In order to test whether certain structures characteristic of West African languages are also present in the Negro English dialect of Natchitoches Parich, Louisiana, 355 short autobiographical papers written by Negro high school students were analyzed. Another 355 papers written by white high school students were used as controls. The papers were analyzed following an outline of expected non-standard structures adapted from Turner's "Africanisms in the Gullah Dialect." Results seemd to indicate that there is a definite African substructure in this Negro dialect which is both masked and reinforced by a survival of certain archaic forms, the simplifications of the pidgin English first used by the slaves, and normal simplifications of language found in any "folk speech." The study showed that 95 percent of the Negro students were affected by these factors as compared to 58 percent of the white students. It was also suggested that Negro dialects may have had a perceptible influence on the structure of white southern dialects. In discussing the teaching of standard English to non-standard dialect speakers, it is proposed that: (1) teachers receive training in linguistics, (2) recognition and respect be given to Negro and other dialects, (3) both linguistics and literature courses be used to teach awareness of standard usage, (4) a writing approach to English teaching be investigated. (JD)