The Alaska daily empire., 1921-11-18
JUNEAU SCHOOL
 OBSERVES GOOD
 ENGLISH WEEK
Special Emphasis to Good English in All Classes
 Winning Article.

From November to 12, national American Speech Week was observed in the Juneau public schools. Spe- cial emphasis was given to gooa English in all classes. Pupils gath cred examples of incorrect use c. English both in and out of class anc brought them up for discussion i. class.
 Posters were made by pupils for Good English Week. Other exer- cises included poems and articles written by students. The best ar ticle by High School student was written by Marguerite Bone.
 This was entitled "Americanization and Language" and follows in full:
 Tn the ancient days when pow arful king invaded a neighboring tribe forced the vanquished people under his yoke and led them into captivity, the conquered people found their greatest cross, amidst new sur roundings, not ill changed customs and laws, not in a different religion not in abuses and hardships inflicted by cruel taskmasters, but in the strange, unfamiliar language spoken about them It has been said that speech is the closest band of unity between the races of mankind. Even at the present day we are like these ancient tribes in loving our own language better than any other in he world and it cannot be denied but that the close relationship and feel ing of common interest which exists between America and England is due in a large measure to the one language used by both
 tThe English language, today, is the predominant one among the nations, md eventually, it is thought, there will be an English speaking world. Every year hundreds of immigrants come to our shores to seek new homes in America and they usually come with a conscientious desire to foreigner, if left to himself, would earn it correctly but sad to say it is )ur own influence which corrupts his knowledge of the English language He hears our misuses and is natur- ally quick to initiate them.
 Wherever a language is, it grows but unfortunately, one Ian guage has grown in the wrong direc- jon of late years. That language corrupted with slang, bad grammar, incorrect phrases, and exaggerated words with miseonstrued meanings, which we call English. is far removed rom the pure, lofty, polished and 'efined speech of our ancestors. It } doubtful whether literary men of he 17th and 18th centuries, such as Addison, Steele, Pope and Samuel Johnson would recognize it as the anne
 Emerson has said that we infer the spirit of the nation to a large extent, from their language which is '. sort of monument to which each 'oreible individual, in source of many hundred years. has contributed a stone = Needless to say, there are ew of us who a hundred years from now would be proud of the stone that we Sad contributed in the buildin"
 of perfect English language. If
 he English language is to be the predominant one in the generations 0 come, it behooves us to do our )art in making it language that is worthy. of such place and honor.
 hnr lat drllA fEnn1 English Week as a time for trying half heartedly to use better grammar md grudgingly laying aside our pet slang phrases, merely for the time being only to resume them when the week is over. Instead let us well come this time, for the real and last ing reform which each one of us can help to accomplish. Then we may truthfully say that our language is the inheritance for all yet to come.