First lessons in English grammar and composition

Front matter

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Preface

The object of this little book is to lead pupils by easy steps to a careful, correct, and ready use of English. There are many technicalities in English that need to be taught to children early, — before incorrect or careless habits are formed. How to do this systematically and at the same time simply, has been the important problem for teachers to solve.

The outcry a few years ago against the mechanical teaching of English grammar did some harm, because it was taken up by the thoughtless and directed against the subject instead of against the books and methods.

At that time came a loud call for language lessons. This call also was taken up by those ever ready to get on the popular side, and we had such a flood of language lessons, language books, and language teaching as was never before seen.

Story-writing was the easiest, and therefore the chief way the fever worked itself off. Many excellent exercises were devised, and compiled in books, but without system. Language work seemed to lead to no end. Exercises had almost no connection with one another. One could begin as well in the middle or end of a text-book as at the beginning, and get about as good results going one way as the other. Technicalities were religiously avoided.

It was this condition of language teaching that led the author first to consider the production of a primary grammar.

6 PREFACE.

It was with a desire to show that the great mass of material called grammar, was not grammar, and that the English language really does have a grammar, that led him to write the advanced work entitled " A Practical English Grammar." It is with much the same feeling that he has again ventured into the dangerous field of authorship.

He believes that technicalities should not be avoided. They are important, or they would not exist. Children begin to learn the technicalities that belong to many branches of learning almost as soon as they learn anything ; and with what pride and eagerness they strive to show their technical knowledge of any subject all are aware. Why, then (since language is perhaps the most important means of their intellectual development, as it becomes in after years the most important element of their usefulness, influence, and success), should the technicalities of their language be kept from them so studiously ?

An uninteresting repetition of mechanical instruction, imagining technicalities that do not exist, giving them names and governing them by rules, after the fashion of dead and fully inflected languages, are of course to be avoided ; but real technicalities, that occur in every-day use, should be studied — early and systematically. They should be incorporated into the child's written speech, as he, of his own accord and from the first, incorporates them into his oral language.

This is the only apology the author has to offer for inflicting

upon his fellow-teachers another book.

J. P. WELSH.

State Normal School,

Bloomsburg, Pa.,

A TALK WITH THE TEACHER.

The author would like to have a few words with you before you begin to use the contents of this book.

He would like to remind you first that a text-book is only a help, and is not intended to do the teaching for you. Your pupils may need much more or much less than this book contains. They may be too far advanced for it, or not far enough advanced for it. Your first duty, then, is to study your pupils and determine what they need. Then adapt the book to those needs and supplement it if necessary.

During the first three, or even four, years of a child's school life — that is, from six till nine or ten years old — his language work should grow out of his reading, science, and number work. Learning to read should constitute his chief occupation. In learning to read, as in learning to talk, he drinks in or absorbs much or little depending upon how he is taught, how he is interested, and how his mind develops.

In copying exercises, dictation exercises, descriptions, stories, written solutions, letter-writing, etc., all of which may be made to grow out of, or grow into his reading, there is abundant material for language work during these first years. No book should be necessary. The fact is, a book would probably be a hindrance to most teachers. For this period a book at most could only be a compilation of suggestions, many of which would be as likely to miss the mark as to hit it.

8 A TALK WITH THE TEACHER.

At the age of nine or ten, a pupil of average ability, who has been well taught, should be ready to take up the work of this book and make good progress. The matter contained in and suggested by the book, together with the supplementary language matter coming from his study of science, history, and geography, will give abundant work for the next two years, after w r hich time he can begin his advanced course of study, as laid down in the author's advanced work on this subject.

The Author.