Paxton High School - Reflector Yearbook (Paxton, IL)

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6 Paxton High School Reflector An 3ntrrrfitinu anb Unatrurtiur S’rrirr. of (Ja'.Ua mi Un'ttrr teiutlisli (6iuni luj IttfinbriB nf Ihr Jfcirulti]—©tlirrs tn Jfollmu BETTER ENGLISH TALKS IN THE ASSEMBLY HALL In order to keep the “Better English” movement i.i our high school constantly and prominently in the minds of Ua hers and students, Mr. Bainum called upon the members of t:ie facu.ty to present with soni detail assigned phases of the subject in a series of special talks in the assembly. MISS WADES TALK The first of these talks was given by Miss Wade of the department ()t English on Monday morning, Feb. 14th. The topic assigned her was. “The I’se and the Misuse of Personal and Relative Pronouns.” She first spoke of the difficulties and dangers encountered in selecting the correct case forms of these pronouns, and emphasized the fact that habit or a choice made by the ear is never a safe guide, but that a definite and clear know.edge of English grammar is essential. Many striking, though very common, errors were given as illustrations—such as “It is him,” “He told you and 1 ” “Who did you see?” and many like errors. She then urged upon all, the prime necessity of knowing the following three rules, and particularly of knowin- how to apply them: 1. A pronoun used as the object of a preposition or of a transitive verb is in the objective case; and therefore, the objective forms, me, him, whom, etc., should always be used instead of the nominative forms I, he, who, etc. 2. The verb “to be” in all of its forms, (is, was, etc I except the infinitive should be followed by the nominat've case forms. 3. Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in person, gender and number. In discussing the third rule, the emphasis was placed upon th. importance of the number agreement of pronouns with their antecedents. Miss Wade’s presentation of the subject was clear, forceful and interesting. MISS LATEER’S TALK The second talk of the series was given a week later by Miss Angie I ateer. The topic assigned to her was, “The Proper Pronunciation of Words.” She gave notice at the very beginning of her talk that she would not present any very definite rules fer pronunciation, although a few may be found in text bocks. These, however, have so many exceptions that their value is quite limited. She emphasized the fact that the standards adopted by orthoepists are intended to reflect the established usage of the most cultured and scholarly people. It is the business of dictionary makers to indicate by proper markings, the standards thus obtained. Two ways of learning the proper pronunciation of words were suggested; the first, the use of a good dictionary, and the second, the careful observance of the way words

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Paxton High School Reflector 5 XI By Their Speech Ye Shall Know Them

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Paxton High School Reflector 7 .are pronounced by the niost scholarly and cultivated teachers and speakers. An Interesting list of common words, which are frequently mispronounced. was presented, and the proper pronunciations given. The following are a few of these words. If you have forgotten how to pronounce them correctly, or never knew, follow Miss Lateer’s advice and consult your dictionary. By the way. Miss Lateer urgently advised all high school students to choose for one of their clcsest and best friends, a good dictionary. These are »he words: Illinois, automobile, advertisement, equation, exponent, dis- course. laboratory, extraordinary, municipal, almond, hospitable, regime, illi trate, finance, February, Italian, abdomen, attacked. Attention was also directed to the errors so oiten made by students (?) who may be described as intellectually languid. For example some sort of mental languor can only account for the condition of the high school student who, in reading, pronounced the word “congressional,’’ “congrega-Loral.” or the word ‘legends,” legions.” Oral speech errors, due to slovenly articulation and indistinct enunciation. were net over looked in Miss Lateer’s talk. These are generally due to complex of mental and physical laziness. MISS WIGHTMAN’S TALK On Monday, Feb. 28. Miss Wlghtmar, of the Commercial department, talked upon the subject, “Business English.” Miss Wightman knows all about this subject, and presented selected phases of it with clearness, den-niteness and force. Sue emphasized the business letter, presenting in detail. the various rules applicable, the principles and conventions that have become recognized and established—whether in relation to content or form, salutation or subscription, or in the envelope address. Her discussion of the great variety of formal and complimentary salutations and closings was t specially interesting and Instructive. MISS CORBLY’S TALK On Wednesday. March 9, Miss Corbly, instructor in French, gave a ■carefully prepared talk on the general subject. “Diction.” Your reporter, finding it rather difficult to reflect its content adequately, prevailed upon Miss Corblv to reproduce it in form for publication. We are sure that it will be read with increased interest by all who heard it. and will be appreciated by either Reflector readers, who may have been absent or who are not members cf the school. Here it is: Two patriarchs of German descent stood on the street corner, conversing. One of them called to his son. Johnny, who was loitering near by, “‘Shonny! Run the alley down and bring home some meat for dinner.” “Shonny” did as directed and upon his return interrupted his fond parent’s speech. Tiien he received this German volley on the subject of good manner'-, “Shonny, when two gentlemens is talking, you must not conversation in!” This is the same man who reported that he had a new “Buck auty-mobile from St. Louis, with a chiffonier to run it.” Words are the expressions of ideas, and as long as the speaker makes