The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-01
ESSENTIALS OF COMPOSITION.

That was an interesting discussion in the
meeting of the State Teachers Association
the other day. on the subject of the proper
method of teaching English composition
whether thought should take precedence of
form or vice versa. The lady who read a
paper on the theme and so started the dis
cussion was of opinion that thought was the
important clement and the form of its ex-
preston secondary. She was so clearly
right that there would SEEM to have been
nothing to offer in the way of comment,
save approval. but a number of persons
present took issue with her and held
that it was the teachers first duty to look
at the manner of the pupils composition
and then consider his thought. incidentally,
the edifying information was brought out
that the four essentials to good form in
composition were correctness, margins, par
agraphing and spelling. Correctness" is
probably intended to apply to the language
used. Paragraphing is, to some extent, an
arbitrary matter and in publication depend
ent largely upon the varying customs in
force in printing Offices. In some newspa-
pers and periodicals there is, for instance,
a disposition to divide up matter into short
paragraphs wherever it can be done with
out injuring the sense. In others, exigencies
of space and editorial taste call for less
broken appearance of the column. In book
printing, especially where fiction is con-
cerned, there is a preference among pub
fishers for frequent paragraphs in order to
prevent too solid appearance of the pages.
Spelling and punctuation are important ad-
junets to composition, but some producers
of fine literature have been weak in both
of these directions. AS for margins what,
in the name of common sense, have margins
to do with English composition? 1t is con-
venient, of course, if a page of copy" in
tended for the printer, has margins wide
youth of to-day who is to be the writer Of
the next decade or so is taught to prepare
his manuscript in legible and attractive
style, service is being done to the editor
of the future; but, after all, the appearance
of a manuscript is hardly an essential in
composition. it is probable that the late
Horace Greeley seldom thought or cared
copy-book appearance or not Berry Sui
grove, once famous as an Indiana editor
was noted for preparing his copy on such
scraps of paper as happened to he conven-
ient-the inside of an envelope, the back of
visiting card, etc.-and for a minute hand
writing that covered the scrap leaving no
margin whatever 1t is not of record that a
+ Of ~
was ever rejected because it did not con-
form to the -four essentials" Many distin-
guished editors and authors are VIGOROUSLY
lax as to the details of form" laid down
by members of the Teachers Association
Having something to say they say it with
what clearness and force they can, and in
the earnestness of their thought take but
little heed to the comedy appearance of the
page. Since the advent of the typewriter
illegible manuscript is less common than
was once the case, but even now a contri-
button from an author whose name is suffi-
cient assurance that it contains ideas is not
thrown aside by any intelligent editor be-
cause its pages have no margins or because
a word is occasionally misspelled. or a
Coufud omitted. II Dy form is almost
meant style of expression, that is thing
that comes of itself if the pupil is taught
to think. There is an abundance of correct
English" it is true, with but little thought
in it. The book shops and publishing houses
are full of volumes of fiction, verse and es-
says expressed in faultless language, but so
barren of ideas, so wanting in originality
that the reader cannot remember a line
from one ten minutes after he has laid it
down. The authors were taught the four
so-called essentials, no doubt. but not the
one real essential-that OF having something
TO say before composition was undertaken
The Journal does not mean to belittle the
Importance of the proper mechanical prepa-
ration of manuscript-far from it. Good
copy is too rare thing for its Importance
not TO be fully appreciated. Spelling, pune
tIation and good penmanship should be in
sisted upon as a part of a common-schooi
education. but these are mere incidentals
Clear expression and original thought are
the main things. When the pupil has set
down his thoughts upon a subject that in
terests him, in such language as first pre-
sents itself he is more likely to take heed Of
the other features alluded to when his at