The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1879-07-17
A Wet Weather Ped sgogus In n
Weaving War.

J A. Bacon goes the "whole hog"
in the Lampssas Dispatch, when he adj
vertises for grammar school after this
fashion:
my health being suffi GENTLY re-
stored, | announce To the ciuz ms of
Lampasas and the pubic that will
open grammar ,chool of twenty days
in the Northingtol building, Jaly IA,
1879"
Why iRsel the words ''to the cit
Zans of Lsmpasas and the publicg"
The ''citizens of Lampssas" constitute
the ''public" which Mr.. Bacon address :
es and the sentence ovel flows with SUI
plusage. He should have said, ~ will
open a school of uweI ty days 'dura-
tion.'" TINS last word the great gram
marian omits. Mr. Bacon proceeds:
II guarantee to all who attend regu-
larly and apply themselves better
knowledge of practical grammar than
can be obtained III the best schools of
this section in two years"
A guarantee is a solemn compact,
commonly under seal. A man cannot
be his own guarantor and Mr.. Blcon
should have u-ed the word "promise. I"
The word section" IS improperly used,
as the Blconisn philosopher will con-
Tess when he ref cts thai it is common
iy applied either To the North or South,
or, in surveying, tn subdivision OF a
township. In neither sense does Mr..
Bacon use it. H should have said
vicinity" Mr.. Bacon should know,
too, that while we say grammar
school," custom has not authorized US
to say. as he does, grammar teacher. :"
'Grammar" is not an adjective.
Mr.. Bacon continues: 81 have secured
the services of Rev. A. Weaver, whose
proficiency and success as a grammar
teacher is unsurpassed in this couo-
try" up. efficiency and success is ~
unsurpassed in this country" II the
word country" includes only LAM
pasa the people of the village should
rise up and shoot him on the spot.
Moreover, Mr.. Bacon cannot speak ri
Il mans proficiency" as a teacher"
nd 1t is in this character that he re-
fers to Mr.. Weaver. He may tell OF
or e's proficiency" as "leaTner," but
Mr.. Weaver knows 1t all even now, il
Mr.. Bacon is to be believed. He
should have used the word ''attain-
mel )" or efficiency" The Rutsbsga
Constitution tells Mr.. b icon ID say
efficient" when he speaks Of
the free schools, and he should
always tack the word to the
fame of these splendid pedagogues.
Mr.. Bacon continues; "Assisted by
Rev Mr.. Weaver and Mr.. B icon, an
opportunity Is offered to gentlemt D,
ladies and youths TO acquire borough
knowledge of our Language, such as the y
have never njNyed before and never
may again." Evidently Mr.. Bacon is
pious man and thinks the day Of
judgment at hand, but will he tell US,
before the last trump sounds, who is
assisted" in weaving grammatical
way by the Rev. Weaver and Mrs. Bi-
con. That paragraph does not explain.
Is the opportunity" assistedG Such
Is our reading of the strangely con-
structed ser tsnce. We may suggest
modest doubts when it ia asserted
that gentlemen, ladies and pupils
''may now acquire thorough
huOWieuSc vi OuT ldDRuFSe, euCu
as they may never enjoy again. +"
Very certainly there are those who
would not 'eDjoy knowledge of the
lsngusge" such as this preceptor might
give. He becomes eloquent and earn
est in concluding his invocation, and
says:
"How empty are all other accom-
plishments to one who cannot utter q
gramms teal sentence in coDvers ltion
or writs grammatical Litter to q
friend"
And may we not ask what a mighty
void exists in the life OF him who can
not write grammatical advertisement
Mr.. Bacon says:
"a public examination will be given
at the close of the I'm
Examinations are not given" or
sold. They are made" And when
Mr.. Bacon tapers of his story with
Terms-$5 90 per scholar he means
to say per pupil" We are inclined
u think that Mr.. Bacon himself Is hard
ly ''scholar." II he were he would
never have insert ID the word in that
line. Not the less do we believe that
Mr.. Bacon is eminentiy well fitted for
q high chair as adjunct professor IN q
wet weather two months free schoo'.