Report of the Superintendent of Public InstructionState Printers., 1879 - Education |
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admission Adrian College Albion College amount Andrew Harvey annual apparatus Arithmetic Association attendance Bachelor of Philosophy become better Board of Control boys branches building cadets Cheboygan committee common schools cottage country teachers course of study current expenses Cutcheon Department district duties English English language examination Faculty fund Geography give graduates Grammar high schools Hope College increase instructors interest Kalamazoo knowledge Laboratory Latin learning Legislature literature Max Müller meeting Menominee Michigan Michigan Military Academy Modern Languages months Music Normal School number of students paid phonetic practical Preparatory present President Prof Professor Public Instruction public schools pupils reading Reform School Regents rural and ungraded salary Science September 30 spelling Superintendent of Public supervision taught teachers teaching tion Total township superintendents Treasurer ungraded schools University Whole number Ypsilanti
Popular passages
Page 146 - Johnson, ever ready for contest, instantly started from his reverie, wheeled about, and answered, " Sir, the reason is very plain. Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information upon it. When we inquire into any subject, the first thing we have to do is to know what books have treated of it. This leads us to look at catalogues, and at the backs of books in libraries.
Page 118 - If anybody will tell me at what date etymological spelling is to begin, whether at 1500 A. D., or at 1000 AD, or at 500 AD, I am willing to discuss the question. Till then, I beg to say, that etymological spelling would play greater havoc in English than fonetic spelling, even if we are to draw a line not more than five hundred years ago.
Page 121 - English as spelled at present. Everything they have to learn in reading (or pronunciation) and spelling is irrational ; one rule contradicts the other, and each statement has to be accepted simply on authority, and with a complete disregard of all those rational instincts which lie dormant in the child and which ought to be awakened by every kind of healthy exercise.
Page 59 - Whereupon such child shall, in case of a change of name thereafter be known and called by said new name, and the person or persons so adopting such child, shall thereupon stand in the place of a parent or parents to such child in law, and be liable to all the duties and entitled to all the rights of parents thereto, and such child shall thereupon become and be an heir at law of such person or persons, the same as if he or she were in fact the child of such person or persons.
Page 146 - Mr. Cambridge, upon this, politely said, " Dr. Johnson, I am going, with your pardon, to accuse myself, for I have the same custom which I perceive you have. But it seems odd that one should have such a desire to look at the backs of books.
Page 122 - ... the same. It is the duty of scholars and philosophers not to shrink from holding and expressing what men of the world call Quixotic opinions ; for, if I read the history of the world rightly, the victory of reason over unreason, and the whole progress of our race, have generally been achieved by such fools as ourselves " rushing in where angels fear to tread," till after a time the track becomes beaten, and even angels are no longer afraid.
Page 120 - The English language, from the simplicity of its grammatical structure, would -be one of the easiest in the world to learn if it were not for its abominable spelling. As it is, a stranger may acquire the spoken tongue by mouth and ear, or he may acquire the written tongue by grammar and dictionary.
Page 146 - No sooner had we made our bow to Mr. Cambridge, in his library, than Johnson ran eagerly to one side of the room, intent on poring over the backs of the books. Sir Joshua observed, (aside,) He runs to the books as I do to the pictures ; but I have the advantage. I can see much mure of the pictures than he can of the books.
Page 121 - It was >aid by an eminent speaker, in the London Conference, that no person in full possession of his faculties, in full exercise of his common sense, could spell the English language. "The child can put no trust in the symbol ; he cannot believe his eyes ; he can put no trust ia the sound ; he cannot believe his ears.
Page 124 - Let us consider, first, that although there is a continuous change in language, it is not in the power of any man either to produce or to prevent it. We might think as well of changing the laws which control the circulation of our blood, or of adding an inch to our height, as of altering the laws of speech, or inventing new words according to our own pleasure.