Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 November 1908 — Language Studies at School. [ARTICLE]

Language Studies at School.

That a great many men “have acquired a violent hatred for English literature, owing to the preparation required in it” at school, is tbe opinion of Professor Lounsbury of Yale. The preparation referred to is, of course, training in grammar, spelling and rhetoric as preliminary to exercises in literature. In this connection a colleague of Professor Lounsbury at Yale. Professor Thelps, thinks that “training at home is what really counts ” Ton often In American homes there to no systematic training. Spoken Inn guage is used carelessly, and books are seldom selected with regard to style lu language. It is said that foreign boys outstrip our natives In acquiring good English where the home training of the latter has been careless. In schools abroad much attention is given to tbe principles underlying all language, and a pupil thus prepared to half a linguist for any language he may attempt. It may be that our elementary training to at fault and that too great a burden to placed upon memory during childhood. Language is of slow growth and U probably “picked up” more often than It Is mastered by hard study. Doubtless much depends on a right

start whether the pupil ends with “a violent hatred for English literature” or learns to love literature and to use good English with ease.