The tulip reached Holland in 1593 and was, at first, looked upon as a curiosity. There soon developed an irrational demand for new species. Specimens were sold at awesomely high prices. In their avarice, speculators bought and sold the same tulip ten times in one day. The entire Dutch population suffered from the craze. There …
Kategori: English Learning
The Mystery of Creativity
In order to create, it is said that a man must be disgruntled. The creativity individual is usually one who is dissatisfied with things as they are; he wants to bring something new into the world – to make it a different place. There is no infallible way to identify a potentially creative person. The …
The Dutch
The first impression one gets of Holland is that it is a calm, sedate and simple land. The slow rhythm of life is even seen in the barges on the canals and the bicycles on the roads. One gradually discovers this equanimity of daily existence is not in accord with the instrinsic nature of the …
Gruff but Likeable
In his private life Brahms was considered by his friends as an egotist. He had an extremely lofty opinion of himself and his talents. He was noted for his humility. Along with this quality, Brahms was not known for his pungent sense of humor. While his closest friend could accept his biting jokes, others found …
A Worthy Successor
A successor to Beethoven was Johannes Brahms. Also a prodigy, he was the object of vitriolic attacks by other composer because of the individuality of his work. They heaped invective upon him for the intensely emotional quality and Germanic style of his writings. However, it was impossible besmirch his talents for long, and he was …
A Musical World
Music reached its pinnacle in the nineteenth century. Every leading nation produced its share of great composer. There was a bewildering array of national schools and musical styles as the once obscure musician came into his own. Music became a widespread and democratic art. The ardent music lover turned to Vienna as the music center …
A Dangerous Sport
Racing car drivers are vulnerable to dangers that other sportsmen seldom face. Drivers agree that controlling a car at top speeds on a winding course is a singularly* awesome* experience. There is the bedlam caused by the roaring motors that move the car from a standing start to 100 miles an hour in eight seconds. …
Forbidden
An outgrowth of the idea of a fetish is the closely related practice of taboo. Whereas the gods or supernatural powers merely inhibit an object that is a fetish and lend it magic, they will punish the imprudent native who violates their prohibition of an act or use of an object or word which has …
In the Nature of Educational Reform
Mr. Sloane did not want to perpetuate the disorders which stemmed from the alphabetical arrangement. Not only did he reverse the seating in his other classes, but he began to badger the school’s administration for a mandate to bring about such changes throughout the building. He called it a compensatory factor to neutralize the catastrophic …
The Perils of the Alphabet
Dr. Weston is convinced that the pedagogue is the culprit. Since teachers seat their pupils in alphabetical order, the “S” to “Z” child is usually the last to receive his test marks, the last to eat lunch, the last to be dismissed, and so on. As they are the last to recite, these youngsters feel …