The Excitement of Writing
Many good things come out of the West Riding of Yorkshire. It is not surprising that Mr. Clegg, the County Education Officer, has been able to compile an enchanting anthology of writ- ten English from infant, junior and secondary schools What is surprising is that, in Mr. Clegg's words to me, 'the schools producing the most sensitive work not only don't use the standard books of English exercises, but in many cases considered their use to be harmful to sound Eng- lish teaching.' For if this holds good for other areas, then a few millions of pounds each year are being wasted. I think in The Excitement of Writing Mr. Clegg proves his case—or rather the children prove it for him. Probably I could illus- trate this more clearly by an extract from the writing of a child of more mature years, but I hope you may be as delighted as I was by this account from an author aged six of an alarming personal experience:
One day when I came home I started to akt daft with the dog We played in the room and tinker my pet dog jumped up at me and shoved me towards the side board and when I hit the side board my haed hit the vase the best vase and it fell on my head and it fell of my head and it smashed on the floor. Well there was me sitting in the middle of bits and pieces with a large bump on my head I clidnt know wot to
do so I got some glue and started to put it back to pieces agian and the vu had cracks in it and I thought if I should ever be found out and then in came my mummy and daddy I heard mummy say I think I shall go and look at my best vars. then I rushed upstairs and hid under the bed and when she saw it she played hell and I felt licke a roast egg and I was full of pity I was that..
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