The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-05-22
AN ENGLISH GRAMMAR.
BY DR.. James P. Kinard Of Winthrop
College Will Be offered the
Board for Adoption for Use
In Public Schools.

NV ioh""IiiS cIltlclSul VI LII. A11-
ard s book was printed in the State.
DR.. Kinard is Newberrian and his
book has met with favor by teachers
who have reviewed it,
If the pupils now in our public and
private schools do not learn the gram
mar of their language and something
about writing and speaking it easily
and correctly it will not be the fault
Of the book-makers. In an era dis
tinguished by it's masterly disregard
of authority Of every sort and for its
egregiously bad English, when even
the graduates Of our universities can
not write correctly and sinewy idiom,
we witness the phenomenon Of flood
of books designed to teach the correct
use Of our language. 1t is to be ques-
toned whether this is mere coinci-
dence, whether the books are coming
as a response to the demand that the
users Of English be held to stricter
responsibility, or whether there is any
relation between the slip-shod writing
of the day and the multiplicity OF
guides. 1t may be, after all, that the
confusion in the present usage of
writing and speaking English may be
due to the multitude of counselors,
which is proverbially held to be per-
ilous.
But that there are being published
many excellent guides to the writing
and speaking of our language there
can be no doubt. One Of these is this
little "English Grammar for Be-
ginners." The preface says, cit is IL
real grammar for beginners "-but
the order of the words in this short
sentence leaves the reader in doubt
as to it's meaning. Is it "real gram
mar,' or is it for "real beginners9"
What is meant seems to be that it is a
grammar really for beginners. The
following "points" are especially no.
ted:
cit is a real grammar for begin
ners.
cit contains an unusually large
number of illustrative sentences.
"By arranging the illustrative sem
tences in parallel columns, and in the
general development of each sub
,iect, the author has made an effective
use of the inductive method.
"In complex and compound SEN
tences helpful combination of anal
ysis and short parsing" (is "short
parsing" good English7 Does not
the author mean the parsing of short
sentences or phrases; and should lie
not say soy els made by the use of
system of simple diagraming.
The principal value of the grammar
is, we think, it's very admirable meth
cd, which is thoroughly practicable
and yet is designed to gain and hold
the attention of the pupil. The lam
guage is taught as an harmonious
whole from the very beginning, which
is the proper way. For instance, on
the very first page the pupil is given
some insight into the nature OF the
unit of English speech, the sentence
thing that some of our "popular'
writers have difficulty in recognizing.
This practical method is maintained
throughout, and makes the book one
of the most valuable little textbooks
on the subject that we have seen.
A very useful chapter is added on
the use Of "shall" and "will.' and
"should" and "would.' Readers
of the daily papers will recall the re-
cent discussion Of the error Of Presi-
dent Roosevelt in the use Of "will'
for "shall' making three or four
blunders in the course Of a short let
ter. This is one Of the crosses OF
English idiom, and should be studied
as soon as possible. The real dis
tinction between "shall" and twill"
practically the same as that between
"should" and "would" is not of spe-
cial difficulty, but it is difficult to
blend precept and example in off-hand
speech. The illustrations given make
the different usage very clear.
In Typography and in arrangement,
not less than in subject matter and
the tremendous wealth Of apt illustra-
ton, the book is excellent.