The sun., 1919-04-11
BLISS PERRY FINDS
ENGLISH IN BAD WAY
Urges Americanization ana
Better Education OF
Immigrants.
MILLIONS CAN'T READ
Suggests Academy Of Arts and
Letters Offer Prize for
Best Written Book.
MILLIONS CAN'T READ

Bliss Perry of Harvard University
came over from Boston yesterday TO tell
New Workers. a few things about the
present state of the English language
He reached tho conclusion that what
with immigration and Newspaper report
ers who 'rudely coin words when writ
ing in q somnolent state In the small
hours of tho morning and low stand
ards of education in the schools and tho
natural tendency of the American public
to smash linguistic idols ana teiiwith-
Lindley Murray. the instrument OF
Shakespeare. Addison, Walter Pater. &C.,
&C., is in q bad way.
In fact--he was speaking at a meeting
of the American Academy Of Arts ana
Letters and the National Institute OF
Arts and Letters in Chemists Hall, %
East Forty-frst street the occasion De-
ing the last discussion for the season IN
the Blashfield foundation for examina-
ton into the health Of the English Ian
guage-he said that action on the part
of tho academy and institute was I'M
peratively needed
The gathering was small 1t made
some of those present sad to reflect how
few persons apparently are interested In
numbers who flock. for instance, to must
cal comedies and football games. But
such as 1t was the audience listened
with interest to Prof Perrys diagnosis
of and prescription for the case under
examination with great interest
Americanization. he declared, was the
first need. and he advised the academy
to go into politics to the extent OF back
ing Americanization bills now before
Congrees. The war. he said, had re-
vealed an amount Of illiteracy In the
United States Of which we had not
dreamed.
Tho draft showed the amazing fact
that "a $40 per cent Of the drafted men
could not read or write the English Lam
euage," he said. There are in this
country eight and one-half millions OF
persons over 10 years OF age who can't
read English and four millions who can't
read in any language.
Those Of US whose part in the war
was the inglorious one OF talking to the
soldiers and sailors could but note how
many there were who couldn't under
stand the simplest speech In English
They listened quietly and respectfully.
but the patient, pathetic expression OF
complete MISUNDERSTANDING on some or
those faces was a sad commentary on
elementary education in the United
States. The loyalty was tnere, put INC
primary school was lacking.
You know the story of the employee
in the Cleveland rolling mills who tore
down a Liberty Loan poster and was
nearly lynched for 1t before the crowd
discovered that he tore 1t down because
the head of the Kaiser was on 1t, and.
being unable to read. he thought 1t was
disloyal poster. When 30 many OF
our citizens possess so little Of any kind
OF English. the academy may be par
doned II 1t departs from the discussion
of syntax to urge better education for
our Immigrants"
Prof. Perry made two other sugges-
tons for the academy. One was that 1t
should offer a prize for the book OF the
year which should be adjudged best in
style. and the other was that COM
mittee be appointed to pick out the actor
or actress whose speech on the stage ex-
celled all others in purity and clearness
and decorate or cite him or her.
Brander Matthews OF Columbia pre-
sided. Henry van Dyke read a paper in
memory of Hamilton Wright Mabie,
member OF the academy. who recently
died.