Ways with Words

I find Ways With Words: Language, Life, and work in communities and classrooms by Shirley Brice Heath very fascinating. This because, first of all, it gives a historical background on how literacy came to be in America among the mill workers after the bloody civil war which was described as the most deadliest war in the country. Heath discusses the language, work life either at work of off work. But the part I find interesting is the language of the mill workers even though I can not comprehend the full meaning of the expressions. But before I go into citing the examples, I would like to point out that many of these mill workers were actually interested in acquiring literacy. Many of them could not express themselves well not to talk of writing. And so “schools were designated to teach mill children everything from manners to morals; schoolteachers became preachers for the culture of the townspeople. They were charged to teach health and sanitation habits, grammar, self-control, neatness, and obedience (23). He goes on to emphasize that if mill children were to grow up and become voters, they would have to learn to read and write and to reform their “barbaric” “wild” ways. This is really interesting and necessary because voters are supposed to at least read the manifestos of their candidates, get convinced before they can cast their votes.

As a result of these designated schools at different locations which some were actually night schools, many young mill children became interested in literacy acquisition. But she gave an example of a young man who apprehended out of school, says that his father was the cause of it states that “Pa says tain’t nothin’ ter it” (23). He goes on say he got “long ‘thout it” (23). Sincerely speaking, I personally do not understand what this expression means. Another example she cited is about a master mechanic in worked in a Textile Industrial institute who wrote from Georgia showing great interest in getting educated. He says thus: “I’II be there next Saddy (Saturday), I’II sleep on the flo an eat half rashions ef necessary to git to stay. I need edgercason (education) and mean to have it. Yours truly” (24). This I think is the work of an ethnographer who has to live with the people to know their language, way of life, and culture respectively. But above all, I think language is one of the things I find fascinating and at the same time confusing. One of the goals I guess in literacy acquisition discussed by Heath is help the people write differently from what and how they speak.