Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-09-26
Educational Column.
ENGLISH GRAMMAR.
]. z. LANGENBAUGH.

1-sdLAoh 0hAhAAh
II any one branch in our common
schools is very badly taught, thai
branch is English Grammar. What
ever may be the textbook used, the
object undoubtedly ought to be, tc
teach the child to speak and write
correctly with ease; and, il the teach.
er is competent, this object may be
obtained with any of the popular
text books, or even without any oil
them. Unfortunately, however, the
number of district school teachers
who are skillful in the use of Ian
guage is very small, although many
are acquainted with the technics OF
grammar, and can analyze sentences
made by others with tolerable facil-
ity. To such. and to all teachers, LEI
me say that their time will be better
spent il they begin earlier to teach
the use Of language, leaving the gram
mar to come in, as it originally came,
after the language has been formed.
To enable the teacher to do this, he
must begin with the child and make
every exercise bear upon this. Be-
gin to teach English grammer when
you begin to teach the English Ian
guage; that Is, when you begin to
teach reading. spelling and taking.
The mischief has been that children
have been allowed to read without
intelligence, to spell without any ap-
plication OF the words, and to talk
without care, although they talk be-
fore they read, or spell. or write; and
being allowed to talk badly, the chief
object Of teaching technical grammar
afterwards is, to undo what has been
previously done. but what should
have been avoided. If parents only
felt the Importance OF speaking cor
rectly, and even elegantly, in the
presence OF their children; II they
paid hundredth part as much at
tention to language as they do to
dress and external appearance. we
should hear little grammar, except as
1t affords directions for foreigners
who wish to learn our idioms and
have not time to do so by practice in
writing and speaking it.
Unfortunately. not one child in a
hundred is so situated that he is not
exposed to evil influences in this re-
spect; and the time is far distant,
fear. when, in the family and In So
ciety, the use Of language will be so
free from error that the young will
insensibly learn to speak correctly,
and be so familiar with good usage
that they will not need to resort to
grammars to know in what it con-
sists- Before children are readers OF
writers, they are often great takers
but how rarely do we hear Of a teach
er's engaging in conversation with
such pupils, or. indeed, with his most
advanced pupils; and yet what exer-
else could be more proper or more
useful than for the teacher to call his
little class around him and converse
freely and affectionateiy with them
upon the thousand subjects that in
terest their opening minds? Besides
the exercises In grammar which such
a conversation would afford, how
completely might the teacher win the
affections OF the children, and lay g
basis Of mild and yet affective disci.
pine; and how easily could he i'm.
press upon the yet unsullied heart
the great principles OK conscience
morality and religion. 1t Is to be re.
GREETED that so few teachers are fitted
TO converse with their pupils in this
manner, but this should not prevent
them from making the attempt; anc
err greatly In my judgment, il they
do not soon find In this exercise. as II
philosophy, action and reaction viii
be, at least, equal.
II he cannot trust himself withou
a text. let him take some common
thing and ask the little ones its uses
sc. He may even appoint the sub
ject OF conversation the day before
hand, and let them think upon it be
fore they come to the class. / know
that many teachers will say they hav'
no time for such an exercise, and
suppose they have not; but i thinl
every one can make time for it, b.
thus employing some of the minute
that are worse than wasted In teach
ing useless things, or in teaching eveI
useful things In a useless manner.