I whole-heartedly agree with Paul's assessment. I think most of us who
teach at the college level hold HS teachers in the highest of respect.
Those who don't should (as I have done) spend some time teaching high
school. As they say down home, that would learn 'em a thing or two.
Tim 
  
Tim Hadley 
Research Assistant, The Graduate School 
Ph.D. candidate, Technical Communication and Rhetoric 
Texas Tech University 
Editor, ATEG Journal 
________________________________

From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Stahlke, Herbert F.W.
Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 7:38 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Mere HS teachers
 
And notice where the interesting sentences are coming from.
 
Herb
 
________________________________

From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of John Crow
Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 3:58 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Mere HS teachers
 
Paul,

I absolutely echo your reaction to "mere"!

The sentence in question was written as part of a description of my
student's pet bulldog.

John
On 3/13/06, Paul E. Doniger <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Cynthia,
 
As a fellow HS English (and drama) teacher, I refuse to be "mere" and
hope you will hold such a high opinion of yourself, too. We are a breed
who have to be able to read a billion pages of student writing every
month (more or less) and help all the writers of those pages make them
better. I think there is nothing "mere" about that daunting task -- and
that's only ONE of our required tasks. 
 
Proudly,
 
Paul D.
 
P.S. I agree with your approach to this weird and interesting sentence.
P.P.S. I think the sentence is describing what is called a "burnside."
It's a mutton-chop/moustache combination like that sported by General
Ambrose Burnside of the Civil War era. Does anyone know if that's it? 
 
 

To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web
interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select
"Join or leave the list" 
Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ 
To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web
interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select
"Join or leave the list" 
Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/

To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at:
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html
and select "Join or leave the list"

Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/