Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-31

dcant because he does not like some
person or persons who Use 1t, or because
all of his own people use the wrong form,
and he at once loses the confidence anu
respect of every pupil who understands
his position. Nor will 1t do for him TO
suppose that his pupils Will not grasp MS
position. Children, are quick 10 detect
the flaws I'm those with whom they have
to do.
But this Is not all. His pupils imme-
diately lose some Of the regard and rev.
erence which they had for the principe
OF right, and they lose faith m the prln-
ciple that should be the watchword OF
every one-"Do right, let the conse-
quences be what they may
Further than this, the chances are that
a child started in life on the principle
that ne IS to swerve from the right pain
in questions not involving moral right
and wrong because his prejudces are
against the right, will develop into
man who will let prejudice and self-inte-
rest sway him in the weightier matters
of llfe This question. therefore. Is OF
great Importance because Of It's influence
on those whom we have to train.
Students OF history cannot fail to be
struck with the fact that language Is a
mighty factor in the development of the
world. The spread CT the Greek Ian
gIage was followed by a period OF deve-
lopment unknown before that day. Mod
ern French has lent Its potent influence
to the development Of Europe. But, per-
haps. English affords the most striking
illustration OF the influence Of a common
language on the development Of peoples
and countries. No people have developed
more rapidly than have English-speaklng
people Nor have any other nations been
blessed with a language in which there
were so few widely-differing dialects.
But nations have decayed as their lam
guages have disintegrated. 1t behooves
us, therefore, to use every effort to pre-
serve the purity OF our English. Let
us disintegrate into comm mites OF dif-
ferent dialects unlntelligible to the en-
tire body, and our civilization will be i'm
peded and will probably fall into de-
cay.
The nations Of old lacked the conserv-
ing influence Of lexicons. grammars, and
other works discussing the peculiarties
and regularities of their languages. But
for the conserving influence Of such
works, the English people, widely sepa-
rated as they are. would soon be mon
grel race. so far as language is concerned.
Let teachers then, use their whole infiu-
ence, in the school-room and out or It,
to preserve the correct forms In spoken
as we'll as in written language.
Students of history recognize the
mighty influence that n common lam
guage would exert upon the race in bring
ing about an era of good feeling and OF
brotherhood among the nations. There
is nothing that arrests suspicion and ILL
will among men so quickly as a thorough
understanding of one another. Nothing
Is so essential to a thorough understand
ing as a means OF communication under
stood by all When language becomes
doubtful. or admits Of different meanings
suspicious are at once aroused and cannot
he allayed till the import of the speech
Is fully understood. Nations Of different
languaees regard one another with much
deeper suspicion and distrust than do
those of common speech. The influence Of
the widespread rule Of English-speaking
people over the countries of the earth has
been a mighty factor in fastening the
day of universal peace. To-day, as
the two leading English nations are on
the point of forming a compact OF friend
ship such as has never before been
| known between two rivals, the nations OF
| the world are with eXpectant joy hailing
| them as the leaders In the movement TO
| disarmament and TO the brotherhood or
nations. What has made this compact
| possible? 1t has been reiterated by our
! thinkers time and again that we, Engllsh-
men and Americans are brothers, not
because we have great wealth, or great
! manufacturing interests, :. or Worldwide
commerce. but because We speak COM
| mon language II a common language Is
such a potent factor in harmonizing ma
| tions. does it not behoove teachers as
| conservators OF this wonderful English
language to lay aside every prejudice TO
| its most widely accepted forms, and TO
| strive with all their energies TO preserve
il pure and unbrokeh to generations yet
| to come?
Let them no longer teach the localism
that we hear around US, using the means
| at their hands; let them teach those
| forms OF our spoken language that are
used by the largest number OF the best
communities of Englishmen, and which
on that account are considered standard.
Let them not insist that what is used by
any minor community is standard, but
let them be swayed by the Democratic
principle that "majorities must rule
! Virginans are conservatives of conser-
NATIVES. but let us broaden the principle
of our conservatism so that its bene-
fetal influence shall reach the greatest
number. CONSERVATOR.
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