Jumbled English

1919

A school patron talking with a prominent educator the other day said that with all of the effort made in North Carolina schools to give the child a fair knowledge of the English language, he did not believe there was one child in a hundred in the schools of the State who could recite a sentence of twenty words in a clear, distinct and articulate tone of voice. The pity is that there is so much truth in the statement, comments the Raleigh News Observer.

Go into a classroom and hear the children read. Is it not the exception when a child knows how to pronounce its syllables distinctly? Syllables and letters both are too often wholly ignored. Words are jumbled together too frequently in incoherent fashion. Worst of all and at the bottom of the trouble is the fact that some of the teachers are less proficient than they should be in distinctness of speech, while others who are more precise themselves, pay insufficient attention to the pronunciation of the children.

The old-fashioned elocution class in which the children were taught to utter their syllables distinctly might very well come back in place of some of the things that are more pretentious, but have less value in the school.

Weapons of the Teachers

1917

Evil Methods Inspiring Fear Not Conducive to Best Results

Power to produce fear is a poor weapon. The teacher who uses it is not doing his best work.

Snakes are feared by reason of their sting. So are lions and tigers for reason of their power to produce harm.

Fear is the weapon of an enemy. We do not fear our friends, nor can we fear anything that we love.

Evil is just absence of good; for it cannot exist where good is. And evil chooses fear for its weapon. Neither evil nor fear should exist in the schoolroom, says an exchange.

Good is always stronger than evil; love always stronger than fear. Why should teachers employ evil methods and inspire fear in the hearts of children when springs of love are bubbling up on every side?

There are smiles, and kind words, and kind thoughts, and deeds of kindness and — but the list is too great to complete. These inspire love, and as weapons are much more efficient than is fear.

And then there is faith! When good loses its trust in its ability to overcome, fear disarms and evil conquers. An animal will not attack a man who has absolutely no fear of it. That is the secret of the lion-tamer's power. Evil cannot defeat a man who is strong in good, and therefore he has no cause to fear evil.

The American Woman's Curiosity

1910

"The American woman's intellectual characteristic is curiosity. One feels she would like to have ten pairs of eyes so as to see everything, ten pairs of ears so as to hear everything. . . .

"When I sit down at table beside an American woman of Paris, she immediately asks me: "Have you seen such and such a play? Have you been to such and such an art exhibition? What do you think of this novel or of that philosophical or historical book recently published?' . . . And I am forced to admit that I have not seen the latest play, that for more than ten years I have not set my foot inside the annual 'salons,' that I read slowly and carefully, and am therefore forced to read but few books. And I know my American neighbor feels great disdain for my inculture. . . .

"Still I have infinite sympathy for her charming and universal intellectual curiosity; only long experience has taught me that man's head cannot contain too many ideas at once." — Marcel Prevost in Harper's Bazar.


Teach Them to Know Home City

The Buffalo board of education is considering a proposition to introduce in the public schools a textbook on Buffalo which will give pupils some knowledge of the industries and institutions of the city in which they live.

A Better Record-Book

1904

The shrewd comment of a Lancashire blacksmith, whose wits had not been dulled by over-education, is quoted by the Cornhill Magazine. It may be suggestive to students in our universities who spend the lecture hours in scribbling notes instead of listening and understanding.

The clerk in charge of a farriery class held by the county council at Preston, England, gave a stalwart blacksmith a notebook and pencil.

"Wot's this 'ere book for?" asked toe man.

"To take notes," replied the clerk.

"'Notes?' Wot sort o' notes?"

"Why, anything that the lecturer says that you think important and want to remember you make a note of in the book."

The Lancashireman looked scornful. "Oh!" said he. "Anything I want to remember I must make a note of in this 'ere book, must I? Then wot do you think my blooming yed's for?"


For A Dog's Ear

Rossini lived before the day of special pleas for the dog, but he was sufficiently in advance of his time to recognize the equality if not the superiority of his own favorite beast.

The Gentleman's Magazine says that the late Sir Arthur Sullivan made Rossini's acquaintance in Paris.

One morning when Sullivan called to see him he found the composer trying over a piece of music.

"What is that?" asked Sullivan.

"It's my dog's birthday," Rossini replied, gravely, "and I write a little piece for him every year."

Keeping His Word

1904

Sandy is the resident janitor of one of the smaller colleges. He is a bit of a character in his way, and makes an effort not to be outdone by the students. The success is sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other. Sandy owned a little mean-looking dog, of which he was fond. He was treated to much good-humored chaff about the dog, but always replied in kind, frequently asserting, "I widna tak twinty dulthers for ma wee doggy."

A few of the more waggish freshmen made up their minds to test Sandy's assertion. Between them they made up twenty dollars, and one of their number was authorized on the first favorable opportunity to make Sandy an offer.

As was quite common with him, Sandy happened into the cloak-room between lectures. The dog soon became a subject of debate, and out came Sandy's statement, "I widna tak twinty dulthers for ma wee doggy."

"Well, Sandy," said a young freshman, "I would like to have that dog, and here's twenty dollars if you'll sell him," He counted the money out on the table near Sandy.

Without a smile Sandy gravely put his hand in his pocket, drew out a fifty-cent piece, and laid it on the table, at the same time pocketing the twenty dollars. "I didna say I widna tak nineteen fufty. The wee doggy's yourn."


The Test
By John B. Tabb

The dead there are, who live;
The living, who are dead:
The poor, who still can give;
The rich, who lack for bread:
By Love it is, and Love alone,
That Life or Luxury is known.

Students Take A Cow Up Two Flights

1900

Sensational Acts of Students of Mount Union College

Alliance, Ohio, Oct. 27. — At midnight last night 100 students of Mount Union college, robed in white and closely masked, obtained entrance to the ladies' hall by breaking in a window sash. President Riker's family cow, which had been captured, was then taken into the building and shoved and carried up two flights of stairs to the third story and securely tethered.

Then, amid cheers and songs, the students made their way to the college, overpowered the watchman and overturned the stoves and piano and threw all movable furniture out of the windows. The family were then serenaded, after which the white-robed figures made their way downtown and ended up the night's demonstration with a war dance on the public square.

It is expected that any action from the faculty as a result of demonstration will meet with concerted resistance.


Grandpa's An Ape?

At a dinner-party a young man was once talking rather foolishly about Darwin and his books, speaking very contemptuously of them, and be said to the Bishop of Winchester (Wilberforce): "My Lord, have you read Darwin's last book on the 'Descent of Man'?" "Yes, I have," said the Bishop; whereupon the young man continued: "What nonsense it is, talking of our being descended from apes! Besides, I can't see the difference it would make to me if my grandfather was an ape." "No," the bishop replied, "I don't see that it would; but it must have made an amazing difference to your grandmother!"


100 Years Ago

Just a hundred years ago last July the Frenchman Lebon made the first public demonstration of the use of gas for illuminating purposes.

Training for Left-Handedness

1915

Positive Results Not Seen as Anticipated

Some time ago the development of left-handedness in children was warmly advocated by various persons, not only because in this way reliance could be placed on both upper extremities for mechanical work, which would undoubtedly be of advantage in case of serious disturbance of the functions of the right arm, but also because the hope was entertained that by training the left arm a second speech center might develop in the right hemisphere of the brain in the same way as the well-developed right arm corresponds with the speech center place in the left half of the brain.

The Berlin physician, M. Frankel, was especially active in the advocacy of this idea — in fact, experiments in this direction were undertaken in various localities. The practical results which have been so far reported do not correspond in any degree to the optimistic expectations of the advocates of the method, says the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Doctor Schafer, on the basis of permission granted by the school deputation, collected statistics with reference to the left-handedness among about 18,000 pupils of the Berlin public schools. These statistics show that 4.06 per cent of all the children are left-handed, 5.5 per cent of all the boys and 2.98 per cent of the girls. The percentage of children in whom both hands are equally developed is very small, being only .21 per cent. The overwhelming majority, 95.73 per cent of all the children, are distinctly right-handed. In several school districts, among 448 teachers, there were ten who were left-handed.

L. Katscher's work on "Training the Left Hand" was the theoretical basis for the exercises to train the left hand. They included exercises in writing, arithmetic manual training and gymnastics; especially in the last two systematic efforts were made. In general, the result showed that the possibility of employing the hitherto unused left hand at first excited great joy and marked interest, but the physical awkwardness generally was a great hindrance.

The outcome of the whole experiment shows that in no case could a preference for the left hand be developed. It may be trained to be a welcome assistant to the right hand, but never a substitute for it. In teaching writing the complaint is made of a deterioration in handwriting. The children refused to write with the left hand, became nervous and worried over it, and increased intellectual development was in no case observed. Almost all those who gave an opinion were unanimous that the advantages stood in no relation to the expenditure of time, pains and patience.

Laughing Gas Jags College Students

Feb. 1920

University Men Have Lively Scientific Experiment

LOS ANGELES, Cal. -- Scores of Occidental College men students took advantage of the opportunity of becoming intoxicated under jurisdiction of the faculty, and they apparently enjoyed it thoroughly.

"Laughing gas" caused the intoxication of at least half of the men students. Dr. Elbert E. Chandler, head of the department of chemistry at the college, administered the gas as a demonstration to the students to show how it affects them.

Athlete Becomes Bird

"Bobby" Hadden, captain of the basketball team, was the first. The gas transformed him into a bird, and he flew all over the campus. When he came from under the influence of the gas he was several blocks away chatting with a street light.

Louis McKellar, another student, upon taking the gas, began to call for a "seven" or "eleven."

Frank Carpenter played leapfrog and tried to climb several trees.

Andrew Grube ably fought and conquered an imaginary Jack Dempsey.

He Runs a Mile

Roscoe Alcock ran a mile race.

Bill Burns danced a jig.

"Andy" Dunlap just laughed.

"Buzz" Walker and "Bill" Work scared the girls.

Irye Townsend hunted for goldfish in the drinking fountain.

The School Room

1874

The ringing notes of the school bell at 9 o'clock in the morning echo through every village and hamlet in the land. With books and lunch basket, children, little and large, hasten their response to its call. They gather in rooms of every size and of every grade of comfort, from the log cabin chinked with mud to the elegant and costly structure of brick furnished with apparatus and meeting every physical want.

However, the school-rooms may differ, the course of study is essentially the same in them all. The "three R's, reading, riting, and rithmetic," are the corner stones now, as they were in the olden time, of a good education, and teachers of every grade of culture and experience are drilling the juvenile mind in fractions, interest, and square root, in spelling and reading, in grammar and geography.

The school committee, the trustees, and the teachers are supposed by most parents to be quite competent to take entire charge of the children committed to their care, and when once school taxes are paid, books purchased, and the children entered, the parents are quite ready to throw all further responsibility upon the proper authorities.

Little do most of them trouble themselves about the teacher, whether or not he is competent mentally, morally for the task he has undertaken, for have not the school committee decided that, and who shall appeal from their decision? So the teacher is left quite to himself in his little empire, and without sympathy or co-operation on the part of parents discharges his duties and receives his pay.

In the old days when "boarding round" was the fashion it was not easy for the teacher and the parents to remain unacquainted, but now it is by no means an uncommon circumstance for them never to meet. "Have you been in the school lately?" we ask frequently. "No," is the invariable reply, "I'm intending to go, but haven't got there yet."

Now we believe that intelligent co-operation between parents and teachers is essential to the best results in education, and that every parent should, as far as possible, note the daily progress of his child in his studies, that he should assure the teacher of his cordial and earnest sympathy and support in the arduous labors of the school-room, and by his own occasional presence there, show his interest in the progress of the school.

Thinking About Education, Facts or Principles

1921

Something to Think About
By F. A. Walker

EDISON QUESTIONS

THOMAS A. EDISON, who has a very low opinion of the intellectuality of the average college student, has come out with a new set of questions, historical, political, geographical and scientific.

The Wizard is much too honest a man for anybody to suggest that he deliberately got up these posers for the purpose of humiliating his fellow citizens.

So it may be admitted that the wide ground covered by the queries represents his own interest in all sorts of subjects having to do with human activities.

But it is doubtful whether or not ability to answer correctly all or most of these questions could be any test of the intelligence of anybody, in college or out of it. For intelligence and knowledge are very different things.

It was once said of a distinguished man that he had a larger store of useless knowledge than anybody of his time. Mr. Edison would not admit that any knowledge could be useless.

In fact he seems to take the attitude of the late Lord Macaulay who was in the habit of qualifying a statement as to something that nobody knew anything about but himself, by saying "as every schoolboy knows." As a result "Macaulay's Schoolboy" became the proper definition of an infant prodigy.

Lord Kelvin was one of the most distinguished men of science of his time. Addressing his students at Glasgow University on one occasion he said that the great thing about the higher mathematics was that it could be of no possible use to anybody.

Yet the fact that Kelvin and a couple of his friends, one in America and another in Europe, used to amuse themselves with these useless investigations, is, in a way, an argument in favor of Mr. Edison. It goes to show that certain things are worth while even if no direct advantage is to be derived from them.

Old-fashioned schoolmasters were great believers in the importance of facts, and a great part of their time was passed in getting them into the minds of the young.

But the modern schoolmaster goes about his business in a different way. He does not try to teach facts. He does try to teach general principles. It is like the difference between the old geography and the new.

The old dealt with the names of places, rivers, mountains and so on. The new deals with the effect of the physical shape of the earth's surface on the races scattered over it.

A well-trained lawyer is not one who carries all the cases around with him in his head. But he does know how to put his hand on anything he wants.

In the same way it is more important to be able to get at your facts than to know them.

—Mountain Democrat, Placerville, California, October 29, 1921, page 6.

Pupils of Miss Wood's School Enjoy Christmas Frolic

Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, 1912

CHILDREN HAVE CHRISTMAS FROLIC

Pupils of Miss Wood's School Hold Closing Exercises

A SILVER GIFT FOR TEACHER

"Necklace" of Unique Design Presented Miss Wood by Her Scholars — Examinations Held.

Examinations and closing exercises for the fall term of Miss Wood's school were held Thursday afternoon at the Parish house, and were enjoyed by many of the parents and friends of the little people most concerned.

The children and their visitors assembled in the school room at 1 o'clock. Each scholar was first called upon for a Christmas quotation, and responded readily, giving a series of motto verses with delightfully clear enunciation and natural intonation. Then a brief review of the various studies was taken up, both with the idea of quizzing the pupils and demonstrating to the parents the scope of the work covered during the term. Problems were worked out on the blackboard, word studies were conducted and a class in oral geography held, the results in all branches surprising and delighting the parents.

At intervals the work was varied by music, Mrs. L. A. Bishop presiding at the piano. The pretty Christmas songs were given with vim and in a manner which indicated that this branch of the children's education is as carefully looked to as are the three R's, and that a firm foundation for a musical education is being laid in Miss Wood's school.

After the examinations Were concluded the company adjourned to the parlor. Here the center of attraction was the table, about which the children were soon gathered while their teacher, assisted by Mrs. George Justin, Mrs. William Cochrane, Mrs. J. Gerhard and Mrs. L. A. Bishop, served them with refreshments.

The table, which was as pleasing to the eye as the ices and fancy cakes were to the palate, was arranged by Mrs. C. A. Galloway. A miniature Christmas tree, bright with glistening ornaments formed the center piece, and from the top to the corners of the table festoons of pine were draped.

After the refreshments were discussed the children were presented with various tempting bundles, gifts to her pupils from the teacher, and then, in a few appropriate words Rev. John Lloyd presented to Miss Wood, in behalf of her scholars, a "necklace" of unique design. This was a series of pendants on scarlet ribbons, each pendant being a gaily wrapped piece of silver. The combined "jewels" totaled $8, and an accompanying verse asked Miss Wood to buy herself a Christmas gift from her school.

The visitors were asked to remain and have refreshments, and after this the pleasant afternoon was brought to a close. Miss Wood's school reopens Monday, Jan. 6.

—The Daily Commonwealth, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, December 20, 1912, page 6.

Editorial Briefs and Wit

1921

A boy begins to feel the limitations of the female sex, when he comes home and his mother fails to appreciate the greatness of the fact that he caught an outfield fly.

On these hot days the men rush for relief to the soft drink places, while perspiring women look around anxiously for a beauty parlor.

In view of the fact that the debts of Europe are now computed at the very considerable sum of $956,543,784,528,639,073,729.46, it would not be advisable for Congress to spend the money they owe us until we get it.

Not many candidates for public office are studying government problems, but a lot of 'em are out shaking hands.

Many people think the school children should have free lunch which they already get now out of the cookie jar when they get home.

The glass business should be good now, with all these baseballs coming through the kitchen windows of Dolton and Riverdale during school vacation time.

One of the longest distances known to exist in this country is from home plate to left field fence.

Formerly the college students burned midnight oil preparing for their college exams; now they burn it writing to their flapper friends.

The public tendency to sympathize with the under dog is not manifested in the case of the baseball umpire.

Some people seem to think they can solve the problems that confront the nation by hollering at campaign rallies.

The generous and warm hearted sentiment is expressed that somebody else should contribute to the Near East famine sufferers.

—The Pointer, Riverdale/Dolton, Illinois, July 21, 1922, page 4.

Girl's Dainty Figure in Split Skirt Draws Attention

Beacon, New York, 1913

SPLIT SKIRT UPSETS SCHOOL AT BEACON

Beacon, Nov. 21 — On Wednesday morning Miss Anna McCabe, a pupil in the eighth grade of the South Avenue School, Beacon, arrived at school with one of the latest model slit skirts and was the object of the envy of all the girls of the class, while the attention of the boy members of the class was also concentrated on her dainty figure. Miss Weller, the teacher, curious to know the point of interest in Miss McCabe's direction, inspected her section of the room and observed a generous display of hosiery caused by an indiscreet slit in the garment of Miss McCabe. Immediately the student was informed that her presence in the room after school was essential.

Then the scholars began to stimulate the spirit of defiance in the classroom and before long the air was full of presumably sincere threats: "If she does anything to her, we'll all wear slit skirts tomorrow." This, of course, only applied to the girls. The boys said nothing.

That the students meant trouble was soon conveyed to Miss Weller, but a few remarks from her intimidated them to such an extent that — well, there were not any slit skirts visible in the classroom yesterday.

Miss McCabe was kept after school and asked to change her costume before returning. She said she would. The rebellious pupils filed from the room as meek as lambs, instead of with the fiery aspect which was evident upon the first intimation of the punishment of Miss McCabe.

—Orange County Times-Press, Middletown, New York, November 25, 1913, page 6.