human
The first thing I'm bid for to mention is, when the class gets up to read You give 'em too tight of a reinin', an' touch 'em up more than they need; You're nicer than wise in the matter of holdin' the book in one han', An' you turn a stray _g_ in their _doin's_, an' tack an odd _d_ on their _an'_; There ain't no great good comes of speakin' the words so polite, as I see, Providin' you know what the facts is, an' tell 'em off jest as they be. An' then there's that readin' in corncert, is censured from first unto last; It kicks up a heap of a racket, when folks is a-travelin' past. Whatever is done as to readin', providin' things go to my say, Shan't hang on no new-fangled hinges, but swing in the old-fashioned way. And the other four good district fathers gave quick the consent that was due, And nodded obliquely, and muttered:
gpt
Them 'ere is my sentiments tew.
human
Then as to your spellin': I've heern tell, by the mas has looked into this, That you turn the _u_ out o' your _labour_, an' make the word shorter than 'tis; An' clip the _k_ off yer _musick_, which makes my son Ephraim perplexed, An' when he spells out as he ought'r, you pass the word on to the next. They say there's some new-grafted books here that don't take them letters along; But if it is so, just depend on 't, them new-grafted books is made wrong. You might just as well say that Jackson didn't know all there was about war, As to say that old Spellin'-book Webster didn't know what them letters was for. And the other four good district fathers gave quick the consent that was due, And scratched their heads slyly and softly, and said:
gpt
Them's my sentiments tew.
human
Then, also, your 'rithmetic doin's, as they are reported to me, Is that you have left Tare an' Tret out, an' also the old Rule o' Three; An' likewise brought in a new study, some high-steppin' scholars to please, With saw-bucks an' crosses and pothooks, an' _w's, x's, y's_ an' _z's_. We ain't got no time for such foolin'; there ain't no great good to be reached By tiptoein' childr'n up higher than ever their fathers was teached. And the other four good district fathers gave quick the consent that was due, And cocked one eye up to the ceiling, and said:
gpt
Them's my sentiments tew.
human
Another thing, I must here mention, comes into the question to-day, Concernin' some things in the grammar you're teachin' our gals for to say. My gals is as steady as clockwork, and never give cause for much fear, But they come home from school t'other evenin' a-talking such stuff as this here: 'I love,' an' 'Thou lovest,' an' 'He loves,' an' 'We love,' an' 'You love,' an' 'They--' An' they answered my questions: 'It's grammar'--'twas all I could get 'em to say. Now if, 'stead of doin' your duty, you're carryin' matters on so As to make the gals say that they love you, it's just all that I want to know.
gpt
Them's my sentiments tew.