Paxton High School - Reflector Yearbook (Paxton, IL)

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

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 16 text:

14 Paxton High School Reflector correctly and weave them into a language is not the work of one generation but of multiplied generations working through the centuries, each bringing its contribution of new words and placing them upon the altar of intellectual progress. But without a correct use of the old, there can be no progress in the development of the new. The Better English Movement has done much to teach the correct use of words which we now have and prepare the way for the coinage of new words. WHAT WE HAVE DONE AND EXPECT TO DO IN REGARD TO BETTER ENGLISH (By Everett Swenson, ’23.) The “Better English Campaign’’ was first made known to us by our Superintendent. Mr. O. J. Bainum. The first constructive work towards putting on such a campaign in Paxton, was done in our English classes, under the supervision of our English instructor. Miss Josephine Wade. As part ot cur daily routine. Miss Wade asked us to use our ingenuity and make Better English Fosters. A few samples may be seen elsewhere in this number of the Reflector. Some of the posters brought forth the Better English element in a more or less humorous way. Some of the other good ones were placed in the show windows of some of our leading stores, and were seen by towns, people. Two “Better English” plays were given in behalf of the campaign, which helped portray before the public, the spirit of the school. One of these plays was written by a Junior, Miss Emily Johnson, and reflects great credit upon the young writer and our school. This play was given by the Junior English Class. The other play, adopted for this campaign by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English, was given by both sections of the Sophomore English class. Later, talks were given, from time to time, in the assembly, by teachers in regard to the proper use of personal pronouns, the correct pronunciation of words, business English and better diction. In the class rooms pupils will be held strictly accountable for what they cnce learned in regard to better speech, written composition and the proper way of punctuating manuscripts. Teachers will suppress the use of slang a:, much as possible; they will enforce the use of correct English, and set an example by using the best possible English themselves. To further carry out our Better English Campaign, we. as students, are publishing this Reflector to reflect to you what we have done to improve our speech. We are learning much about how to use the best English by working on, and trying to complete this book. Experience is the best teacher.” and we are hereby putting our teaching into practice. But as a school, alone, we can accomplish little. It is up to the public, as well as the school, to determine whether it will prove successful or not. Good speech is a highly desired goal, but it is only through incessant watch-fullness that we can reach it.