The New York herald., 1879-11-08
THE ART OF WORD BUILDING.

DIVISION IN THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AS TO
IONS OF SUPERINTENDENT JASPER AND HIS
ASSISTANTS.
1t will be remembered that at the last meeting Of
the Board of Education. held on Wednesday. when
the report of the Committee Course Of Studies
was under consideration the chairman Of the COM
mittee, Mr.. s. A Walker. moved that all grammar
text books be stricken from the list Of text books
be used during the ensuing year. The following
named Commissioners voted for the abolition Of
grammar text books in the schools President
Wood and Messrs. Place. Traud Walker, Wat
son and Wickham. Ten Commissioners voted against
the motion. During the debate the charge was
made that persons interested in the copyright Of
Browns grammar have attempted to force public
opinion in favor of continuing it as text book in
the city schools and had gone far to cir
culate petitions to and issue circulars about Com
inssoners who could not be influenced in favor OF
putting it on the list. As this question of using
grammar text books is one that up every year
the opinions of the City Superintendent of Schools
and his six assistants will be Of interest On the
25th of October Chairman Walker addressed letter
to City Superintendent Jasper on the subject and
the response OF City superintendent Jasper was
follows:-
STEPHEN A. WALKER, Chairman Committee Course Of
DEAR snn response to letter would respectfully
have been for long time Of opinion that tho present
methods OF tcschng English grammar In many OF tho
common schools are erroneous, and for the following
Frsf-Chiidrcn of tender ago have been compelled TO
study from the text books English barren
phrasooiogy which to most of them is simply mixture Of
Ss ssa.iH something radically wrong in
teaching English grammar IN such that tho nstruc
ton usually tailed to accomplish the purpose nendcd
failed to speak write English correctly II any of
ssm d ds sea%rS ,hs ability a to re- their
7rd-rhc teachers of English grammar generally begin
their work at the they begin with aud
analysis instead OF word building that is with the
struction OF sentences II child can construct single
sentence he correctly construct doxcn IL
he can compose word by word he decomposo
word and herein consists synthcss and analysis their
Foy0-Engish grammar should be presented TO begin
ners In concrete manner with of things
of qualities, OF names and modes Of cntrsIy familiar
20 tho children Everything OF an abstract should
English grammar with the exception of ono
Gently publshed deal largely distractions utterly in
twelve or thirteen years OF appreciate
tnctons between some of the moods yet
he is compelled to mako which would
the intellectual powers Of educated mon.
fVU-No text book ON English grammar should be
used except IN tho highest grades of the schools
practical and synh rss IN ns \"
and third grades should be without tox book and all
empirical Correct syntax should be taught without as
signed reasons precisely educated parents teach their
own children from the earliest to speak correctly py
sirth-A reform in the teaching of English grammar s
necessary and this reform be enccted unit tnc
bad methods aud bad books In use are completely
weedcd out.
The foregoing opinions concided In and Endorsed
by the full Board OF suporntendents at their meeting heo
Tho following resolution In answer to your inquiry was
adopted by amaority Of the Board Of
book In opinion would not facilitate the progress Of
be recommended.
JOHN JASPER. Jr, City supsriassndsAA