Lorin McLain's introduction of Joe Place is meant to highlight policy changes for the facility intended to make a difference in its success. The answers are pretty vague, however -- not necessarily the fault of Lorin, of course.
I interviewed Joe last week, and information I got is at odds with some of this. I plan a followup with him this week for the Read It Here piece.
Now here's what really ropes me off: Why can't the Courier figure out how to write the theatre's name? People are so frequently writing this wrong, and the Courier should be helping, not making it worse. It's not plural possessive as we have in the headline (Elks'), it's not singular possessive as we have in the photo caption (Elk's), its a simple plural: Elks. This ignorant apostrophe-tossing is just ludicrous. Lorin apparently got it right, everyone else messed up.
Update, May 9: Joe has never conducted a symphony or managed a theatre. His relevant experience is entirely church-based, as a musician, music director and producer.
For readers of the Daily Courier in Prescott, Arizona. Comment and discuss. Be nice, now.
Muggs archive
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Monday, May 7, 2007
5 comments:
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My observation is that the apostrophe catastrophe is sufficiently embedded in our culture at this point that it is well beyond rescue. I've even caught myself with misplaced apostrophes, thanks to what my eyes see every day!
ReplyDelete"Apostrophe catastophe" ...LOL
ReplyDeleteits true ,its true,
The Elks Club used to occupy the top floors of the building. They owned the building, so it was the Elks Club's Theater. It belonged to the Elks. It was the Elks' Theater. Now the building belongs to.....(the City of Prescott?), but it is called the Elks Opera House. Preserving the traditional name without the apostrophe, while gramatically correct, seems just one more loss of Prescott history and tradition. Maybe now that the old statue has been returned, it should be the Elk's Opera House?
ReplyDeleteLinda G, can you cite an authoritative reference for the use of "Elks'"? I've never seen that. In any case, if the Courier takes its style from the source, as it should, the apostrophe is wrong. If it sets its own style, it must be consistent.
ReplyDeleteAs for the "Opera House" silliness, that's just hick aggrandizement, and I've argued against it from the beginning.
(Linda's another local blogger. Check her profile for the link to her blog.)
That's just what we remember from the fifties and sixties.
ReplyDeleteI'll see what I can dig up on the history. There's probably a lot available.
Thanks, Steven, for mentioning my blog.