The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-22
English in Common schools.

To THE EDITOR OF The SUN-Sir: Further
consideration Of the question Of German in
the public schools leads directly toward the
conclusion that the disposition among edu-
Gators to lower the standard of English ro-
quirements is growing. A brief convers1-
ton with almost any schoolboy will satisfy
a middle aged man that the study OF English
is not pursued with as much attention In tho
schools Of to-day as 1t was in those OF thirty
or forty years ago.
1t Is well to bear In mind that more sub
jects are studied in the lower schools now
than then. that the general standard Of in
struction Is higher. and that the pupil does
actually become acquainted with larger
part Of the vast and steadily growing sum
Of human knowledge. The lower schools
are constantly advancing toward the stand
ard which was formerly that OF the high
school, and the high school Is moving into the
territory once occupied by the college.
But in this progress there Is all tho time
a tendency to leave the English laneuass
behind and this tendency is substantially
furthered by the frequent preachments Of
university professors on the subject OF Eng
lish. Some Of these anna BILE gentlemen have
taken to proclaming 1t as their opinion that
pretty much anything Is correct nglish.
They have thrust into ridcule the old ruls
that the usa ge Of the best writer's and speakers
should prevail. and have declared that ANY
old usage at all was the real thing In
other words, they have advocated the habit
ual speech OF the masses Of the people a.
the source OF virtue.
Now, it is not at all dlfiicult to dem onstrate
that the speech OF the people Is not a well
of English undeflled." As a matter Of fact
more than half OF 1t Is slang pure and simple.
picturesque and expressive slang. indeed.
but hardly the sort Of thing upon which 70
rear the future OF the tongue OF Shakespeare
and Milton. most excellent antidote 70
the effect Of the continual use or hearing Of
slang Is the good old-fashioned study Of
English grammar.
Some OF our good college professors tell
us that there Is not any such thing. Even
that most delicate OF purists. Richard Grant
White, called ours "a srammarless tongue"
Yet it does indulge In such grammatical
fun da mentals as the agreement Of sin sular
verbs with singular nouns and tho employ
ment Of the objective case after transitiva
verbs But let us. in order to please the pro-
fessors. drop the term grammar and call It
the idiomatic structure OF the Ian qua GO How
many of our common school pupils get full
and satisfactory knowledge OF that in thu
limited time at their disposal for English
studies?
Yet what can be more essential to thor
scholarship? There was q time when the
use OF elegant English was regarded as III"
mark of an educated lady or gentleman. Ia
that time to pass away to make room for a.
era In which the ladies and gentlemen will
know all about the effects Of alcohol on the
human system las to which there are widely
varying opinons). the physical proportions
OF cats, the staple products Of Uruguay. tho
elements Of mechanical drawing. and say
all they have to say about these things in the
languag &c Of the vaudeville stage?
1t may be Just possible that out Of thu
present discussion as to the place Of German
in the public schools great good may come
for the outcome Of 1t may be a reduction OF
the time given to the requirement OF foreen
ton CUES and an increase given to that Of our
own German is a most admirable Language
and has noble literature. but in this land
Of English speaking people It ought to get
out OF the road and let the vernaoular have
the entire right OF way. h
NEW YORK, June 20.