Delaware gazette and state journal., 1895-10-03
INITIAL SCHOOL LECTURE.
An Interesting Talk by Or. Hulburd
at the High School Tuesday.

THE First One of seriay Of Discourse,
Which VIII DO Given Principally for tht
Benefit of the Teachers and Scholars In
the Pablo Schools.
A public school lecture course wat
inaugurated at the High School or
Tuesday, when the Rev. Merritt HUI
burd, ID. D., pastor OF Grace M. e.
Church, delivered an interesting ad
dress on " Useaand Abuses of English. -
The assembly room was filled TO over.
flowing with public school teachers and
scholars and friends Of our public
school system, besides number oi
members Of the BosrdSof Education.
The lecture course was conceived
and arranged for by the committee oi
the Board OF Education having the
school in charge, and nothing but
compliments for the gentlemen thus
interesting themselves have been
heard. The principal object is
instruction for the teachers and
scholars and others who may attend
the lectures. They will no doubt be
OF great benefit.
The opening lecture was attended by
success. Principal Berlin presided and
music was furnished by the High
School Orchestra Dr. Hulburd was
introduced, and for nearly an hour he
entertained his hearers, not only by
his sensible and instructive conclu-
sions, but also by the wit that was
sandwiched in the address.
The lecturer showed considerable re-
search. He dwelt mainly on the abuses
of the English language, but also made
mention OF it's origin, uses and growth
He likened language TO a plant, with
first the root, then the stem, putting
out its branches, and from the branches
the leaves. English he said, Il
predict will some time be the uni
versal medium, Of communication. The
ratio OF the growth of English speak
ing people is 80 times that Of the
people speaking any other language. %
He asserted that the English speaking
face is migratory one, which really
divides tho language into dialects, and
attributed such a condition Of affairs
to the fact that all countries have CON
tributed to the population of this
coul try. In illustration the speaker
said that in upper Canada better
French is spoken than in Paris.
Reference was also made to technical
expressions and words which have diff
ferent meanings In different localities.
Many illustrations were given. What
is called local Dutch in the States of
Pennsylvania and New York, the
speaker asserted, would perplex an
Englishman and drive well-bred Ger
man mad.
The lecturer dwelt at some length ou
the general tendency to ppularize vul-
garity. He made reference to many
common expressions and words and
held up to ridicule their phonetic con
struction. In general way the doctor
went well into his subject, but, as he
stated at the close of the discourse, he
could say much more, and he kindly
promised to do so at some future time.
The next lecture will be delivered by
Lieut. Frier, U. S. A., who, on Octo-
Der 14th, will talk on "Military Disci-
pline in the Public Schools. " In
order to get the scholars to take special
interest in the course prize valued at
S5 will be given to the pupil handing
in the best essay, written in newspaper
style, between now and Christmas.
The projectors are highly elated over
the auspicious opening.