The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1920-12-09
STRESS NECESSITY
OF GOOD SPEECH

very interesting talks on language
The first talk was given by Miss Heller
W. Crane, the librarian, on the subject
Fundamentals of Language Struc
ture."
She began by stating the funda
mentals which underlie our entire lang
uage structure, and suggested some
books to which one may go to refresh
his or her memory and to learn addi-
tional things which would be helpful
TO know.
One Of the books suggested was the
dictionary. This is the main source of
information about words, their spell
ing, pronunciation, meaning, and der
walton. Then there are a number
Of smaller books which give the same
material as that contained in the die
tlonary, but which emphasize some
one particular phase, such as prom
unciation or synonyms.
Roget's "Thesaurus" was another
book mentioned. The arrangement of
the words in this book are not in
alphabetical order but according to
the idea the words are used to ex-
press
Ayres "'Verbalist" is devoted to
brief discussions of the right and
wrong use of words.
Phyfe's $4,000 Words Often Mis-
pronounced" contains words which
are likely to be mispronounced
These books are most helpful and
almost indispensable to the person
who wishes to speak and to write with
accuracy and yet, in themselves, they
are not sufficient. Except in rare
cases no one can really express his
thoughts we'll until he has read
widely and deeply.
Taste for reading, as in anything
cultural, can be cultivated and i'm
proved ands even developed. Since it
is mors difficult for an adult to de-
velop taste for reading than it is
for a child, it. makes it more neces-
sary that the children form the habit
of reading while they are in the ele-
mentary schools.
Miss Crane urged the students to
make the best possible use Of the IL
brary.
The second speaker was DR.. C. l..
Kierstad who gave an interesting talk
on 1.-The Mechanism of Speech. he
spoke somewhat as follows:
Aside FROM thought speech is the
one accomplishment which sets man
off from the rest of creation.
Thought and speech are Intimately
related such that it is not possible to
decide which is the first in human
growth and development. Most of our
thinking is in terms of words. DR..
Wundt says it is as foolish to argue
the question as to which is OF hrst
Importance, speech or thought, as 1t
would be to debate the question
whether the hen or the egg is of first
Importance. :,
He went on to explain the speech
mechanisms of the body which have
to work in unison for every word
uttered; and that this cooperation Of
muscles, ligaments, etc., is made pos
sible by habituation, and by the spe-
cial brain centers for the control OF
speech. He also explained at some
length the three speech centers and
their functions.
The last speech was given by Father
Baker, the teacher Of French. He
gave an interesting talk on "The Re-
Iation of Foreign Languages to the
English Language.
Mere knowledge Of words is not cul-
ture and does not produce culture
Many do not know how to read or to
write. We should not overestimate the
fact. that we are born and are Amer
lcans. The matter Of writing is con-
fined closely to US. We communicate
our thoughts in the shortest way pos
sible by means of monosyllables. The
French language is, today, to the
modern world what the Greek lang
uage was to the ancient world. 1t is a
language of culture and refinement
Paris; is the center of Europe from the
H1tsIleetual point of view. The speak.
er also stated the advantages that
rebound to the Individual when he ser.
iously makes study Of other foreign
languages. l.. r.
rnAr cnENTNKEAI0