The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-18
New York Herald

Are college graduates lacking Tn ability to handle the English language we'll?
 President Woodrow Wilson, of Princeton University. says that they are. and that not enough attention is given in college curriculums to instruc- tion in English composition.
 When asked what he considered the most conspicuous shortcoming In the present scheme of college instruction he unhesitatingly answered.:
 The lack of study of our own lan- guage To my way of thinking the knowledge of English has been most wofully neglected. Very few students, and very few others, for that matter, can write English and express their exact thoughts in clear, simple and comprehensible manner They devote their minds to thinking of the style to be followed. and to worrying whether or not a sentence is correct rather than to direct expression of the meaning. People are inclined to write simple words without any substance or body to them, or any clear meaning. They are handicapped in their expressions by trying to follow a certain routine of style and keep in correct rut Of language.
 ProdiEaI Waste of Words.
 Tt is having a very bad effect on our
 
 literature, and vigorous methods should be taken at once to correct the evil. The average American when he sits down to write anything will display prodigal waste of words and miserly array of thought.
 Next year we shall begin to take steps here to correct it by making each student write daily reports upon his work. The attempts in the past to correct the evil by having students write these on various subjects seem to have had no effect. The trouble IS just as great as ever, or greater The reports will be criticised without regard to the correctness of the state ments made, but as to the way the statements are expressd. Those who do not pass muster will be returned to be done over again. and when we come across any 'howlers' the writer will be exiled to a class in preliminary instruc- tion. By this method we hope to get the students into the way of writing just wha tthey would say without be- ing hampered by any style or conven- tionality of expression. We want to encourage their imagination in the use of words and lead them out of the beaten and worn paths of the language.
 style in writing Is something l do not believe in. It sets limit to ex- pression and is a wet blanket on thought. The possibilities of the Eng fish language are very great, and have yet to be fully developed"
 Like an Architectural Rule.
 DO you object to what is known as fine writing and flowers of speech"
 "Oh, not entirely. Flowery writing should be indulged in with great dis erection, however. The same principle applies to it as does to architecture. You can build a structure and ornament it to it's improvement, but you cannot build ornamentation and have struct- ure that will stand"
 Do you expect this coaching in clear writing will also work inyersely and teach the students to speak better?"
 Tt should, certainly"
 'In which do you find the average student most deficient-writing or speaking English?'
 Tn speaking, I should say, for in talking he is apt to thOughtlessly take short cuts in the language and indulge in slang"
 DO you resent the incorporation of slang words in the acceptedly correct language?"
 Tt requires the drawing of very fine line between the slang that is a new, forceful and expressive word and the slang that is simply vulgar. Only usage and time can tell exactly which is which Correct language is absorb ing slang words all the time, and suppose always has l presume the expression in the Bible, by the skin of his teth' was once slang. It Is a very sure thing. though, that we are using fewer French words than for merly, and Latin expressions have almost entirely been dropped.
 Newspaper English Good.
 'Tt is the fashion among certain class to rather sheer at what they are pleased to call newspaper English. These gentlemen should look at home before committing themselves. and remedy their own shortcomings and their laboriously correct style of writ ing I think the English used In news paper articles Is remarkably good. It is generally terse and clear and right to the point, and tells in a simple way exactly what the writer wants to say. It Is most surprising to me to under stand how the reporters. writing as they do so hurriedly and under such great pressure, are able to write so well. I can hardly comprehend 1t.
 None need be afraid of spelling their taste for good English by reading newspapers. The articles are almost always delightfully."- free from stilted- ness and trite conventionality. which is