The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-21

rnent OIL SUPERINTENDENT w m a. Dyer
since he came In charge nf the work,
The teachers arc being paid better
broader aspect Of the sentence. Ard
what is the result? Just as NJ. Jour
dain had, been talking prose for forty
years without knowing it, our high
school graduate has been using final
sentences and indirect questions .aand
all the devices of syntaX for four ears
lat least without recognizing them.
This ought not to be So a half ses-
sion OF training in the logic and sc-
Ience of grammar Will go far toward
correcting this OMISSION
OBJ. English Idsom.
When our high school student has
had this training in the general laws
Of language, he will, be ready to de-
vote the second half-session to, The
breaches of these laws athats8Wet call
English idioms, The irreg nlaritjes OF
English are not recognized In our high
school course and yet they. give a
tang and an individuality to our
speech that must, be recognized by any
one that would make himself acduaint-
led with its characteristics. OF course,
no deep or exhaustive treatment may
be attempted at this point but some
Elementary training in the recogni-
lloI anu eAplalla llOI solEy luiotH &1lS Ell =
tirely in place here. The careful trac-i
ling Of the development Of the dan,
guaget from an historical or philologi-
cal viewpoint is not necessary to the
adequate compreh ension of the many
omissions and confusions and ahbre-
lviations and attempts at euphony in
our everyday speech. Now6is the time
ito revert to "adverbial the and to
lexplain the omission OF to- with the
infinitive, and to explain the many
breaches of sequence. These arc
Sufficiently elementary, but of prime
Importance. Now we may try to make
the student sure why he says ito be
4 sure" to show something archaic in
i ''nowadays," to deplore our dilatory
lack Of logical correctness in "by
i himself" Scores of Instances may be
Iadduced by every teacher here and It
lis surely important to know the prin-
Iciples underlying these simple irregu-
llarities.
You may say that these are mere
elementary things but is it not the
lack Of such elementary training that
lis partly responsible for poor results
in English teaching? 1t is in vain
that we read the English classics and
teach the history of our literature
unless our students are trained to
recognize the flavor Of our idiomatic
English speech, and to follow the de-
.Iveiopment Of the expressions pecu-
Hairy our own. 1t is not for lack of
proper textbooks suitable to this
grade that this omission of training
lin idiom Is due, for we have excellent
Itreatises on the subject ready to our
hand. Such high authorities as 4ib-
tbott, Balm, Mei.sleiohn. and many
Iothers have provided such books
under the title Of Higher Grammar
u,
aletc.. and we may be sure that they
did not take the trouble to prepare
+ Esuch textbooks without conviction
A that they were needed in the high
school course. AT any rate. I am the
'Ibolder in urging the wisdom of thi.
lplan because | believe that l have til,
influence Of the weight Of opinion O.
such authorities with me.
The course proposed to be substi
tuted. then, consists of one half-ses
Esion of higher grammar and one half
tsession Of English idiom-one year
, work in all. The next question tina
: ARISES, If this courne is desirable. j
, whether we may find a place for it q
!, the high school course without iniur;
! to other work already included. ! be
lieve that this may be done.
Co. The New Plan.
The circular of the standard Of re
3 tournaments for high schools OF Vir
t g!n!a, 1906, which is the latest pub
]. lighed gives the English work thus:
: First Year--Composition and gram
3 mar; classics.
Second Year-Rhetoric and compost
tion: classics.
Third Year-Rnetoric. history o
English literature; classics.
Fourth Year Composition history o
] American literature; classics.
~ NV ~ ttpne. u
I should hazard an opinion as to tn
I proper tirno for the study OF literatur
in this course. now that we have ha
J such adequate experience OF the "clas
! sics' method In our schools. Their
! may well be difference OF opinio
! about this, however and shall hol
I Ito my topic. II we have found tw
d Ispeclfc omiaeions IN this course-7th
a fhigaer grammar and Englsh idiom-
u lIs 1t pogsibla to include this work |
the regular course2 There Ia no mug
q lgestion OF adding to tho course. as
ts already as fun as is advisable. Th
II lonly method practlcable$is that Of gut
| stitution. What may we omit w!tilol
N Iioss7
II NY point Of attack--ror suggestion-
| Is the rhetoric OF tho sccDna year 4
J. my ,oLlnion, this year OF rhetoric 4
AZ merely d atop-Hap. and may well |
OMITTED without loss TO tho Htuden
VI Whatever tao theory may be, 1t IL
NJ fact that many os tbs students OF III
/ l second year 81 tne high 4chooi eour.
l. are not ready for rhetorie.- Inatsad ,
! a smatteflns OF rhetoric FOR this goa
ii would j not DO vel to follow up Ii
III hofopgh reFleW ri grammar of II
| l Arst YGar with our higher grammi
| and idipm ng a preparation for Ii
II rhetoric Of the thifd year? SUI
I ! york. definite and exact, Would III,
an adequate knowledge of tho scient
or grammar, before the study If Ii
Art OF rhetoric This ronfEe won
III mas O. tonic iahuence ard lngrn
more mature yiew.
81 HOE the 5iats Hoard may rnEa.
!! this constitution I do not know. III
work outlined ~ tilstn comes WI
high authority, ana / do not prast,n
n 70 say that they hays not given az d
kA lbeet cpprse ~ theory Ent as s teach