The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-10
AUTHOR WILL SPEAK
Writer of School Books Will Give
Talk at "U" on Practical
English.
Boston transcripts Compliment to
His '.Art Of Writing and
Speaking English"

Sner"ln COdy, the autnOr OF novel
and of a score Of books used in schools
and colleges, will give a short talk on
practical English at the university
Wednesday morning. He will prob
baly speak also to the city teachers
in the course of the week. Tho a
writer of school books, Mr.. Cody has
been much more of a business man
than pedagog. He felt the need of
helping the average grown-up person
to improve his elementary knowledge
of English by home study, and has
been particularly successful with bust
ness men.
Northwestern university, seeing the
need Of introducing business methods
into the public schools, has just made
arrangements for Mr.. Cody to conduct
a drill class in English for Chicago
teachers at the University building in
Chicago; and Mr.. Cody will give the
same work in private lessons by cor
cannot attend his personal class.
In his Cart Of Writing and Speaking
the English Language Mr.. Cody pre-
sents his lessons, from spelling to
creative composition, in book form
of pocket size. In reviewing these
compliment to the west, and Incl
dentally gives an admirable summary
of the situation in regard to English
all over the country. The enthusiasm
with which the remarks of the North
western Miller were received a short
time ago shows clearly that the bust
ness world is fully awake to the press
ing need of doing something to raise
the standard Of everyday English
among everyday people, and espe-
cially In the teaching of English in
the public schools.
/ An Eastern Papers Ciews.
The Transcript says:
H. ct,s t1nr 4
to sheer at Chicago's pretensions to lit
erary culture and its claims as an ex-
emplar of '''pure English undefled." It
is however, not without signifcance-in
view of the fact that the art of writing
and speaking ones own language cor
rectly and effectively is the very basis OF
culture-that leading commercial house
p in that city makes a standing offer of 81
to it's employees for every error found in
, any of the printed matter Issued by the
firm, while other large houses in the west
are taking similar steps to insure fault
less diction in their advertising. Promi-
nent educators there are also beginning
to feel that grammar is more Of a high
school and college study than an elegent-
airy study; and western colleges all have
classes in spelling. This healthful and
. comnendatory increase of interest in good
English has resulted, especially among
business men. in spelling books which
shall teach one to spell correctly without
. relying wholly upon the faculty of mem
DRY, and grammars and rhetorics which
shall inculcate the logical relationships Of
words and their effective use without
clinging too closely to mere system, to
names and definitions.
To meet this demand, Sherwin Cody
has written a series of four little books
which, for directness, simplicity and log
' ical treatment of the allied subjects of
spelling. grammar, punctuation, congo
sition and constructive rhetoric, can hard
ly be excelled. That old Latin phrase.
, 'multum in parvo," apt1y describes these
little books, which are so small as to be
easily slipped into the pocket. In fact,
they are models of comprehensiveness,
and their general method could hardly lie
improved upoa.
Constructive Rhetoric.
To those who already have an "incur-
able itch for scribbling,'' the final volume
on constructive rhetoric viii prove most
interesting and valuable The practical
business man, too, will find in it's short
but well-considered chapter on business
: letter-writing, with copies of model bust
= ness letters and suggestions regarding ef-
fective writing for "follow-up" letters
. circulars and booklets, much to mediate
= upon and aid in the improvement Of quail
! ity of his own correspondence. The great
= er part of the book, however, is taken III
!, Oy an dQmlTdDlS dissertation on snort
: .story-writing. A final section on creative
: composition comprises in succession verse
, essay and novel writing, plot construction
a motive. what makes a story worth telling
: how to observe men and women and meth.
!, DDS by which young writer may test hi.
e own ability. In conclusion, the author
: emphasizes the fact that art is after al
i only means-the fluid medium thru
q which heart speaks to heart and that II
: must become unconscious before it can b.
o useful. The creature writer" he says
should master his art or abandon it.
1t Is safe to say that Mr.. Cody's little
3. books are admirably adapted to brins
about such a mastery if the advice con.
" tanned in them is needed and the sug.
= gested exercises are faithfully carried out