Paxton High School - Reflector Yearbook (Paxton, IL)

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10 Paxton High School Reflector OUR BETTER ENGLISH ENTERTAINMENT (By Grace Larson, ’22) The “Better English Campaign” which is being observed all over the Cr ited States, has aroused a great deal of interest in the schools. Our own school has taken upon itself the task of improving .he English of the community. Fosters were placed in the shop windows to remind us of our faulty diction, and a ‘ Better English” entertainment was given in the High School assembly. January 11th. This entertainment consisted ot two short plays which were given under the direction of Miss Wade. The first—given by a Sophomore English class—was a modern version of the mythological story ‘Fandom's Box.” Th s play was secured from Prof. H. G. Paul of the Department of Er gl.sh a. the University of Illinois. It was written by Miss Nila Banton Smith, and published by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. The following is a short synopsis of the play: “Pandora (Phyllis Ncrdgren) receives a strangely carved box from Epimelheus (Howard Hill) but is cautioned not to open it. However, overcome by curiosity to discover what it contained, Pandora unloosens the cord with which the hex is tied, and gazes eagerly into it. But instead of disclosing a beautiful gift, a great many imps rush out. representing such menaces as “Harsh Voice, “Small Vocabulary.” Indistinct Speech” and “Unpleasant Oral Reading.” These imps are followed by a multitude of slang and dialect “Pests. Pandora is thoroughly frightened at what she sees and quickly closes the lid. Soon a sweet voice within the box is Heard, but she hesitates before opening it again. When she does sc, Hope” (Frances Watts) appears. followed by the staunch soldiers, “Good Grammar,” ‘ Distinct Speech, and “Large Vocabulary,” and by their aid the imps and “pests ’ are overcome and forced to return to the box.” The second part of the entertainment was a comedy entitled, “Rosie Reforms the Rollisters.” This was presented by members of the Junior class. The sketch was especially enjoyable, because it was written by Emily Johnson, our Junior authoress. The characters were well chosen and the “Better English” theme was cleverly woven into the plot. Emily deserves much credit. The play, in addition to the entertainment it furnished, proved tc be highly effective in emphasizing the hateful character of incorrect English. It appears in full in another part of this issue. The cast «r characters was as follows: Rosie Hollister....................Kathryn Jane Dunnan Angeline Rollister.....................................Emily Johnson Mrs. Rollister.......................................Emeline Kollman Mr. Rollister................................Francis Henry Dick Van Replen..............................Kenneth Larson Jack Rollister...............................Sherman Olson Professor Doodle...............................Herbert Gee Aunt Priscilla Patterson...................Elizabeth Patton Katie G’Haligan.........................Elizabeth .VlcDevitt

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Paxton High School Reflector 9 ng a torrent of words poured forth, the meaning of which they can not even guess. Micawber liked to make an impression, so Dickens makes him say: “Circumstances beyond my individual control have, for a considerable lapse of time, effected a severance of that intimacy which, in the l'mited opportunities conceded to me in the midst of my professional duties • has ever afforded me. as it even mus. continue to afford, gratifying emotions of no common description.” Micawber doubtless made an impression on his hearer —and we still smile at him today. In these days when good English” is one of the signs of culture, refinement. and good taste, let us make car motto, “Correct grammar first— then, the right word in the right place.” a « tt It is believed that the recognition cf the importance or the “Better English” movement indicated by these assembly talks is doing much 10 reenforce and dignify the more specific and detailed work that is being done, incidentally and otherwise, in the class rooms. Morever, the conviction is becoming more general among teachers and students that the responsibility for effective training in the ar. of using good English can not be wholly placed upon the teachers of the grades and the high school instructors in the department of English, but that all other teachers must share in that responsibility. A mastery of good English can only he acquired as a result of many fences. These forces must be Kept active in every department of school work, until correct speech habits are formed, and ur.til in the student mind the highest ideals of good English become sufficiently permanent and attractive to take the place of all school room Instruction and training as incentives for each individual to work out for himself some worthy degrees of facility and propriety, of grace atd effectiveness in the use of our beloved English language. Only some small, though very essential beginnings may ne reasonably expected from elementary and secondary school instruction. The larger possibilities of a mastery of its treasures of wisdom and of its most skillful and effective use. may only be attained by long years of reflection and study, and of literary labor and toil.—O. J. B. OTHER “BETTER SPEECH TALKS TO BE GIVEN Other talks on the better use of English will he given before the close of the year. Among those already provided for are the following: “Wrong Use and Correct Cse of Verts”—.Miss Hummel. “Adjectives. Adverbs and Prepositions to Watch”—Mis3 Dooley. “Vocational English”—Mr. Eator. The Relation of ‘Better Speech- to ‘Better Thinking1 -Mr. Cunningham. “Beauty and Power of the English Language when Correctly W ritten or Spoken”—Mr. Bainum.

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Paxton High School Reflector I 1 A TRIBUTE TO GOOD SPEECH. In an article written by Olive N. Bear of the Decatur, Illinois Mich School, upon the general topic, “Eradicating Speech Errors,” the tollowing splendid tribute to “Good Speech” is given: “Good speech is one of the most valuable cf mans attainment-. It is his means of securing a better job; his capital with which to do business; his most paying investment. Through it. as his evidence of culture, he secures his ticket of admission into the best society. It is his source of influence; his scepter of power; his wand to remove all obstacles; his open sesame to unlock all doors. Indeed, there is no other accomplishment that does so much for him as the ability to speak correctly. Good speech is music to the ear. It arouses the inattentive, it disarms the antagonistic, it charms the connoisseur. It makes one forget the plain man's plainness, and without it the pretty face and rich apparel have no power. The correctly spoken word is the most direct, the most effective, the most sure means of accomplishing one’s end. It moulds the life of today. By it our wisest deliberating bodies, as they sit in council over questions of great moment, as they gather er masse to hear the spoken word, form tlie judgments and make the decisions that determine the policies of a nation. No president of the United States dares trust to the people his pet theories until he has. by the most effective use of the human voice cf which he is capable, impressed and convinced and won them over to his way of tninklng. And during the late World War. was not the vast army of four minute men second only in importance to that other army aercss the seas? No drive could be launched and successfully carried through without the backing ot that most potent factor of influence—the spoken word.” OTHER STRIKING QUOTATIONS FROM OLIVE N. BEAR’S ARTICLE ON “ERADICATING SPEECH ERRORS.” Training for speech is train ng for life. It is fundamental ir all Education.’’ ••• •• “Not only from an educational standpoint, but from a social one as well, is (good) speech fundamental. It mul.iplies many times the rienress of life. “Not cnly is society enriched by the verbal expression of the individual, but the individual himself frees his own soul, and so misses the tragedy of soul imprisonment.” How famMiar to teachers and supervisors is the following picture drawn by tile same author: “Mary stands and recites in a high-pitched toneless voice scarcely to be heard by the pupil sitting next tc her. John stands with bent knees and with motionless lower jaw, clenched teeth, and ceiling-ward gazing eyes, mumbles something, nobody knows what, about 'having saw.' what fur.' ‘it was jist like this.’ and ’I did not git it.’ ”