The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-02
A HEAVY WORK
ON PSYCHOLOGY
PUBLIC SCHOOL GRAMMAR TF,xT,
BOOK is DISTINCTLY MODERN.
II Starts with Thoughts, Ideas and
Notions and Traces Their Relations
TO Words and Sentences Simple,
straightforward Definitions Are
Missed in the Work.

The copula-idea is that which as
serts that an attribute-idea belongs
to an object-idea." =
ms IS not a sentence from a pro-
luund syntnet1c or analytic philoso-
phy. 1t is from a grammar. II Is
not a grammar used in the colleges
ana universities of the country-col-
lege professors refer to it only with
rear. 1t is the elementary grammar
used by the II and 12-year-old pu-
Pills In the public schools Of Mime
apolis.
It is said to be a question whether
coLlect grammar is acquired in the
s sen or IN the home. However,
the young idea is expected to be
guided by definitions like the follow
ing, taken from the elementary gram
mar in use here
An abstract noun is the name Of
an attribute considered apart from
that to which it belongs, as an object
OF which something may be predi-
Gated"
a noun is the name Of that about
winch something is or may be predi-
In the old days of the little red
schoolhouse on the village green, the
present grown-ups'' were taught, in
crude simplicity that "a noun is the
name Of thing The philosophy Of
s.
utes OF action and qualities as attrib-
utes OF objects, were relegated to the
held of philosophy. Now they are
presented as a mental feast for the
young.
And here is another definition:
a clause used to express an OBJ
Ject-ldea is a noun clause"
The next definition would lead one
to suppose that the 12-year-olds were
skilled in the dead languages from
which English is derived:
The change in the form of words
to show change in meaning is called
infection. Justify this name from it's
Derivation
Are the pupils of today able to
Justify their derivations from the
Latin?
When the subject of verbs is taken
up, it is taught:
The present tense shows the rela-
ton of the predicate-attribute to the
.thought-subject to be In the present
time .
II It used to be taught that the pres
.ent tense denoted present time.
z Among the examples cited may be
mentioned these two:
"A coal cellar may be a most Curl
Gus place to live in, but Brownie is
a curious creature"
The king said in kind accents:
POOR little child; he is very young.
Let him go. Let him speak to me.
My child, how came you here hidden
In the stove? Be not afraid; tell me
the truth. am the king"
The examples used in the grammar
are in most cases taken from litera-
ture, but in their isolated positions
they lose the intent Of the original
Taruout, the book makes sharp
distinction between ideas and thoughts
on the one hand and words and SEN
fences on the other. In fact, this
course Of psychological sprouts is the
Introductory feature Of the book. It
may bother an average adult to tell
the difference between an idea and "a
sentence Sin way to define both, but
that is what the 12-year-olds are sup
posed to do.
The book is not likely to be re-
tanned long in the Minneapolis schools
as several members Of the board of
education believe a less confusing and
more direct method could be found
for teaching a study which is abstruse
at best.