The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-10-22
Prof. Thachsr Says Il Prevents
Students From Going 10 Sleep
SOME GIRL CO-EDS OBJECT.
But 50 They Do 10 His Keeping Windows
Open -Charsmagns Had the Rocks All
Rlghi" tho Professor Remarks.

Chicago, Oct. 22-When Professor Oliver
Thacher. OF the medieval history class
of the Chicago University, exclaimed in
one of his lectures the other day. by
the great horn spoon" he meant II mere
ly as a guide-post for the memory OF
some OF his students.
Yet there are few super-susceptible
young ladies in his classes who do not
care 10 have recalled every time they
think over the events Of the Crusades, a
thousand and one OF Professor Thacher' =
pet slang expressions, which he claims
help to drive home historic facts into the
brain OF a dull or lazy pupil
IL do not look gpon the criticisms OF
nv use OF slang I'm the class room In a
serious light at all. since its moderate
use seems TO me not only permissible,b but
actually effective, in presenting historical
matter In way TO be remembered said
Professor Thacher II admit thai
j use slang in my lectures; have always
done so. and shall continue the practice,
i can't teach dead history in Addisonian
English without having some Of the. stu
dents going to sleep"
A MUCH-LovED TEACHER.
To the great majority OF students at
the Chicago University Professor Thach-
er is a much-loved member OF the faculty.
He is the product OF an Ohio farm, and
the use Of slang is not by any means the
most characteristic trait in his general
makeup.
He is a lover OF athletics and his text
boox, Europe in the Middle Ages, which
has made the author famous throughout
American colleges is regarded no more
highly by him than his volume on athlet-
les.
Once before Professor Thacher was the
object OF some mild criticism. President
Harper thought he was too familiar with
the students, and told him 10 be little
more distant. The professor told the mem
bers of one OF his classes that he had
been ''called down"
The professor assumes somewhat
blufY blunt attitude during the time he is
IN the class room. When -some-of-the-
young men are backward I'm their stud
les he sometimes turns upon them pretty
sharply.
CALLS STUPID PUPILS "DUFFERs."
"Just wait, you young buffers" he has
been known to say. There II an exami-
nation coming. You had better brace up
q little or III settle some OF you"
Then, too, he is quick with his ques-
tions and he wants short answers. "One
or two words will answer most any old
question" he says.
In speaking OF Charlemagne the other
day Professor Thacher said: There was
the boy who had the rocks. all right"
In speaking of the methods OF buying a
way into office. he said: IF they didn't
have the Doodle they could not get in"
Then, again. when he wished to give
his impressions OF an Italian warrior, he
said: He was the boy for you he could
drink all night. curse his counsellors all
day and ride forth and kill of an army
on the next day"
VULGAR sLAEo AND PROPER SLANG
my slang phrases are not vulgar" said
Professor Thacher, and ind
them very useful in impressing historical
facts on the minds of students. In the big
classes that come to me L find a lot of
lazy people. and i have 10 keep hammer
ing away TO fix things in their minds. Ger
tain slang phrases attract attention. and
while they keep people awake, they help
them 70 remonber things because of the
association do not Intentionally use ques-
tionabIe slang, but sometimes get excited
and say things which amuse my students.
Speaking of Carl the great emperor OF
Germany, I said in illustration OF the way
he had divorced his wife that he had
packed her of, which is true. and. again.
in referring to the letter to Pope Adrian
J., gave his own language: You attend
20 the praying and will do the rest
TN regard TO religion, / am neither a
Catholic nor a Jew, but at The end OF
some courses / have had some Catholics
and Jews commend me for my fair treat.
ment OF their religions. / pride myself or
my impsrtiality in dealing with all relig
ions. 1t may be that / have offended som,
more than ordinarily susceptible persons.