Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-12-27
Thls Mornlng,s session.

The Utah State Teachers association
met again this morning at o'clock. in
the Assembly Hail. There were pres
ent about US teachers, who listened to
the excellent discussions Of the different
subjects that came before the c0nyen-
tion. A delegation Of students from the
Fremont school furnished the singing
under the leadership Of Prof. Young.
The first number on the program was
a paper: ITO what extent Is instruction
in English In the common schools de-
fectiye2" II was read by Miss Jessie
Goddard of the Salt Lake High School
She said In part. "A decade ago edu-
Gators or more correctly speaking. ex-
aminers. suddenly aWoke 10 the fact
that there Is such a means Of express
sion as the English language, that this
language has evOhtT, With something
OF a form recognized ds good English,
and that people generally and students
in particular were violating It's prin-
ciples. So the college professor began
90 cry out loudly against the English
presented by applicants for admission
10 our universities, ana they are sull
denOunCing 10 In the strongest terms.
As II Us customary % shift responsible
ity. the high school teachers, unwilling
20 bear the burden put upon them by
the college professors, for relief shifted
a part--a large part--to the eighth
grade teachers, and these In turn 20
the seventh. and so on down until II
seemed the primary teacher must carry
the whole load And with ingenuity
she said, "what can / do when the lit
he ones have inherited poor spelling no
grammar az all and impurity of sound.
My example and teaching are as moth
ing against this inheritance. and the
corresponding surrounding
In the FIRST place ] protest against
this criticism boy college professors high
school instructors and grade teachers
as being unjust. And again ] maintain
that cOndemning one another Is UNI
professional and wrong we thus show
lack Of unity in our efforts 10 correct
the defects existing. / would advise
harmonious uniting on the part Of an
instructors 10 correctly remedy the
present conditions In this respect"
when once we have learned 20 work
as one body. each teacher doing her
share IN making the transition from
grade TO grade smooth, II will be but
another step 20 correct another defect,
viz. that Of making English the vocal
study Upon the child's ability 20
read. interpret, compose, write and
speak English. depends his ability 10
master other subjects. The pupil must
be able to express clearly what he OBJ
serves by speech. or by writing spell
ing and grammar Composition n
studied only for the principle involved
is not made 10 serve the best purpose.
Tests IN spelling In the examination
Of English IN a California city four
years ago were made upon words laid
out by the course Of study, and upon
new words based upon principles In
yolyed. But IN my examinations "
English in the common schools last
June ! took the composition papers as
tests in spelling. thus giving me the
Students own vocabulary. ana the re-
suits OF these two tests are practical
~ the same in grades above the third.
Perhaps the greatest difficulty In the
high school we have 20 contend with to-
lay In the matter Of SPELL
ng Is the result Of our eX-
pertinent tried some time ago Of teach
ng pupils In the primary grade 20 read
By what Is known as the word and SEN
ence method, no drlll being given IN
1honics. / have been misunderstood
many times when saying that ] thought
he Dhonic method should be taught IN
Nd the grades.
Another mistake we are suffering
rom now Is the non-syllabic spelling.
a few years ago. Word |
.tudy is important. and a necessary
part Of all subjects. and grammar Is |
ikewise important We should insist /
ipon pupils applying their knowledge |
u grammar IN speech as well as writ |
ng.
composition first begins when the |
HID puts two words together and con-
lnues throughout his life. II includes |
10Th oral and written expression. The |
rrors most noticeable are those Of |
aulty sentence work. Much IN COM |
POSITION may De learned by the child by |
Of the texts he uses. there
ore Il IS important that we insist upon |
.sing as texts only those books that /
re rhetorically as well as grammatical
y correct
1--WE may work unltedly FOR the cor
cotton Of these various defects. and n |
We are not careful there viii be a de-
ect IN our teaching shown IN n lack Of |
or originality that |
hould indicate the writer's interest IN |
he subject. While We are standing for
hese reforms let US not lose sight or /
ne one last mentioned. Much " this
lck OF originality Is due 70 requiring
.upils 20 write on subjects beyond their
apaclty or experience
After the reading OF Miss GOddard's |
,aper IL was discussed by Prof. y. l.. |