The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-08

the windmills of grammar, syntax and
rhetorical formula; but for all that sin
cere, hopeful and impetuous. A writer
of this stamp Is a likely specimen.
There are hopes for him. He needs a
friendly curb: a kindly trimming and
pruning: series Of gentle but deter
mined introductiOns to the inestimable
guardian angel called common sense.
Put sufficient weights on this sort OF a
writer to keep him down to the level Of
ordinary. everyday human affairs:
turn his enthusiasm for the beautiful
children OF his vivid fancy into a
saner relish for the equally beautiful
truths of the real world of nature and
of humanity which surrounds him.
and you will be in a fair way to add
something Of value to the literature of
your time; at least, you will get read
able English.
Sometimes teachers meet with a
third kind Of pupil which I trust Is
scarce in Scranton. This pupil Is neith-
er scared nor ambitious, but simply
sullen. He either cannot write or will
not; and for practical purposes the one
condition is equivalent to the other.
Upon such a pupil it is useless to waste
much time Better look. to the willing
ones. Some persons are fated to be
literary ciphers.
For all kinds of pupils at the begin
ming of the composition work l should
recommend the divesting from the eX-
ercise of all unnecessary appearances
of formality. / am not so sure that 1t
Is wise thing to try to teach room
full of pupils to write in unison. at a
certain time, always the same, day af-
| ter day. 1t seems to he that this un-
in nf
time kind of stiff and stilted formal
ism in the writers, a mechanical tenn
per, if you please Now of all things
to be abhorred in composition, surely
| the mechanical temper Is the worst.
! When 1t gets to point where one who
writes feels that he has to write, so
| much every day, or week, or year,
whether there be in him anything
worth placing on paper or not. then
heaven pity, first that writer. and next
his readers. Possibly speak on this
point with something Of the bias of un-
usual eXperience-unusual, I mean, to
the pupils who attend the schools. The
demands of daily newspaper work Of
ten necessitate what we call space
filling; and when ones bread and but
ter depends upon ones filling a fixed
space, six days a week, be the mind
dull or keen. there Is reached condi-
tion of practical composition which.
! take it. is not within the limits of the
( present discussion.
The suggestion Is tentative; but ! be.
| lieve it would be worth while for each
pupil to be made first to talk his thought
on a given subject. before putting II
| to paper; and then asked to write II
down just as 1t was spoken. or very
nearly so. This, I know. might be diff
ftr,,lk fS do In, ral, ~ 1,,,k To-
many cases 1t could be done by enlist
ing the aid of the home The advant.
age of this plan would be that the
written message would not then come
to be regarded as something essentially
| different from the spoken message; and
we should have compositions as plain
| and as understandable as talks are
| When you say a thing you generally
| say 1t so 1t Is understood. The words
| fit naturally into place. They go a.
| far as the idea goes, and no further
they do not leave the idea stranded
1t should be the aim of the schools tc
get that kind of straightforward, lucid
and sufficient thought-transference
| done with words written as well as by
means Of words spoken. Whatever
methods or artifices will conduce to this
end should be employed; whatever in
terfere with this purpose should be dis
| carded. You, as practical teachers
should know better than how to find
ways and means in your special and ia.
! miliar department Of work.
| want to confess, at this point, that
although something Of a practical writ
er myself-in the sense of having good
deal of writing to do. such as 1t is
Il have never bothered my head much