The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1909-09-24
OPEN LETTER
TO STUDENTS
Value of Home Study and Home
Reading in Obtaining Education
BETTER THAN SCHOOLS
B. F. Hardesty Addresses Certain Young
Friends on the Value of the Study of
Language, History and Biography.
Dear Young Friends:

Dear Young Friends
| address you by that title for two
reasons: First, because while | was re-
Gently with you on different occasions
IN your homes, you have with but one
or two exceptions, seemed to accept in
a friendly way the suggestions and ad-
vice that have given; and second, be-
cause am sensible of a never failing
friendship for, and an abiding interest
in all children and "young men and
maidens' of our land
Perhaps would not have been moved
to write to you, in this way, if it had
not been for the fact, that have just
this moment been reading in Ridpath's
History of the World, something on a
subject that | discussed with two of
you, "a sister and brother-a subject
that to most boys and girls is considered
dry and irksome; the subject of Gram
mar; and another of you will remember
"a very interesting young Miss-that
| especially tried to interest you in
Ridpath's history, which your good
father has bought and put in the house
for the intellectual up-building of your
self and your brothers and sisters.
1t was while | was reading this
Poem in prose" on the Greek verb,
that | remembered the talk on dry
grammar with the sister and brother,
and the conversation on history that
had with the interesting young Miss
referred to, as well as others with
whom | have lately talked on educa-
tonal matters; and thus remembering,
| conceived the notion of putting in
print for all of you, the thoughts herein
expressed, which by the permission of
one of your mothers, would otherwise
have gone to her child alone.
know very well, that some of:you
will remember that told you, that no
one ever got an education in school
room, that by far the most important
part and the greater part of education
IN its true sense, was acquired by home
study and home reading. But in this
home reading give your time largely to
history and biOgraphy-the lives Of men
and women who have made themselves
illustrious, and have shed their luster
on all succeeding ages. In this course
CT reading, you will naturally learn
much of those sciences and arts, by
which they achieved their enviable en-
inence while at the same time uplifting
the World of Mankind This compan-
ionship with the illustrious will doubt
less help you to acquire taste for things
llustrious, and lead you to desire to
emulate their works.
Now, | know that some of you with
whom | have talked. have not Rid
paths History, and for their benefit,
with the kind permission of the Editor,
am going to quote this Poem in
Prose- just to show you how the beau
les of "Dry grammar" can be set
birth by one who has mastered it.
Those who have the history, will find
t in it's whole connection in chapter 80
If the First Book, with the heading:
Language, Literature, and Art"
"But it was the Greek verb which
most of all exhibited the fecundity of
he language. Here was revealed the
treat force and perspicuity of the
speech of the Hellenes. A double
eres of affixes. added or prefixed to
'erb-roOts, clearly distinguished the
enses as to the time and completeness
# the action expressed by them. For
,ast time the augment. and for COM
,leted action the reduplcation furnished
elicate determinations for which we
hould look in vain in Latin or in any
ther tongue ever spoken in Europe.
he root of Greek verb was thus
ubject to kind of development by
means of endings and prefxes until
he exact notion of the time, its point
nd duration, and the completeness of
he action, was expressed with speci-
C delcacy of which no other language
as ever shown itself susceptible.
"There was thus established among
II the parts of the formal structure of
he Greek language, kind of sympa-
hctic union which moved the whole as
ne. A Greek sentence was agitated
Trough all it's length and depth by the
tress of expression. The paragraph
rembled from end to end when the
brill of life awOke in any part. The
anguage, with its multtudinous end
,gs, all in harmonious accord, lay
Ike rich meadow of stately tomothy
waying and waving in the breezes of
bought. Each stalk nodded to it's
elbow. The ripple of mirth danced
yer the surface like a scarcely per-
eptible breath of air. The shadow
hased the sunshine, and the sunshine
he shadow. A sigh came out of the
crest and a deeper wave moved gently
way to the distance. The thrill of
oy, the message of defiance, the moan
the disconsOlate spirit, the paean of
attic, the shout Of victory, every mood
nd every emotion which the mi VI