Paxton High School - Reflector Yearbook (Paxton, IL)

Page 14 text:

12 Paxton High School Reflector BETTER ENGLISH SENTIMENTS OBTAINED By Our “Inquiring Reporter.1' A Reflector reporter was assigned the special duty of calling upon a few representative citizens of Paxton and asking them for an expression ot opinion concerning the value of our “Better English” campaign in the schools. The following are some of the replies received by the inquiring Reporter”: O. H. WYLIE—ATTORNEY AT LAW Better English—A motto or slogan that should appeal alike to young and old, student and scholar, business man, and those of the professions. Every one should be interested. As these present times in the commercial and business world differ from the prosperity of the years that are past, so do the custom, manners and language of the present differ from the past. The prevalence of slang is but a sign of the times. Our Puritan ancestors, with their old fashioned elegance of custom and manners, would be shocked with the up-to-date progressiveness of young America. The Stately Minuet is supplanted by the Toddle and Fox Trot. Instead of the Sabbath Worship, is the Sunday Baseball. The Moving Picture has usurped the place of Art and the legitimate drama. The Courtesy and Chivalry of the past are los,. by the entrance of the fair sex into business and professional competition. It is our duty to take an inventory and note wherein deficient. Compare the present efficiency with past accomplishment. The elegant diction and better English of Washington Irving, Oliver Wendell Holmes, James Fen-nimore Cooper, Bulwer Lytton, Charles Dickens, Sir Walter Scott, and Victor Hugo are often times pushed aside for the light trashy novels of the present day. It is a hopeful sign that the youth of our schools are pushing the propaganda of “Better English.” The High School and Grades of today are the well educated, bright, up-to-date citizens of tomorrow. The Youth are the hope of our country—and in their hands, if enthusiastic tor Better English, rests the safety of the future success and universal use of Correct Speech. REV. W. ROY COLUMBUS—PASTOR CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH Language is the means of expression. Good language indicates good thinking. So when we are endeavoring to use “Good English.” at the same time we seek to show good thinking. While the English language has not the art of the Hebrew nor the verb of the Greek, its mood, tense and case are adequate to good expression. Slang is only a weak substitute of studied expression, and profanity a disgusting exchange for argument. A mind well trained, and a will applied, are the parents of “Good English” and clear expression. S. LUDLOW—COUNTY JUDGE Many of the things that we have and enjoy every day are never appreciated Our lovely English language is one of them, and is a heritage that

Page 13 text:

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.’ ”

Page 15 text:

Paxton High School Reflector 13 few appreciate. There is no polish that will assist a person to become great in this world more than good English. This is not true of bad English. • TONGUE OF Ol'R FATHERS (Contributed by Rogers.) Tongue cf our fathers living still In spite of nation wide abuse. For shame that folks will treat so ill Their native speech without excuse. Oh why will people s.ill insist In telling us that something bust,” And why will mortals say “I jist’? Instead of saying that they “just ' Today I heard a fellow say. “I ain’t seen his’n folks nor her n And said it in a serious way, (Oh well, a freshman has to learn.) Tongue of our fathers we are glad That this is “Better English Year,’’ The cruel treatment you have had Has caused us many a briny tear. We’re done with saying “ain’t” and “got” We ll ne’er again use ‘‘just becuz,” Nor ever utter “wot” for what.’’ For “was” we’ll nevermore use “wuz.” Tongue of our fathers hear us now. In penitence we bend the knee. Seniors in dust with freshies bow Confessing all their sins to thee. « « REV. O. B. HESS—PASTOR M. E. CHURCH The Better English Movement of the Paxton High School is an effort on the part of the students to eliminate the common errors in using ttie English language. They have gone about it in a very clever and etfective manner by the use cf placards, cartoons, plays and friendly criticism. The results nave been good and have reached beyond the class room into the business transactions and social intercourse of the entire town. A merchant corrected the English of a customer by simply calling attention to one of the placards placed in his store by the students. This is a splendid thing, as our use of English gives us our status in the community. Words are tools with which we carve out the history of the human race. To use these tools correctly requires a skill that is not acquired in a day but through years of earnest, patient study and practice. To use words