The Russellville Democrat., 1884-08-07

ing interest. Every week many
teachers go to their places Of abode
but before we have time to express
our sorrow because of their depart
ure, others come to take their places
DR.. Baskerville, of Vanderbilt Uni
/ versity, and by the way, one OF tht
most eminent scholars ON the faculty
roll, was called home last week on
account Of illness in his family. and
the committee haye not been able u
secure any one to fill his place. Some
OF his classes have been entirely bro
ken up, and will not be rcorganized
this term. The Teachers Retreat
which meets at 4:30 p. m. every day
has been the center OF attraction the
past ten days. This is the institu
rion by which discussions are had
every day on educational topics
The subject under consideration
during the last ten days, was Gram
mar. The ground has been taken
by the best scholars here, that Eng
lish Grammar should never be taught
in the schools by the use OF text
books, and that the Grammar's ol
other languages should not be
taught, except the declension ol
nouns, and the paradigm of verbs
The history our Of language, logic
and common sense seem to substan-
tiate the position. The discussion
was received by those who had teen
taught from childhood that a thing
is noun, and that which is not a
thing is not noun, with doubt
and uneasiness, that almost amount,
ed to Indignation. But when the
arguments were presented, and skill
fully weighed, the prejudice began
to give way, and it has. pretty gen
orally, been conceded that the plan
is not only plausible, but highly
preferable. Grammar is nothing but
history of the development of Ian
guage, and it has been decided that
none except the best philologists
should attempt to write such a his
tory. 1t is evident from the nature
of the case, that no man has the
right to lay down a set of iron clad
rules by which other men should
write. The best he can do is to
compile the rules which have gov
erned the best writer's OF the past.
Perhaps ! shall speak OF this again,
The best lecture we have had SO
far was delivered few nights ago
by DR.. Foster Of Cumberland Uni
versity, on Words. 1t was thought by
majority Of the teachers and 9TH
ers that there could not be enough
said about words to make an inter
ssting lecture Of 40 minutes length,
therefore many light remarks were
made about the subject of the lee
tana- a fair andianca graetad the
Doctor, many having gone because
there was nothing else to do. Every
one was completely captivated and
charmed with the lecture. The lec-
ture itself was valuable dissertation
on the history and uses of a great
number OF words that have crept in
to our language, and the Doctor
has the happy faculty to produce
and continue a perceptible smile on
the faces of his audience Doctor
Foster won the laurels Of Monteagle
as a scholar and lecturer last year,
and he is gaming brighter ones this
year.
To day there is to be a Botanic
and Geological excursion to the
Views under the supervision oi
Prof Kinds, that is, if it does not
rain too much. Prof. Kinds knows
more Botany than any man in this
country. He graduated at Lebanon,
studied two years IN Germany, and
has since studied botany in the best
botanical gardens in America. He
was brought up in Arkansas.
Respectfully,
II. b. MMSER.