying do,nesti,
bliss's noa't this tell it all "Embow
cred" teIIS all there il of"thck-wooded," "um
braeeous shade, ".''ornate Surroundings, pictnr
esous locations" and al, while "paradise.lk
domestic bliss" . too farfectheo for goo
tasss, besides being cncoma!imentary to th
ESanily." for it must be remembered tina
Adam, Eve and Satan got 'nto '''nuss' al
NEST the FIRST day we heard Of them III tina
same Paradise. and if this rural mansion
shove lesexibed. was in possession of a devil
10 car s,Asasly credit the the writer's judg
nens Ascribipg tspsiIess unalloyed to have
been resident there. paradise" is q beauti
full picture Of the poess. but It faded so soor
that Earth to-day can show no copies Of the or
isnal, either ia domestic life or anywhere else
We are tired Of tie sutjcc: for the present