Poetry at Hondo High

Subject: Poetry at Hondo High Mon 25 Jun 2007, 2:13 pm

My grandmother throughout her life was a lover of literature and most especially, of poetry. This appreciation she attributed to the foundation which she had received in country schools of the Texas Hill Country, and downward near San Antonio. She often lamented that her grandchildren were not given the amount poetry to memorize as she had been done in her youth. Memomma felt that the lines of poetry -- when committed to memory and expressed with the voice -- helped to give one a feel for the rhythm of the language.

In 1998, my grandmother took part in a poetry class which was offered at a local senior-citizens' center. Each participant was asked to contribute a little of their understanding of what may be our potentially most beautiful -- and most creatively challenging -- form of literature. I recently found a copy of the notes Memomma made in advance of her little address to the class. They are quite lengthy and read in their whole, give one a good feel for the way poetry once was taught in our schools. I quote from a small portion of them below, as my grandmother recalled her years of being taught English at Hondo High School.

"April 16, 1998

"Dear Hazel and members of your 'Poetry Class' --

"We spoke at our last meeting of how little today's children are learning in school compared to what we were offered -- especially in regard to poetry. In my mind I have been trying to review some of the material covered during my high school days, probably around 1928. It might be fun to review some of these remembrances!

"Vera McCarty (a member of your class)

"The Study of Poetry

"Our teachers stressed that poetry is to be read aloud. In this way the true value -- of rhythm and of diction -- finds adequate expression. A genuine love of good poetry will mean more to us than we are sometimes disposed to think. Many poems are highly suggestive and produce their effect by what is implied quite as much as what is actually said.

"Poetry is written to be enjoyed; but to be enjoyed, it must first be understood; and to understand and enjoy poetry we should know something of its principles.

"Poetry is divided into several broad classes. The most important, as well as the most obvious, is 'rhythm.' When defined rhythm is known as 'metre.' Metre is determined by the way in which the accented syllables are disposed in the line. The unit of the poetic line is the 'foot.' Each foot is made up of one accented syllable, with one or two accented syllables.

"In our class, my classmates and I, as a short-cut, simplified our rhythms with a long mark ( - ) for the accented syllables and with a short mark ( u ) for the unaccented syllables. Four kinds of feet are generally recognized...." [Here, Memom went on to give the kind of lesson, drawing from poems written by Tennyson and Whittier, that I did not receive until taking 'British Literature' in college. She said that her teacher was especially partial to the poems of Tennyson, due to their "musical quality" and the "masterly variation which the lyric produced."]

"As I remember our English teacher seemed to stress the English poets. We were lucky to have such wonderful teachers. I mentioned to you at our last meeting about the teacher who made us learn to memorize. She would select a poem, review the same with us, talk some about its author, and then direct us to memorize at least one of the verses. About ten minutes before the class was over, she would say: 'Close your books. Write the poem.' Our weekly grade was usually based on how well we did. I thank her to this day for teaching me her memorizing method as it has helped me throughout my life."

Memomma's long life on earth extended from October of 1910 until February of 2006. She was a fifth-generation Texan and a well-educated woman. She is greatly missed. I thank her to this day for the many and valuable lessons which she taught to me.

Love you, Memom,

Holly
_________________
The woman of the frontier made the best of her situation, for she had developed a respect for the land that gave her freedom as well as the courage to live in it.
~~~ from the perspective of Anne Seagraves

Subject: Re: Poetry at Hondo High Mon 25 Jun 2007, 11:05 pm

I know you miss your grandmother Holly, and I really enjoyed reading this from you and her.

Madelyn