The New York herald., 1921-03-15
Good English.
"He DON'T and Differing Standards
Of Taste in Speech.

Sherwood Rankin, the Western defender
Of "he don't" and 'it's me- Is arguing
on dangerous ground when she main
tains that euphony should determine the
correct form of locution.
/ once had little incident which
may be enlightening to Miss-or per-
haps Mrs.-Rankin. and amusing, ] am
sure. to all of your discriminating
readers.
I was teaching algebra to class OF
young boys. and In the course % an
oral explanation one of the boys used
the locution 1T don't" Being old fash
ioned enough to believe in holding up
to the highest standard the purity OF
the English language or even the Amer
ican dialect l Immediately began
TRADE on the slipshod use OF our noble
language. When / had vented my feel
ings I put this question to the class:
"why is It that 1t don't Is wrong?"
dozen or more boys raised their
hands. Picking out a likable little chap
asked: well. Freddie. why IS 1t
wrong7" Quickly and clearly came the
reply: Because II don't sound right,
sir" I am happy to say that the sud
Qen OuIDuTSL Oh ldusHLcT sHOWcu lide
no further comment was needed.
Whether a iocution sounds well or
not depends on the circle in which one
moves If Miss Rankin or other apollo
gists move In society In which he
doesn't" and .it is T. will sound pedan-
tic, then let them yield and go along
with the uneducated or careless hot
polloi.
Sound! What booteth a line from
Whittier or the practice Of Samuel
Pepys? Would Miss Rankin have US
change the noble words OF Christ found
in Matthew xiv. 81. But straightway
Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be OF
good cheer: 1t is I; be not afraid?
Perhaps Miss Rankin and others OF
your readers have not heard the famous
story OF delightful old DR.. James Nc
Gosh, president of Princeton University
in the 1SS0s. believe II will bear
repeating after these forty years.
One evening Old Jimmie. as he WIS
affectionately called. was passing
through dormitory, and on hearing
a great racket In a nearby room he
stopped and knocked on the door.
Quickly. the query came from within
who's therey' AS quickly came the
answer Its me. DIR. McCosh!" Dead
silence in the room, but soon a voice
came ringing back: You liel If you
were Old Jimmie McCosh you'd say II
is T." And Old Jimmie didn't stop
to see who had so boldly dared make
the correction.
Miss Rankin would appeal to common
40 oh n-
Of the prominent apologists that she
mentions say ne do" as the beloved
Samuel Pepys did? Why not argue for
the spelling of Chaucer? Don't" is so
obviously an abbreviatlon Of do not
that until Miss Rankin persuades me
TO say he, she or It do I cannot be
persuaded to say he, she or It don't
/ am not n teacher of English, and
accordingly arm not affronted at Miss
Rankin's charge that English is the
worst taught subject in the whole cur
-iculun." In fact, though ] feel that
her statement Is too sweeping, | am
Inclined to agree with her TO a degree.
But have no sympathy with weak
kneed English teachers. from Superin-
tendent Tobin down. who do not dare
tafp = firm stand for the best uses or
worss and phrases. and who are sub
servient TO the ignorant and careless
uses of our vernacular
Just as the standard Of honor or
honesty or truth cannot be raised too
high, so also the standard OF good Eng
llsh should be held up by Its guardians
SO high that all may see II and strive
70 reach it's height. None OF us can be
perfect but the goal at which every
student of English should aim is la
belled Perfection. o, G. JoL1NB.
wArEnTowN, Conn. March II.