THE PERILS OF TEACHING GRAMMAR.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 226, 30 May 1872, Page 9

THE PERILS OF TEACHING GRAMMAR.

The following has" been " going the rounds " of late. We give it in our turn :—": — " I have bepn sending my darter Nancy to skool to a schoolmaster in this neighbourhood. Last Friday I went over to the skool to see how Nancy was gettin' along, and I seed things I didn't like by no means. The schoolmaster was laming her things entirely out of the line of eddycation, and, as I think, improper. I sot a while in the schoolhouse, and heered one class say their lesson. <» They was a spellin', and I thought spelled quite exceedingly. Then cum Nancy's turn to say her lesson. She said it very spry. I was shok'b and determined she should leave that skool. I heard that grammar was an uncommon fine study, but I dont whant any more grammar about my house. The lesson that Nancy sed was nuthin' but the foolshest kind of talk : the rediclist word she said was', I love.' I looked right .at her hard for being so improper, but she went right, on and sed, ' thou lovest and he loves.' And I reckon you never heard such rigermarole in your life — love, love, love, love, love, and nuthin' but love. She sed one time, ' I did love.' Sez I, ' Who did you love ? " The scholars laffeel ; but I wasn't to be put off, and sed, "Who did you love, Nancy?" The schoolmaster, Mr M'Quillister, put in ; he sed he would explain when Nancy finished the lesson. This sorter pacyfied me, and Nancy went on with her awful love talk. It got wus and wus every word. She. said, 'I might, could, or would love. ' I stopped her again, and said I reckoned I would see about that, and told her to walk out of that house. The schoolmaster tried to interfere, but I would not let him say a word. He said I was a fool, and I nok't him down, and made him holler in short order. I talkt the strate thing to him. I told him I'd show how hede learn my darter grammer. I got the nabors together, and we sent Mr. M'Quillister off in a hurry, and I reckon tharl be no more grammer teachin' in these parts soon. If you know of any oldish man in your region that don't teach grammer, we would be glad if you would send him up. But in future we will be keerful how we employ men. Youn:* schoolmasters won't do, especially if they teach grammar. It is a bad th'ng for morals. "