The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-11-23


icanism Is better and more correc-
tive speech, DR. H. G. Paul. from the
English department OF the Univer-
sity of Illinois, told q large gather
ing last night at the Lincoln school
auditorium in his lecture on Oral
English Is Habit" !.
The lecture was held as a part OF
the program to be carried out this
week in the observance OF American
Education Week" The series of
lectures during the week are given
through the combined efforts Of sew
raj organizations in the city. Those
sponsoring the programs are The
American Legion, Parent Teachers
association, Public Teachers OF
Mankato and North Mankat,..
Teachers College, Kiwanis club ana
the Civic and Commerce associa-
| ton. -
The program opened last night
with a musical number. Eta May
college rendering two vocal solos.
She first sang Grass and Roses" and
was encored to sing II Passed By
Your window" She was accom-
panied by Miss Bonita Johnson on
the piano and Miss Anna Neubeiser,
violin.
Superintendent Harry D.. Keis, in
introducing the speaker Of the even
! ing, called him a "doer Of things"
He declared that he would deliver
An address on a subject that was
dear to his heart.
1.-THE outspoken habit is acquired
! and kept the same as other habits.
urge you people to use oral Eng
lish at all times. We acquire the
corrective speech habit in the same
manner as We acquire the other
daily habits"
Of various habits, which first func-
! ton in the forepart of the brain and
gradually gets the command from
the base of the brain which makes
one unknowingly do a certain thing.
He illustrated his point by describ-
ing the habit Of dancing and dress
ing. !
When Exposed To Language
when we are exposed to lang
uage, then we speak that language.
II We were born in Arabia-we
would speak the Arabic language
in China-the Chinese language.
We acquire our speech a great deal
from imitation although our mind
may not be focused upon whether
we are forming the right or wrong
speech habit"
"There is a tendency from asso-
citation to form speech habit from
hearing other people talk. When you
get your speech habit you get your
upon which seems to be most worth
while. Once a thing becomes worth
while we go after 1t to acquire our
habit" .-..-...-
Good speech is an asset to people
Of every class. To attain the best
results there must be an awakening
of all for better speech. We don't
always use good speech when we
get away by ourselves, which Is
forming the wrong habit. 80.
Better English. means better
Jobs. The man who can express
himself clearly and ID distinctly is
we're in, better English is a great
asset.
I'VE are all marked clearly by
certain peculiarities Of our speech.
We are marked by our speech in our
profession by these peculiarities.
Who they are, are told by the way
they talk. Nothing marks one to
other people as clearly as does our
The appeal of real Amerieanism.
declared DR.. Panl, is for better
speech which would make better
citizens. He told his audience that
million soldiers who were unable to
master our common language to re-
ceive correct commands "Our ma
tional language" he said as the
greatest thing which joins the ma
ton together-greater even than re-
| ligion."
The speaker stated that the Hot
entot was the lowest class IN the
world In their vocabulary, which
consisted Of only 300 words. Shake
speare, he said, had the highest at
tainment next to Christ, having q
vocabulary. of more than $4,000
Words Like Brlckwork.
Words are like brickwork. They
are built up to hold the cavity of
our thoughts. Every new word we
attain is added to that cavity. Every
one likes to give wonderful ex-
preston to every beautiful thought.
DIR. Paul illustrated the use of
words to express beautiful thoughts
by lauding the American flag, hang
ing in the auditorium and also pay
ing reverance to God. He declared
IudL W SCuu thoughts OuL VI OuI
mouths in the proper shape they
needed preparation. One should be
careful to clothe thoughts well so
that they would be said we'll, de-
clared the speaker.
1--WE must change the conception
of our language for It changes from
! time to time the same as the styles
have changed from generations ago.
! The fashion in language does not
change, however, as rapidly as
styles. Certain phrases of our lang
uage have not changed since the
time of Shakespeare, however. Once
everybody agrees on certain word
or phrase 1t causes a change in our
language. There are times when
phrases in our language are not al
ways logical" ~ :,
Language has changed and also
pronunciation, declared DR.. Paul.
He told of the different pronupcia-
tions acquired by people in different
sections of the United States. How
the people in the middle west spoke
distinctly different than the people
of the east, west or south. He said
=, that some words used by certain
people in our country were thought
to be illiterate, but were in reality
old English.
Advice To Teachers.
| He told the teachers in the audi
ence not to attempt to teach the
children too much of the correct
| form at one time. To teach the
children the correct form in which to
use the verbs "Do, Come, Go, and