The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-04-18
COMMON SENSE ABOUT
GRAMMAR,

The prevailing impression. among
many worthy people, that proper use
by close attention to the study of gram
mar, and faithful memorizing of its
rules, is very misleading one. Under
this impression, the parent whose oppor-
tunities have been limited, and who
hopes that his child may, at school, &C.
quire correctness which fate and cir
cumstances have denied the father and
mother, urges upon the embryo man and
woman the necessity for being perfect
in their grammar class. SO the children
laboriously commit to memory the vari-
ols rules which govern spoken and writ
ten language. They strive to remember
why it is that the expression 81 have
saw" II seen, ""I done, Have went"
ETC., are grossly incorrect. They master
the rules and are proficient in their reci-
tation. This good work il, however,
completely lost sight OF when the school
AOoLi 10 IulblON, thS bHi>''S "AS ASo
able and willing to supplement the teach
ings of the school with intelligent avoid
ance of errors of speech in the home.
Hence it is that ones ears are atfrontei
by valgarisms of speech proceeding from
young people who have labored faithfully
during their schooling to master the
rules of grammar. 1t is but one instance
of the all-prevading rule that the home
is the place of the most potent educating
influence, and that home surroundings
and companionship exert an influence
that DO schooling can offset. The child
of the father who habitually says" Il have
saw" may excel in her grammar class, but
will fall naturally into the odd errors the
moment the home circle surrounds her.
Or, if her companions are violators of the
commonest rules of grammar, no amount
of skill on the part of the teacher, or
pat fence on the part of the pupil, will
prevent such blunders as mark the lack
of culture and refinement, 1t, therefore,
becomes the duty of parents to closely
observe the niceties of speech, to educate
themselves-in this respect-up to the
standard which they set for their child
dren. 1t will be no easy task, but it
will be worth the effort.
Refinement of speech makes the gen
tleman and gentlewoman more than any
one thing which can be mentioned. 1t
is the golden coins which bears the stamp
of true gentility, and its abscense pro-
claims illiteracy and illbreading. 1t is
defect which no fitness or richness of
raiment can hide. The perfect cut and
fit of dress suit or the absolute fault
lessness of a gown cannot avert the
baleiul effect of single Il SEEM" or
render the wearer proof against the low
ering effect of an 81 haven't saw" So
many really excellent persons, men and
women of rich endowments of heart and
hand, show this disregard of the COM
monest rules of correct expression that
one marves at their obtuseness, seeing
that it does and must seriouly obstruct
their local preferment. The remedy for
this lies not in the school but in the
home, and in the hands of those who
have charge of the guidance of bright
young people. By constantly and judi
ciously exercising watchfulness over
their own speech they can spare their
children an amount of subsequent morti
fication and local hindrance that can
scarcely be estimated. The father aud
mother make the child's future, and the
home-not the school or seminary shapes
the chllds character and moulds its
traits. If there we're less blind faith in
the potency of memorized rules of gram
mar, and more intelligent censorship at
at home there would be fewer atrocities
of speech perpetrated by we'll, dressed,
we'll behaved and seemingly we'll lnfor-
med people.