The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1902-04-12


would be ralsed--in school and out
that the teachers influence for good
would perish miserably in its very
inception.
The writer has been compelled to
meet and overcome. the best he
could. such uninviting conditions as
these in many of the schools over
which, for the hive or six wears past,
he has been called upon to preside.
He finds it extremely difficult to com
init to paper just how, with such a
class, he has accomplished the sue
cess that he has in removing these
opposing barriers and, finally, in
leading the class into an earnest,
practical study and use OF the Eng.
lish language, To approximate his
methods in this nerve, killing work
he would state that his first effort
lies in a patient and unremitting en-
deavor to teach his class to read
correctly and by all means, under
standingly. Right here is when and
where the teacher needs aud should
exercise the utmost care and iorti-
tude, The future easy and rapid
progress of the class before him de-
ponds upon it. Have a member of
of the class to read full paragraph
(oftener ehapter) and to read it as
correctly as possible, observing close
ly every grammatical and rhetorical
pause, and pronouncing every word
according to the best standard.
Then close your book and lay it on
the table; have him do the same.
Now, in pleasant familiar converse
ton, draw him out on the subject
under consideration and try to
arouse his mind to thinking about
it, and his tongue to a correct ex.
preston of what he thinks. Call his
attention to the words he uses, and
get him to understand as fully as
possible their origin and use,-or
uses sometimes. To make his task
easier and the progress OF his pupil
more rapid, the teacher should have,
at least, a working knowledge Of
Latin tymology-if not of its syn
tax.
Laying the connectives and the re.
lative words aside, about sixty per
cent of the words of our lang uage
are OF Latin or Latin. French origin.
Words are the vehicles of ideas,
and ideas properly associated and
correctly expressed-either in speech
or composition-make up what is
recognized as good English. Then,
young teacher, by all means, bend
your energies, "strenuously" and in
defatigably, to compelling your pu-
pill to rapid acquisition of suffi-
Gent vocabulary; for he will never
achieve much success either in lang
uage, history, or any other intellect
ual branch without it. Meantime
put your class to work at the eight
parts of speech of the language.
Make this, also, matter of careful
attention until the class is complete
master of every one, and is able to
know it's function or functions any
where. This done, and the pupil
having learned, in an appreciative
degree, to read correctly and under
standingly, you are ready to place in
his hands some good technical gram
mar of the language.
One containing good and intelli-
gible system of diagraming is prefer
able from the fact that, when used
judiciously, it is better for the teach
err as well as the beginner in teach
ing and learning the analysis and
synthesis OF the language.
AS you begin analysis, begin also
the etymology Of the language, and
pursue it. without intermission, to
an unmistakable completion, or I'M
til you know that the class is virtu-
ally master of it.
The writer notices with some APP
prehension the disposition of some,