Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1907-12-05

less or questionable value that have
their day, he called the "annuals, 7"
while there is still another class of
books poisonous in their nature. which
he classed as "toadstools. -
"The Heavenly Twins" aud other
books of the Grand Sarah" sort, he
said, are not included in the "peren-
nial "ciass. In this connection he paid
his respects to the goody good book,
which lie seemed to have no more use
for than nasty nice" people. Even
the so-called literature of E. P. Roe
is mildly under the ban and the speak
or significantly inquired whether it is
possible to get anything out of it.
Mrs Virgins in the Cabbage Patch"
belongs to another class of books, the
perusal of which. in MIR. Green's es.
timation, represents merely a loss of
time.
Some people, the speaker said, think
they must read all the latest books in
order to keep up with the times, -
never stopping to inquire if the books
themselves are cup with the times 4"
Professor Greene related an incident
Of his travel abroad when he "met"
Marie Corelli. Whatever his impres-
sions may have been as to the person :
ality of the authoress he didn't nav
much of compliment to her books.
which he classed with those that rep
resent outgrowths of distorted
minds
The speaker has no patience with
those people that have no time for
books, but imagine they are fulfilling
their full duty to themselves by read
ing the newspapers. Others along
with the newspapers read the maga-
zines. Such people he is inclined to
believe are beyond intellectual re-
demption. To keep up with the
times, he said, one had better read
something the world is not willing
shall die.
There are persons who read books OF
a wholly questionable sort with the
excuse that they want to become fami.
liar with certain phases of life-just
as II, the speaker added. it were neces.
sary to crawl through the dirty sew.
ers of city in order to become fami.
liar with its system of sewerage.
When bad books have fallen into the
hands of boys and their minds are
poisoned there is only one way te
eradicate the evil effects and that il
to introduce good reading, supplant
ing the old. Drive out the devils of
darkness by introducing angels OF
| light
Books selected should be of the
cheerful type-not gloomy and pessim
lstic. For his part the speaker sale
he could not stand the wormwood O.
Marie Corelli. He preferred book
that show that earth is crowded will
heaven aud in this connection com
mended Browning's splendid optim
ism. " In conclusion he said book
should be varied and poetry should bt
chosen along with prose.
PROFESSOR RIGDON.
The first period in the afternoon wa.
occupied by Professor Rigdon, whc
put in a plea for grammar, insisting
Notwithstanding what is sometimes
urged to the contrary, that the subjec
is mot only important but also essentia
1t is needed as preparation for otheI
language studies and as a basis foI
( correct expression. 1t is not more i'm
portant than some other studies, bu
1t must come first. This is certainl,
true of rhetoric. 1t is a recognized
fact that without knowledge Of gran
mar the latin student labors under 6
serious handicap.
While grammar is essential the stud,
OF it affords as mental exercise, which
achieves discipline Of the intellect
develops memory and calls into ex
ercise the power of Judgment. Gram
mar has to do with the power of con
ception; it develops the reasonin,
faculty and indicates that the possess
or is a person of strong will power.
Professor Rigdon said that he woulC
not recommend that person be
grammarian above every thing else
but only a grammarian incidentally
He recommended that a person carr,
along with the study of grammar econ
omics, sociology, history of journalism
and the like, in order to maintain ,
balance and to prevent the studen
from becoming narrow in his view
and falling into the habit of quibbl
ing.
Wednesday.
/ The attendance at the teachers in