The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-09-22
THE WISDOM OF ENGLISH SCHOOLS
seme Amusing Answers from Ambitious
Rutarn SchoOImasSers.


Frrtznn SclsUoImassers.
We have it On Biblical authority that
when the hind lead the hind they both
fall into the ditch. II hfr. OakleTs report
for 1890 ON training colleges for school
masters be taken as an index of the intel
lectual caiiher Of the gentlemen who are tC
instruct our youth IN the mysteries OF edu,
cation when it is free, the state Of culture
in the next generation will be very
"ditchy" indeed. Very wisely the inspect
ors do not give any elew 20 the particular
college whose students produce the most
amusing blunders.
To confuse Roger Bacon with Francis Of
the same ilk, commonly called Lord Bacon,
but more properly Lord Verulam and Wis
count St Albans, Is excusable in any one
whose knowledge of English literature Is
crammed for an examination; but when a
future schoolmaster gravely informs tbs
education department that "Viscount We
rulam was the first British martyr who
suffered death under Nero" the public
may be excused for asking whether the
vengeance OF Shakespeare has not at last
fallen upon Mr.. Donnelly and the Bacon
society.
Probably it was the indisputable fact
that blacksmiths deal with iron and that
steam engines are largely made Of this
metal which induced a gentleman to pro
pound the theorum that Adam Smith
was noted as the inventor Of the steamship
of Glasgow in the present reign" the last
item of information having no doubt been
thrown in for picturesque effect. Pen
dragon is varieasiy described as "a god Of
five dragons" "a dragon of five legs, "St.
George and the dragon" huge cliffs dis
cernible at great distance"-anything in
fact, except the real meaning of the word.
Plainly the examination papers prove
that the training colleges ae not homes Of
poetry. Two lines given for correction
were:
This England never did nor never shall
Lie at the proud foot Of a copauerOrl
One candidates correction was, Foot
should be feet, for conquerpr would have
two feet" another sapieIitly observed, "a
foot cannot be proud-the word is mis-
placed" a third, eyidentlya cynic with un-
patriotic az well as unpoetic feelings hyper
critically observed, This sentence is wrong,
for England has Lain at the foot Of CON
QucEOF, tO W.T. thc CDHTO&FbIs
and, as If TO enforce his cynicisIn, the can
didate actually underlined the word has.
Then, again, several students mixed their
patriotism with anatomy. Says one. "It is
incorrect 20 say proud foot. as the foot is
not afected by such very human feeling
as pride" another puts IT.. practically, that
"a country is too large to be at any ybody's
feet"
Two gentlemen, strong in physiology.
put IL that foot should be feet, it being
natural that a coneueror should have both
feet" forgetful Of the doughty Withering-
ton, who when his legs they were cut OF,
be fought upon his stumps;" and Foot Is
wrong. because it Is not natural TO suppose
anything with only one leg" And, lastly.
a plain, blunt man says, ''If England was
to be subdned the conqueror would be
proud, not his foot" After these exhibit
tions OF English. a. IL Il understood in our
training colleges. It is not surprising 70
find student graveiy informing bis ez-
aminers that DIR. johnson wrote the Bible.
London Telegraph