The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-01-27
rlfD srUDx or IANGUAeu.
An Argument In Favor Of Abolishing Text-
heoks In Teaching the Grammar OF Our
Mother Tongue q

AnAr6umont In Favor OF AboliBhinE Text
Books In Teaching the Grammar of Our
nIothor Tongue.
[f1una tho Detroit Free Press.l
% A Chicago man has discovered and
Proclaims to the world that the study
OF English grammar has not produced
and cannot produce correct use of
the English language. He proves it by
the rules of common sense. The cor
rect use Of language is taught when
children arc learning 10 use it. The
mistakes they hear and initiate before
tho,y arc eight or nine years old abide
with them through life, Or arc uproot-
cd only ny tho most persistent effort
and self-watcht'ulncss. After bad
habits of speech aro formed children
are set to learning namos and combi-
NATIONS OF arbitrary phrases, defining,
refining and hair-splitting lot of III
coherent and meaningless terms;
parsing and analyzing to tho utmost
nicely upon tho question whether an
advcrbial phrase or a participal adj
jcctivo is the subject or object Of sonlo
verb on tho other side of tho page.
Tue whole has about rs much practical
bearing upon reading and understand
ing good English as tho old school
mems question as to how many angels
can stand upon tho point Of n nccdlo
has to tho ability of q man to resist
cheating Ills mcighbor or running away
with his neighbours wife. Then comes
"dingranming" and other rigmarolc,
often crushing and DESTROYING the
essence Of tho beautiful thought or
majestic sentence in some great Eng
lish masterpiece. Parsing Is a waste
! of time, both to teacher and pupil.
and tho moro analytical and precise It
is, tho moro useless and absurd il be-
comes. AS rulo definitions aro only
combinations Of words, and the man
with the latest grammar simply gives
tho combination now twist. They
heing tho pupils mind and have as
little influence upon tho correctness Of
his language as tho definitions in u
dictionary Of tho steam engine and its
parts have upon tho success Of Il loco
motive builder, or q boiler-makcr in
his business.
This subject was recently discussed
by the teachers of St. Louis and all
those who took part in the discussion
favored the abolition Of the present
teaching of grammar. They advocated
instruction in the language and in the
proper use Of words, by means Of con-
y
instead of rules, definitions and nnalv-
see which do not teach the use OF Ian
guHgc. One teacher said l,c wanted Il
new method Of teaching the English
language i'll common sense way;
and another said that the grammar as
now taught is more a curse than
blessing.
Grammar at tho best, is only tho
technical science OF the language, and
is worth the study only of those who
make language a speciality. If it were
not taught in the schools not one per-
son in a thousand would voluntarily
take it up. 1t would become like
botany or cntomOlogy--n hobby, Il
paStimc or a pursuit for those whose
taste and leisure led them voluntarily
TO its study. But, as Il common school
and general study, it ought TO be BAN
iShcd. Those people who do not love
and admire flowers arc destitute OF
some Of tho senses that give pleasure.
Those who dD not admire good Eng
lish are equally rare. Yet ncitlcr
botany nor grammar is essential to
any appreciation Of the flowers Of the
field or tho flowers Of literature. In u
certain class in Yale College, the best
writer OF English mover saw tho inside
Of an English grammar. How much
Of his youth did Shakespeare spend in
Ut II SS6drsstF h6 hf61ti oo llaa Tie Slightest
idea That grammar will bc abolished
in our schools. Every school-book pub
iIshcr IN tho land would forbid it, and
school boards would not, in Tho face OF
their prohibition, dare to suggest,
much less 10 carry out, such u ruVolu-
ton.