The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-10-14

a proposition, or an adjective, or a
substantive is, there is a grim rea-
son for being nervous.
Only last year college student
not far away from graduation,
urged one Of his professors to aid,
if possible, young friend in dire
need. "He is prostitute OF every
thing, professor" said the COM
passionate student. "You mean
destitute, doubtless" replied the
professor. destitute, prostitute
! don't know. Make no difference"
cried the student, "the boy needs
the money"
We can never speak good Eng
fish without having firm gram
matical basis for our knowledge
There are no substitutes. Grammar
does not imply the memorization
of list or lists of stupid rules,
fanked by exceptions and fact
notes. Grammar is the knowledge
of the structure of a language. 1t
is as necessary as bones are TO the
body or the framework to house
But grammar is not synonymous
with play and that may explain
why it has been ruled out if so
many schools. We must return to
the teaching of grammar, not only
in the grades, but also in the High
Schools.
The study of grammar should
not be made a painful, pedantic ex-
position of Anticipated methods.
Formal grammarians have a place
waiting for them in the Museum
of Pedagogy. Their intention may
be good but their sight is bad. New
ertheless, grammar has to be
TAUGHT, and taught frequently and
explained intelligently by living,
competent teachers, it can become
a subject of palpitating interest.
We refer to the grammar of the
LANGUAGE spoken by the average
cultivated person; we brush aside
the superannuated phraseology of
the past along with the coarse
vulgar speech of the present gem
Grafton of unframed pupils.
If the lack of grammar is one
weakness, the discontinuance of
the habit of reading aloud is
another. Most masterpieces of lit
erature were written to be read
aloud, and much of their beauty
and meaning is lost entirely if they
are not voiced. 1t is not an easy
matter to learn to read with ex-
preston and intelligence. 1t re-
quires patience, perseverance and
endurance, in other words WORK.
How many young men and women
OF these days are able to stand on
their feet and express themselves
with ease and elegance? They have
not been trained to do so.
Silent reading may have its
place and we all know that silence
is golden, but when the silent
reader becomes so silent that he
IS unable to read aloud the page
because he cannot pronounce the
difficult words, there is a limit to
silence. Professor Bovee OF Chica-
go says: "If when you are writing
; you will also pronounce out loud
you will make still greater imprs-
SION on your mind through the
process of hearing and the action
OF pronouncing.
There is third weakness. 4
deeply rooted one, widespread and
deplorable. We refer to the pun
HS lack of intimate acquaintance
with the masterpieces of English
literature. A college graduate,
proud of his diploma, was oues-
toned concerning Dickens. The
young bachelor of arts confessed
that he had never read a single
line of Dickens, and was not as
named Of his admission either.
Wake up, young America, from
your animal dream! You are too
rich, too pampered, too dangerous
Iy Ignorant. Stupid physical ex-
uberance is sapping the mental
vitality of your vigorously endow-
ed body.
Have you lost the power of hero
worship? Can you not thrill to
and with Carlyle as he portrays
the lives of the large men of other
days? Can the reading of Plut-
arch not inspire you with ambition
to go out and do generous deeds,
to consecrate yourself to the well
fare of humanity, to dig into your
soul to discover the idea that God
placed there for you to give the
world?
We cannot elude the fact that
the English language well spoken
IS melodlous, expressive and elias
tic. There is a charm about the
man or woman who handles SEN
fences with distinction and sim
plicity. 1t is sometimes necessary
for us to listen to foreigners
speaking English for US to realize
how beautiful the language really
is. They use words with care and
precision, drawing out the niceties
of expression that delight the ear
and refresh the mind.
Slovenly language is like SLOW
! emily dress, uncombed hair, unpol-
ishcd boots, soiled collars and alb
andoned nails. 1t is d trademark,
d sign-post, or a door-plate stat
ion to all beholders that hear our
standards are low and vulgar, COM
mon and careless. When a man
speaks he reveals at once his breed
ing education. Then is it too much
to ask that our youth be taught the
value, beauty and dignity of their
Mothcr-tongue, the English Ian
guage?
| We are in a country of superb