The Song of the English TeacherAuthor(s): A. B. H.Source: The English Journal, Vol. 7, No. 10 (Dec., 1918), pp. 660-661Published by: National Council of Teachers of EnglishStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/801418 .

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660 660 THE ECffGLISH JOURNAL THE ECffGLISH JOURNAL

I sent a copy to the President, but he got it on the day when he was busy writing one of his messages, and so it hasn't made any impression on him yet, as far as I can see.

Yours for fair speechv LYDIA LIGHTFOOT

THE SONG OF THE ENGLISH TEACHER

Oh, the poets have sung the romance of man's life From the hut to the dwellings of kings;

They've caroled of farmers and sailors and knights, And glorified toil that life brings.

But none thrill o'ermuch in a lyrical vein For the joys of the teachers of youth;

So I'll sing a song with a work-a-day hum To the teachers of English forsooth.

Now the handling of history's a logical thing, And " math " may be taught with a stick,

And Latin's mere drill, and science one sees;

But in English there's many a trick.

First, spellinwe love it! Full gentle but firm, We point out its whimsical way.

The pitfalls, too's, their's, e-i's and i-e's Lead to graves marked F-l-u-n-k.

Then grammar's a creature of sensitive mold, Though fed upon rules most emphatic.

Daily bouts with "I seen," "would of been,'7 and "he don't' Are conducive to tempers erratic.

Punctuation and syntax one mentions with awe. C)ur classes think rhetoric a riddle,

And rhythm and rhyme as intelligent quite As twee-dee or hi-diddle-diddle.

So we hammer all day in a stonemason's way7 While we lay the foundation, and then

We read wonderful poems and tales ever new By great writers, the masters of men.

I sent a copy to the President, but he got it on the day when he was busy writing one of his messages, and so it hasn't made any impression on him yet, as far as I can see.

Yours for fair speechv LYDIA LIGHTFOOT

THE SONG OF THE ENGLISH TEACHER

Oh, the poets have sung the romance of man's life From the hut to the dwellings of kings;

They've caroled of farmers and sailors and knights, And glorified toil that life brings.

But none thrill o'ermuch in a lyrical vein For the joys of the teachers of youth;

So I'll sing a song with a work-a-day hum To the teachers of English forsooth.

Now the handling of history's a logical thing, And " math " may be taught with a stick,

And Latin's mere drill, and science one sees;

But in English there's many a trick.

First, spellinwe love it! Full gentle but firm, We point out its whimsical way.

The pitfalls, too's, their's, e-i's and i-e's Lead to graves marked F-l-u-n-k.

Then grammar's a creature of sensitive mold, Though fed upon rules most emphatic.

Daily bouts with "I seen," "would of been,'7 and "he don't' Are conducive to tempers erratic.

Punctuation and syntax one mentions with awe. C)ur classes think rhetoric a riddle,

And rhythm and rhyme as intelligent quite As twee-dee or hi-diddle-diddle.

So we hammer all day in a stonemason's way7 While we lay the foundation, and then

We read wonderful poems and tales ever new By great writers, the masters of men.

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THE ROUND TABLE 66I

And see! There's a gleam from the lad we thought dull, Whom Lancelot's prowess has stirred;

And that girl wrote a theme that was happy and sweet, Fine of thought, true of touch, choice of word.

Yes, truly, we love it this work that we do; May the doing grow better until

We weave of the hours with their gray threads and gold Masterpieces of love and of skill.

A. B. H. DENVER, COLORADO

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