Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-03-27
FOR THE LADIES.

My Greed.
would Be uae. for there are those VINO
/ would be pure. for there are those who
would be strong, for there Is much to
/ would be brave, for there is much 10
dare;
would be friend of atl-the foe-the
would be giving and forget the gift:
1 would be humble, for / Know my weak
would look up-and laugh-and love
Howard Arnold Walter in Exchange.
Our Abused Mother Tongue.
Perhaps no adage has been given
greater prominence or been more fire.
ouently quoted than LAS the twig is
bent the trees inclined" And vet for
MI its widespread use has ever an inn
nortant truth had less influence on the
human race? Indeed, there is hardly
phase of child training in which it has
not been disregarded by all but a very
small number of educators and parents.
For one thing, although correct speech
is everywhere regarded as the hall mark
Of the educated class, how many par
ents take pains to train their children,
beginning at the nursery lisping age in
the proper use of words, correct pro-
nunciation. and agreeable intonations?
Gross grammatical inaccuracies are not
ed and harsh, loud tones may be e9r-
rected. but how many children have
their attention drawn to the subtler in
elegancies of speech such as the drop
ping of the final & apsii giving the sound
If EN- to them? The latter is, by the
way, universal fault of Americans, and
one that English visitors have frequently
commented upon. If this seems an eXag-
geration note the pronunciation of the
word i'll any group with which YOU hap
pen to be thrown, or observe the prac-
tee in regard to it by the members of
your own household
The unfortunate fact is that children
are not only permitted the greatest lati-
tqde in incorrect speech, but, as there
are very few persons iii any walk of
life who use language properly. they are
without guidance III this part of their So
cial intercourse. 1t is of course impos-
sible for the teacher in the public or
other school-with curriculum crowded
with studies and the class crowded with
students--to even attempt the super
vision of the individual vocabulary so
that it is necessary, unless the great ma
i0rity are to continue in their present
estate of language limitations that they
he trained outside of school, and this
puts the obligations squarely upon par
ents. Whatever other shortcomings par
ents may display. it should be matter
Of pride with them to know their own
language to the extent at least of using
it correctly, and yet how seldom is this
the case. The majority of women in the
well-to-dO classes consider it more or less
disgrace ii they do not possess at least
smattering of French. yet the very
same women have most restricted Eng
hsh vocabulary, and often use what they
have inaccurately. These disuualific
tons, however, do not appear to make
them in the least ashamed. nor do they
realize that it is largely because of their
own ignorance that their children show
such lamentahle ignorance of their native
tongue and its proper pronunciation The
universities are somewhat to blame for
the prevalent contempt of the English lam
guage, since it is only of recent wears
that many of them have properly hon
ored it. In both private and public
schools also the future parents of the
race have been trained in foreign lam
guages and educational fads galore. at
the expense of their native tongue and
the result is that they assai the baby
ear with all possible linguistic distortions.
and even carry on this language debauch
with those who have outgrown the in
fant age. In speaking to the older chill
dren, parents are also usually more or
less slovenly and inelegant-the intimacy
Of the family circle being assumed as ex-
cuse enough for unloy2ly tones and bad
pronunciation.
There are signs that at last the YER
nacular is to be accorded the attention it
deserves, and the various movements
having that for their object should have
the cordial support of the public. and
especially that portion of it which has
charge of the training of children
Vogue.
~o..o~
Love Without Respect.
At tie police court a brutal-ooking
man had been convicted of misdemean-
or. woman paid his fine--a frail. deli
cate-iaoking woman, who had one of her
eyes bandaged What is the matter
with your eyes?' the judge asked. with
a suspicion Of the man she had Just
freed. 1T was hurt against some
thing" she answered eySsively. Hurt
against your husbands big fist" inter-
posed {, bystander. HE knocked her
down because she objected to giving him
all the money she had got for a weeks
washing" Il ought to send that fellow
to jail declared the Judge. ''Oh, no,
your honor; he won't do it again" plead
ed the woman. mot till next time.
Wen, its your risk. But why do you
band, your. honor" But you can't re-
Of course 'sOh, yes, your honor"
There you arer' commented the judge.
Love without respect. The wise ones
IN the magazines and women's papers
are always telling us there is no such
thing-that love must needs have a foun-
dauon of respect, or it can't stand. 1t
seems the writing woman has not
plumbed the depth of the matter where
her own sex is concerned
Love without respect-surely it exists.
1t keeps many shaken household from
gong to pieces: it saves many a poorly
oullt human bark from becoming
wreck, The hayward son cannot fall so
low that the arms of his mother are not
about him; the misguided daughter can.
not wander so far that the mother is
not ready to receive the worlds outcast
TO her shielding bosom. But this, you
say, is mother-love; it needs no respect
to sustain it. Why should the only other
Iove known to humanity hold less of the
divine element of forgiveness. forbear-
ance and tenderness? The best love,
whether of man or woman, has in it
strong. maternal quality. Christ taught
ms, and Paul, who best understood the
Master, cPysta llizpd His teaching in this