The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-29

VISITING TEACHERS
EXCEEDINGLY BUSY
Continued from Page One.

Grammar Is the science OF language. II
Includes the body of classified knowledge
pertaining 10 the laws OF speech. Obvi-
ously. the possession of this knowledge
win facilitate exact and correct eXpres.
sion. a genuine art OF speech must rest
back upon known laws, In other words,
grammar is the basis OF rhetoric.
This relation furnishes an adequate
REASON for the study OF grammar Inc
science is justified by It's function, But
a knowledge of the science does not con
vcy skill In tho art. Nor ia IL necessary
for the beginner In an art to know as a
preliminary all the laws Of the ART. Ihat
Is. there Is a vast difference between the
establishment OF an art on sure founda-
tlnns or even It's use by mature and
competent artist. and IL, Its practice pI IN e5 eie5
To understand the physical lnws of sound
and harmony before he can be taught TO
sing in time and harmony. Neither does
child need to know the laws OF gram
mar before he can he taught TO speak,
and 10 speak correctly.
The Language Lesson.
This leads us, to the consideration of
the language lesson its Justification,
first ask: Why are language lessons
Jusunabe In elementary schools ii
everybody. without being taught. uses
language with reasonable enecliveness-
why take time in school to teach 1t?
The fundamental reason for teaching
It. insisting upon It's proper use must
rest upon The Intimate relation OF think
ing and expression. Clear and accurate
thinking and clear and accurate express
nenJ scholars maintain there can be no
thought without lan0uage Certainly the
process of thinking would be very rudi-
mentary without language. And from
lhs it must follow that the power to
think clearly and logically is very i'm
perfect when expression Is imperfect \
practical purposes for original strong
thinking In spite OF the fact that society
puts a ban upon the individual using IL,
for violating the conventional form of eN-
preston. However desirable. correct, and
even elegant. English may be. the mere
form OF expression is OF no value If there
Is no thought In II. Language, therefore,
seems To me to be the most important
subject taught in our schools. because II
is the basis OF all thinking. and, conse
quently, OF ali subjects OF human knowl-
edge. From this point OF view, language
becomes an instrument absolutely incls-
pcuSahlc TO the usefulness and happiness
OF man, because his very existence de-
pends upon clear, vigorous and accurate
thinking.
Problems Present Themselves
The problem OF the English lessons in
FOR instruction must proceed concurrenuy
along three lines
!. Composition-th practice OF eN-
pressing thought both orally and in writ
;. Reading tho Interpretation OF
thought AS found on the printed page.
the art OF good speech, and the study
OF as much grammar as the child may
reasonably be expected 10 comprehend
These three divisions of the subject
constitute. in fact merely related. phases
OF one organic process: for al work In
clearly, 70 speak and write readily, to
acquire correct forms of speech as Il
habit and 10 develop a love Of good lit
Naturally, the first thing to consider
in determining the method OF teaching
any subject is the purpose of teaching
tNpI h,a i'm 'llsaI
settled. determines the standard by
which all methods may be measured.
The next considerations are the nature
Of the subJect-its meaning and Its logic
and the laws Of growth Of the minds Of
the individual learners, especially as re-
lated to the subject under consideration.
tain the, end aimed at through the study
Of language oonsfiI6iSs,ring 10 the nature OF
the subject. and Williams S mental state
regarding language?
Which Shall Determine?
Here we come upon the old contest be-
tween psychology and logic. as to which
snail determine the method Of teaching
a subject. shall subjects be presented
by rule and definition in logical order.
or shall they DO allowed 10 present them
selves as occasion offers, according TO the
present mental state, the existing or po-
tentIaI interest. OF the learner, Shall ma
ture study be for observation, discovery.
and conclusions. or shall II be the verif-
cation OF the established classification OF
science?
There is but one answer TO the ques-
ton. The child must learn as he can.
cesses of his mental action results In
waste or failure, or disaster.
How does a child naturally learn to
use language? AT first altogether. and
always chiefly. by sheer Imitation. There
is no other way FOR him. Vocabulary Is
a matter of memory. The art of Ian
vocabulary In artistic and effective com
binations. and such combinations are, for
the most part. limitations.
In the earlier stage OF ChildS learn
ing language. rules cut no figure. With
advancing maturity and logical powers
they become increasingly important as
clinching and putting into convenient and
condensed form the principles and Ian
Guage customs that have already been
demonstratcd and initiated by the learner.
Only when they record experience are
these rules o! great Valuc-a fact that
bears directly on the method OF teaching.
The first essentials. then, in teaching
language to children are good models 10
initiate and thought to express. with the
desire to express II.
As language Is the basis Of all thinking,
and consequently. Of all subjects OF hu-
man knowledge IT is undoubtedly the
most important phase OF our school work.
bearing as II does so close a relation to
every subject OF the curriculum and TO
every part OF the days programme, Be
cause Of the complexity OF the environ
diversity in the homes from which he
comes TO us. so many homes In which
there is little or nc regard Tor the proper
use OF language or else where the Ian
guage is foreign. and because the infu-
ences which counteract those OF the
school in such instances in the relation
of four TO one, and this during the most
Imprcssionable age. II often seems impos-
sIblc TO secure correct use OF English. TO
say nothing OF qualities considered neces-
| sary TO literary style,
And do VIC not often aim at obtaining
| from the masses n correct and beautiful
! literary style when we should respect a
| crudlty. welcoming 1t as the child's
emancipation?
We may bend every effort to the
breaking point TO eliminate Objectionable
words. phrases and idioms. and TO secure
| olearness OF expression for the purpose Of
clearness and accuracy OF thinking. we
| may possibly give a sort Of veneer TO the
| language by constant drlll on correct
| models. but we shall develop no perma-
nent power In the use Of language with
out coming to full realization that the
| mere form of correct and elegant English
is OF no value IL there is no thought In
II; and (2) also must believe TO the
knowing point that if written language
| Is forced before there is sufficient mas
| terry OF the oral, the result Is arrested
| Development; and foremost and above all.
we must not ask the pupils to think on
an empty mind.