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diff --git a/41288-0.txt b/41288-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a7e57a8 --- /dev/null +++ b/41288-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6009 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41288 *** + +[Illustration: A PICTURE STORY--PARTS 1 AND 2] + +[Illustration: A PICTURE STORY--PARTS 3 AND 4] + + + + + BEGINNERS' BOOK IN LANGUAGE + + + A BOOK FOR THE THIRD GRADE + + + BY + + H. JESCHKE + + JOINT AUTHOR OF "ORAL AND WRITTEN ENGLISH" + BOOK ONE AND BOOK TWO + + + + + GINN AND COMPANY + + BOSTON - NEW YORK - CHICAGO - LONDON + ATLANTA - DALLAS - COLUMBUS - SAN FRANCISCO + + + * * * * * + + COPYRIGHT, 1918, BY GINN AND COMPANY + + ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL + ALL RIGHTS RESERVED + + 622.1 + + + + + The Athenæum Press + + GINN AND COMPANY - PROPRIETORS + BOSTON - U.S.A. + + * * * * * + + + PREFACE + + +How shall we bring it about that children of the third grade speak as +spontaneously in the schoolroom as they do on the playground when the +game is in full swing? + +How shall we banish their schoolroom timidity and self-consciousness? + +How shall we obtain from them a ready flow of thought expressed in +fitting words? + +How shall we interest them in the improvement of their speech? + +How shall we inoculate them against common errors in English? + +How shall we displace with natural, correct, and pointed written +expression the lifeless school composition of the past, the laborious +production of which was of exceedingly doubtful educational value and +gave pleasure neither to child nor to teacher? + +These are some of the questions to which this new textbook for the third +grade aims to give constructive answers. Needless to say, much more is +required in the way of answer than a supply of raw material for language +work or a graded sequence of formal lessons in primary English. + +It is the purpose of the present book to provide a series of schoolroom +situations, so built up as to give pupils delightful experiences in +speaking and writing good English. Since one can no more teach without +the interest of the pupil than see without light, these situations have +for their content the natural interests of children. They therefore +include child life and the heroic aspects of mature life, fairies and +fairyland, and the outer world, particularly animal life. Then, each +situation is considerably extended, not only that interest may be +conserved but also that it may be cumulative. Instead of the rope of +sand that one finds in the textbook of unrelated assignments, there is +offered here an interwoven unity of nearly a dozen inclusive groups of +interrelated lessons, exercises, drills, and games. Among these groups +are the fairy group, the Indian group, the fable group, the valentine +group, and the circus group. + +These groups or situations call for much physical activity, pantomime, +dramatization. They provide for story-telling of great variety; for +instruction and practice in punctuation, capitalization, and other +points of form; for habit-creating drills in good English; for +correct-usage games; for simple letter writing; for novel exercises in +book making; and, second in importance to none of these, for the +improvement by the pupils themselves of their oral and written +composition,--all the work being socialized and otherwise variously +motivated from beginning to end. + +Careful experiments made with children of the third grade while these +lessons were still in manuscript insure that the book will produce the +desired results under ordinary school conditions. Very exceptional work +may be expected where teachers conscientiously read the entire book at +the beginning of the school year and enter into the spirit of it. That +they may do this with the least expenditure of time and energy, the +lessons have been provided with cross references and numerous notes. + + THE AUTHOR + + + + +CONTENTS + +SECTION PAGE + + 1. Study of a Picture Story 1 + + 2. Story-Telling 3 + + 3. Making Stories Better 4 + + 4. Study of a Poem. "Queen Mab" _Thomas Hood_ 6 + + 5. Story-Telling 9 + + 6. Correct Usage--_Saw_ 11 + + 7. Study of a Fable. "The Ants and the Grasshoppers" _Æsop_ 13 + + 8. Telling a Fable 18 + + 9. Making up Fables 19 + + 10. Correct Usage--_Saw_, _Seen_ 21 + + 11. Words sometimes Mispronounced 23 + + 12. More Making up of Fables 24 + + 13. Story-Telling 26 + + 14. Telling about Indians. "An Indian Boy's Training" + _Charles A. Eastman_ 28 + + 15. Studying Words 33 + + 16. More Telling about Indians 35 + + 17. Still More Telling about Indians 38 + + 18. Correct Usage--_Have_ 40 + + 19. The Names of the Months 41 + + 20. Making Riddles 44 + + 21. Correct Usage--_Did_, _Done_ 45 + + 22. Telling Fairy Stories. "Peter and the Strange Little Old Man" 47 + + 23. Study of a Poem. "The Fairy Folk" _Robert M. Bird_ + "A Child's Song" _William Allingham_ 52 + + 24. More Telling of Fairy Stories. "Peter Visits the Strange + Little Old Man's Workshop" 56 + + 25. Making Riddles 65 + + 26. Making Riddles Better 65 + + 27. Study of a Poem. "The Light-Hearted Fairy" _Unknown_ 68 + + 28. Correct Usage--_Rang_, _Sang_, _Drank_ 70 + + 29. Making up Fairy Stories 72 + + 30. Writing Dates 74 + + 31. Telling Interesting Things 75 + + 32. Story-Telling. "Jack and Jill" _Louisa M. Alcott_ 76 + + 33. Explaining Things 80 + + 34. Words sometimes Mispronounced 81 + + 35. Telling Interesting Things. "How the Eskimo builds his + House" 82 + + 36. Study of a Poem. "Jack Frost" _Gabriel Setoun_ 87 + + 37. Game 90 + + 38. Correct Usage--_May_, _Can_ 92 + + 39. Talking over Plans 94 + + 40. Letter Writing 95 + + 41. More Letter Writing 97 + + 42. Still More Letter Writing 102 + + 43. Improving Letters 103 + + 44. Study of a Poem. "Mr. Nobody" _Unknown_ 104 + + 45. Making a Little Book 107 + + 46. Correct Usage--_No_, _Not_, _Never_ 109 + + 47. Telling Interesting Things 111 + + 48. Study of a Picture Story 114 + + 49. Correct Usage--_Went_, _Saw_, _Came_, _Did_ 119 + + 50. Two Punctuation Marks 120 + + 51. Another Study of a Picture Story 121 + + 52. Letter Writing 123 + + 53. Words sometimes Mispronounced 124 + + 54. Story-Telling. "The Daughter of Ceres" 125 + + 55. Telling Interesting Things. "The Return of Spring" 131 + + 56. Story-Telling. "Ceres and Apollo" 133 + + 57. Correct Usage--_I am not_ 141 + + 58. Riddles 141 + + 59. Story-Telling. "Ceres and Pluto" 144 + + 60. Talking over Plans 150 + + 61. Letter Writing 152 + + 62. Addressing Letters 153 + + 63. Telling Interesting Things 155 + + 64. Making Riddles 158 + + 65. Telling about Wild Animals 159 + + 66. Making a Little Book 162 + + 67. Correct Usage--_Good_, _Well_ 163 + + 68. Talking over the Telephone 165 + + 69. Words sometimes Mispronounced 166 + + 70. Talking over Vacation Plans 166 + + NOTES TO THE TEACHER i + + INDEX xiii + + + + +BEGINNERS' BOOK IN LANGUAGE[A] + + + + +=1. Study of a Picture Story[1]= + + +The four pictures at the beginning of this book tell a story. It is +about a boy of your age. His name is Tom. Let us try to read that +picture story. Perhaps you have already done so. Perhaps you have +already found out what happened to Tom. + +=Oral Exercise.=[2] 1. Look at the first of the four pictures. What is +happening? + +Perhaps the owl thinks that the little man is a little animal. Perhaps +the owl wants to eat him for supper. What might the owl say if it could +talk? Say it as if you were the owl. + +You know, of course, that the little man is an elf. And of course he +does not want to be eaten. What is he doing? Call for help as if you +were an elf. Remember that the owl is after you. Call with all your +might. Call as if you were frightened. + + [A] NOTE TO TEACHER. Immediately preceding the Index are the + Notes to the Teacher. Cross references to these are given in the + text, as on the present page. Note 1 may be found on the page + that follows page 168. + +See the surprised look on Tom's face. Play that you are picking flowers +in a meadow. Suddenly you hear a call for help. Show the class how you +look up and about you to see what is the matter. What might you say when +you notice the owl and the elf? + +2. Look at the brave boy in the second picture. He has dropped his +flowers and run over to the elf. What is he doing? What is he shouting? +Do these things as if you were Tom in this picture. + +Play this part of the story with two classmates. + +3. The good elf has taken Tom to a wonderful tree in the woods. What do +you think he is saying to Tom? Should you be a little afraid to open the +door if you were Tom? Why? What questions might Tom ask before he opens +it? + +Play that you and a classmate are Tom and the elf in the third picture, +standing in front of the door in the tree. Talk together as they +probably talked together. Some of your classmates may be other elves, +peeking out from behind large trees. + +4. Just as Tom reached out his hand to open the door in the tree, what +do you think happened? Look at the sleepy but surprised boy in the +fourth picture. Why is he surprised? + +Play that you are Tom. Show the class how you would look as you awoke +from the exciting dream.[3] What should you probably say? + +Play this part of the story with a classmate. The classmate plays that +she is the mother. What do you think the mother is saying to Tom? What +might Tom answer? + +5. Now you and several classmates will wish to play the entire story.[4] + +Then it will be fun to see others[5] play it in their way. Perhaps these +will play it better. Each group of pupils playing the story tries to +show exactly what happened, by what the players say and do and by the +way they look. + + + + +=2. Story-Telling= + + +Tom awoke just as he was opening the door in the tree. We do not know +what would have happened next. Perhaps there was a stairway behind the +door. Perhaps this led to a beautiful garden in which were flowers of +many colors and singing birds. We do not know whom Tom might have met in +that garden. We do not know what might have happened there. + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Play that you are Tom. Tell the class your dream. But +make believe that you did not wake up just as you were opening the door. +Tell your classmates what happened to you after you opened it. + +Perhaps you found yourself in a room that was full of elves. Perhaps the +king of the elves was there. How did he show that he was glad that you +had saved the life of one of his elves? What did he say? Did the elves +clap their hands? Did they play games with you in the woods? + +Or perhaps the room was full of playthings, like a large toystore. +Perhaps the elf told you to choose and take home what you wanted most. + +As you and your classmates tell the dream, it will be fun to see how +different the endings are. + +2. It may be that the teacher will ask you and some classmates to play +the best dream story that is told. The first part of it you have already +played. Play it over with the new ending. The pupil who added this may +tell his classmates how to play it. Should he not be one of the players? +He will know, better than any one else, exactly what should be said and +done.[6] + + + + +=3. Making Stories Better[7]= + + +On the morning when Tom awoke from his dream he found his mother at his +bedside. The first thing he did was to tell her his strange dream. This +is what he said: + + Mother, I dreamed about a door. It was in the trunk of a tree. A + kind elf showed it to me. I drove away a wicked owl that was trying + to carry the elf away. + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Do you think that Tom told his dream very well? Did +he begin at the beginning or at the end of it? Did he leave anything +out? + +2. Does Tom's story tell what he was doing when he first saw the elf? +Does it tell how the elf looked?[8] How might Tom have begun his story? + +3. Does Tom's story tell how he drove the owl away? What might Tom have +said about this? Look at the second picture of the story and see what it +tells. + +4. Tom's story says nothing about going into the woods. It does not tell +what was written on the strange door. Look again at the third picture. +What does it tell you that Tom left out? + + * * * * * + +The questions you have been answering are much like the questions that +Tom's mother asked him. When he answered them, Tom saw that he had not +told his dream very well. + +"I left out some of the most interesting things," Tom said, as he +thought it over on his way to school. + +A few days after this, Tom's teacher asked the pupils whether they +remembered any of their dreams. Tom raised his hand. The teacher asked +him to tell his dream. This is what he told his classmates: + + I dreamed that I was picking flowers. The sun was shining, and the + meadow was beautiful. Suddenly I heard a cry. Some one was calling + for help. I turned and saw a big owl. Its claws were spread out. It + was trying to get hold of a little elf and carry him away. + + I ran to help the elf. The owl flew up in the air. I waved my arms + and shouted and frightened it away. + + The good elf said that I had saved his life. He led me into the + woods where there were very large trees. In the side of one of the + largest I saw a little door. OPEN ME AND STEP IN was written on it. + + At first I was afraid to go near the door. But the good little elf + told me to fear nothing. Just as I reached out my hand to open the + door, I awoke. + +=Oral Exercise.= Did Tom tell the class the same dream he told his +mother? Read again what he told her. Now point out where he made it +better. What did he add? Which additions do you like most? + + + + +=4. Study of a Poem= + + +Some say that one of the fairies brings the dreams. They say that it is +Queen Mab, a queen of the fairies, who brings them. The following poem +tells about this good fairy, who flutters down from the moon. It tells +how she waves her silver wand above the heads of boys and girls when +they are asleep. Then, at once, they begin to dream. They dream of the +pleasantest things. They dream of delicious fruit trees and bubbling +fountains. Sometimes, like Tom, they dream of an elf or a dwarf who +leads them over fairy hills to fairyland itself.[9] + + QUEEN MAB + + A little fairy comes at night, + Her eyes are blue, her hair is brown, + With silver spots upon her wings, + And from the moon she flutters down. + + She has a little silver wand, + And when a good child goes to bed, + She waves her wand from right to left + And makes a circle round its head. + + And then it dreams of pleasant things, + Of fountains filled with fairy fish, + Of trees that bear delicious fruit + And bow their branches at a wish, + Of pretty dwarfs to show the ways + Through fairy hills and fairy dales. + + THOMAS HOOD (Abridged)[10] + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Let us make sure that we understand this poem. Find +the following words in it and tell what you think each one means:[11] + + flutters + wand + circle + fountains + delicious + branches + dwarfs + dales + +2. Have you ever read about fairies? Tell the class how you think a +fairy looks. If you tell it well, you may draw on the board with colored +chalk your picture of a fairy. Explain your picture to the class. + +[Illustration] + +3. Play that you are holding a wand in your hand. Wave it as you think +the fairy waved it round the head of a sleeping child. + +=Written Exercise.= Copy that part of the poem which you like best. Copy +all the little marks that you find. Write capital letters where you find +them. Every line of the poem begins with a capital letter. Perhaps you +can do this copying without making a mistake.[12] + +=Memory Exercise.=[13] Read the poem aloud over and over until you can +say it without looking at the book. Then stand before the class and +recite it. If you make a mistake, you must take your seat. The pupil who +saw your mistake may then recite the poem. + + + + +=5. Story-Telling= + + +=Oral Exercise.= Think of some dreams you have had. Choose the one that +the class would probably like to hear most, but not one that will take +long to tell. Explain to the class how the dream began, what came next, +what after that, and how it ended. + +If you cannot remember any dream, make up one. It may be that you can +make up one that will be more wonderful than any real dream of your +classmates.[14] But do not make it too long. + +=Group Exercise.=[15] After you have told your dream, your classmates +will point out what they liked in the story itself and in your way of +telling it. Then they will explain to you how you might have told it +better. Perhaps, like Tom, you left out many interesting little points. + +=Oral Exercise.= Make believe you dreamed that, as you were on your way +to school one morning, you came upon a big elephant standing on the +sidewalk. Tell the class what you did in your dream and how you got to +school. + +Or play you dreamed that a smiling elf met you on your way to +school. He gave you a pretty box. He told you to open it when you +reached the schoolroom. Tell your classmates what you found in it. + +Or make believe you dreamed that a lion came into the school. Tell the +class what you did. Were you and the teacher the only brave ones in the +room? Tell what some of your classmates did in your dream. + +Or play you dreamed that you found a gold coin in the schoolyard. When +you could not learn who the owner was, you made a plan for spending the +money for the school. Tell the class about this plan. + +Perhaps the teacher will ask you and the other pupils to play some of +these dream stories, if they are very interesting. + +=Written Exercise.= 1. The teacher will write on the board one or more +of the stories told by you and the other pupils.[16] The class will read +them carefully and point out where each could be made better.[17] Copy +one that the teacher has rewritten. The next exercise, which you may +read at once, will tell you why you should do this copying without +making mistakes. + +2. Now the teacher will cover with a map the story on the board that you +have copied, and will read it to you, while you write it again.[18] This +exercise will show whether you can write a story without making any +mistakes. You will need to know where to put capital letters and the +little marks that are placed at the ends of sentences. Besides, you will +need to know the spelling of words. + +3. Compare what you have written with what is on the board. Look for +three things: + + (1) Capital letters + + (2) The mark at the end of each sentence + + (3) The spelling of words + +Did you have everything right? If not, correct the mistakes you made. + + + + +=6. Correct Usage--_Saw_= + + +Some pupils use the word _seen_ when they should use _saw_. Mistakes of +this kind spoil stories, just as a song is spoiled when some one sings +wrong notes. Let us begin to get rid of these unpleasant mistakes by +learning how to use the word _saw_ correctly.[19] + +=Oral Exercise.= The word _saw_ is used correctly in the three sentences +that follow. Read these sentences aloud several times. + + 1. Tom said he saw an owl in his dream. + + 2. I saw a pretty dollhouse in my dream last night. + + 3. I dreamed that I saw a beautiful yellow bird sitting on a fruit + tree and singing. + +=Game.= Let all the pupils, except one, play that they have fallen +asleep. When they have closed their eyes and rested their heads on their +folded arms, the one pupil who plays that she is Queen Mab tiptoes up +and down between the rows of seats. With a fairy wand she makes a circle +round several heads. Then the fairy disappears, the class wakes up, and +each pupil who has had a dream tells his classmates the most interesting +one thing that he saw in it. Thus, one pupil might say: + + I saw an elf. He was sitting in front of the door of his + tree-house. He was making a toy for a little boy. + +Another pupil might say: + + I saw a dwarf. He was riding over the fruit-tree tops. He was on + the back of a beautiful eagle. + +Another might say: + + I saw an owl. It had big, round, shiny eyes. It looked at me, but I + was not afraid. + +Still another might say: + + I saw a fine white horse. It had a golden harness. A brave soldier + sat on its back. + +Each pupil begins with the words _I saw_ and tries to say something +that is very different from what his classmates say they dreamed, and +much more wonderful.[20] + + + + +=7. Study of a Fable= + + +=Oral Exercise.= Did you ever read the story or fable of the ants and +the grasshoppers? Read it carefully as it is told on this and the next +pages. See whether you can tell your classmates the lesson that it +teaches. + +[Illustration] + + THE ANTS AND THE GRASSHOPPERS + + In a field one summer day some ants were busily at work. They were + carrying grain into their storehouses. As they plodded steadily to + and fro under their loads, they were watched by a number of + grasshoppers. The grasshoppers were not working. Instead, they were + sunning themselves by the roadside. Now and then these idle + fellows droned out a lazy song, or joined in a dance, or amused + themselves by making fun of the ants. But the ants were tireless + workers. They kept steadily on. Nothing could take their minds off + their business. + + "Why don't you come with us and have some fun?" at last called one + of the grasshoppers to the ants. + + "Oh, stop that work," another cried. "Come and have a good time, as + we are doing!" + + But the ants kept right on with their work. + + "Winter is coming," said an ant. He was busily pushing a rich grain + of wheat before him. "We need to get ready for the days when we can + gather no food. You had better do the same." + + "Ah, let winter take care of itself," the grasshoppers shouted, all + together. "We have enough to eat to-day. We are not going to worry + about to-morrow." + + But the ants kept on with their work. The grasshoppers kept on with + their play. + + When winter came, the grasshoppers had no food. One after another + they died. At last only one was left. Sick with hunger, he went to + the house of an ant and knocked at the door. + + "Dear ant," he began, "will you not help a poor fellow who has + nothing to eat?" + + The ant looked him over a few seconds. "So it is you, is it? As I + remember, you are the lazy fellow who did not believe in work. I do + not care to have anything to do with you." And he turned his back + on the lazy fellow. + + Sadly the grasshopper made his way to another door and knocked + again. + + "You have nothing to eat?" cried the ant that lived here, in great + surprise. "Tell me, what were you doing while the weather was warm? + Did you lay nothing by?" + + "No," replied the grasshopper. "I felt so happy and gay that I did + nothing but dance and sing." + + "Well, then," answered the ant, "you will have to dance and sing + now, as best you can. We ants never borrow. We ants never lend." + And he showed the lazy fellow out of the place. + + The hungry grasshopper dragged himself to a third house. + + "I am sorry," said the ant that opened the door. "I can spare you + nothing. All that I have I need for my own family. If you spent the + summer without working, you will have to spend the winter without + eating." And he shut the door in the grasshopper's face.--ÆSOP + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Show the class how you would carry a heavy load. +Play that a bag of wheat stood before you. Lift it from the ground, +balance it on one of your shoulders, walk with it across the room, and +set it carefully down in the corner. Then go back for another, and +another. Let several classmates do the same. + +2. Play that you and several classmates are the ants in the fable, +busily carrying loads from the field to the storehouses. What might you +ants be saying to each other while you work? Should you speak of the +sunny day, of the pleasant field, of the fun of working together? Should +you probably speak of the pleasure of seeing the grain pile up in the +storehouses? Should you be thinking, now and then, of the long, cold +winter ahead? What might you say about it? What might you say to each +other as you pass the grasshoppers loafing by the roadside? + +3. Show the class how you would walk about if you had nothing to do all +day long. Would your walk be brisk? Should you look wide-awake? Play +that you and several classmates are the grasshoppers in the fable. What +will you do? Will you walk lazily to and fro before the class, one of +you twanging a guitar, another singing, and the third dancing about? +What might you grasshoppers be saying to each other about the weather? +What might you say about the busy ants you see passing by with loads on +their backs? What might you say about the coming winter? + +4. Play the part of the fable that tells what happened in the summer. +First the ants will be seen at their work. They talk with each other as +they work. They say what they think about the lazy grasshoppers they see +in the distance. Now the grasshoppers slowly come along, humming tunes. +They talk about the beautiful summer. They laugh at the hard-working +ants. At last they call to the ants and invite these to join them in a +dance or in a song. Read the fable to see what each thinks and says and +does in this part of the story. + +5. Now play that winter has come. You and several classmates may be the +grasshoppers. You are shivering in the cold and have no food to eat. +Remember, you grasshoppers are not singing and dancing now. What might +you say to each other about the summer that is gone? One grasshopper +dies of hunger. What might the others say? Another dies. What does the +last one say to himself and decide to do? + +6. Can you see the last grasshopper going from house to house, begging +for food? How does he look? Show the class how he walks and how he +talks. What does he say at each door? + +7. With three classmates, that will be the three ants, play the last +part of the fable,--the part in which the last grasshopper goes from +door to door. The fable tells what each ant says and does. + +8. Another group of pupils may now play the whole story. Let them do it +in their own way.[5] If the story is played well, the class will see +everything as it happened. + + + + +=8. Telling a Fable= + + +The fable of the ants and the grasshoppers may be told in different +ways.[21] You could tell it as if you were one of the ants. In that case +the story might begin in this way: + + I am a busy ant. I really have no time to stop to talk with you. + But perhaps a few minutes' rest will do me good. Yes, I will tell + you about the grasshoppers. + + One day last summer I noticed some of these good-for-nothing + fellows near the field where I was working. They were sunning + themselves by the roadside. They were too lazy to work. + +Or you could tell the fable as if you were one of the grasshoppers. Then +it would perhaps begin as follows: + + I am a grasshopper. I had a hard time last winter. All my + companions died then. I think it is wonderful that I am still + alive. But my health has been ruined. + + You see, last summer we grasshoppers did not feel like doing any + work. We thought it was more fun to dance and sing and to laugh at + the ants. We thought they were foolish to work so hard. + +=Oral Exercise.= Tell the fable of the ants and the grasshoppers in your +own way. As you speak to your classmates, shall you play that you are an +ant or a grasshopper? + +=Group Exercise.= As each pupil tells the fable, the class will listen +to see whether any important parts have been left out. The class should +tell each speaker where he did well and where the fable might have been +told better. There is a good way and a poor way of telling a story. Do +you not remember the two ways in which Tom told his dream? + + + + +=9. Making up Fables= + + +As you know, the fable of the ants and the grasshoppers teaches the +lesson that during worktime one should work. The same lesson could be +taught by other stories. Let us try to make up a fable of our own. Our +fable should show what happens to those who will not work. + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. What animals shall we have in our story to take the +place of the ants? They must be very busy animals. They must be good +workers. They must not waste their time in idleness. They must not play +when they should be going about their business. Would bees do? Now, what +animals shall take the place of the grasshoppers? What do you think of +butterflies for this part? + +2. Make up a fable about bees and butterflies and tell it to your +classmates. Will you tell it as if you were one of the bees? Or will you +be a butterfly? Or will you tell the fable as if you were a bird or a +field mouse that saw all that happened and heard all that was said? + +=Group Exercise.= After each telling of the fable you and the other +pupils should tell the story-teller, first, what things in his story you +liked, and, second, what could be made better. + +Sometimes pupils do not speak loud enough for the class to hear. +Sometimes they do not seem strong enough to stand squarely on their two +feet while they are speaking. They seem to need to hold on to a chair or +table, so as not to fall. Those who stand well and speak with a clear, +ringing voice should be praised for it by their classmates.[22] + +=Oral Exercise.= Read the following ideas for stories. Perhaps you can +make up a story from one of them that the class would like to hear. +Perhaps you can make up a very interesting story that the class would +like to play. + +1. There are two dogs living in neighboring houses. One is too lazy to +watch his master's house. The other is faithful. When a burglar comes, +the faithful dog drives him away. Then the burglar enters the neighbor's +house. There he finds the lazy watchdog fast asleep. What happens next +morning when the master of each dog learns what took place during the +night? + +2. The billboards say that a circus is coming. In a month it will be in +a certain city where two boys live. These two boys plan to go. They need +to earn the money for the tickets. One of them begins at once and works +steadily. The other is unwilling to give up his play. + + + + +=10. Correct Usage--_Saw_, _Seen_= + + +Some time ago we began to learn about the correct use of the word _saw_. +Some pupils use _saw_ when only _seen_ is correct, and _seen_ when only +_saw_ is correct. The following sentences show the correct use of these +two troublesome words: + + 1. I _saw_ some ants busily at work. + + 2. _Have_ you _seen_ them? + + 3. Have you ever _seen_ a grasshopper at work? + + 4. I never _saw_ one. + + 5. But I _have_ often _seen_ ants at work. + + 6. _Has_ your brother _seen_ the ant hill in the field? + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. In any of the sentences above do you find _saw_ used +with _have_ or _has_? Do you find _seen_ used in any sentence without +_have_ or _has_? Can you make a rule for the use of _saw_ and _seen_? + +2. Using what you have just learned about _saw_ and _seen_, fill the +blanks below with the correct one of the two words: + + 1. The grasshoppers ---- the ants, and the ants ---- them. + + 2. I have ---- many ants and many grasshoppers. + + 3. Has any one ever ---- this grasshopper doing any work? + + 4. I once ---- two ants carrying a heavy grain of wheat together. + + 5. I ---- them at work. + + 6. Have you ---- the ants carrying grain this summer? + + 7. My brother once ---- a beehive. + + 8. He ---- hundreds of bees. + + 9. I have never ---- butterflies gathering food for the winter. + +=Game.= 1. The teacher sends one of the class from the room. The +remaining pupils close their eyes. The teacher tiptoes to one of them +and shows him a pencil (or a book or a cap) belonging to the pupil in +the hall. When that one returns to the room, he asks each of his +classmates in turn, "George (or Fred or Mary), have you seen my pencil?" + +The answer is, "No, Tom (or Lucy or John), I have not seen your pencil," +until at last the pupil is reached who has seen it. He answers, "Yes, +Tom, I have seen it." + +Then he in turn leaves the room, and another round of the game begins. + +2. The teacher points to one pupil after another and asks each, "What +did you see on your way to school?" The answers come: + + 1. I saw many children all going in the same direction. + + 2. I saw a poster of the circus that is coming to town next week. + + 3. I saw a farmer driving a cow. + + 4. I saw a policeman. + +Each answer begins with the words _I saw_. After half a dozen pupils +have spoken, the one who gave the most interesting reply[23] takes the +teacher's place. He asks his classmates a question beginning with the +words _What did you see?_ He might say: + + 1. What did you see at church last Sunday? + + 2. What did you see when you visited your grandfather? + + 3. What did you see when you went to the woods? + +After half a dozen answers, another pupil becomes the questioner. Each +pupil tries to ask interesting questions and to give interesting +answers.[20] + + + + +=11. Words sometimes Mispronounced= + + +It often happens that a story is spoiled because the person who tells +it makes mistakes in English. It is as unpleasant to hear a mistake in a +speaker's language as it is to see a spot on a picture. You have already +learned the proper use of _saw_ and _seen_. In this lesson we shall take +up another matter. Sometimes pupils do not pronounce all their words +correctly. We must get rid of mistakes of this kind, too. + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Pronounce each word in the following list as your +teacher pronounces it to you: + + can + catch + just + when + where + why + what + which + while + often + three + because + +2. Read the entire list rapidly, but speak each word distinctly and +correctly. + +3. Use in sentences the words in the list above. + + + + +=12. More Making up of Fables= + + +Of course you have heard the fable of the foolish little chick. That +chick paid no attention to its mother's warning to stay near her. You +probably remember that it boldly wandered away from her and was caught +by a hawk. + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. If there are any pupils in the class who do not know +the fable of the foolish chick, some pupil who remembers it clearly +should tell it to them, so that all may know it. What is the lesson of +that fable? + +2. Make up a short fable like the one of the careless chick and the +hawk. Read the following list of ideas for such a fable. Perhaps it will +help you to make up an interesting story to tell the class. Perhaps the +class will wish to play your story. + + The Foolish Lamb and the Wolf + + The Bear Cub and the Bear Trap + + The Heedless Puppy and the Automobile + + The Reckless Mouse and the Cat + +[Illustration] + +=Group Exercise.= The teacher will write on the board the best of the +fables that you and your classmates make. Then you and they may try to +improve these fables, as Tom improved the story of his dream. Make each +one as interesting as you can.[24] Think of bright things to add to each +one. + +=Written Exercise.= Copy from the board one of the fables that the class +has improved. Write capital letters and punctuation marks where you find +them in the fable. What you write should be an exact copy of what is on +the board.[25] Do you think that there is any one in the class who can +make such an exact copy? Are you that one? + + + + +=13. Story-Telling= + + +=Oral Exercise.= Did you ever see a sign with the words SAFETY FIRST? +Explain to your classmates what you think it meant. + +The three pictures on the opposite page tell three stories. Each story +teaches the lesson, "Safety First." + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Make up a story that you and your classmates may +play. Let it fit one of the three pictures. Tell it to the class. + +2. Together with two or three classmates, whom you may choose yourself, +play your story. Perhaps you and the other players will meet before or +after school, and then you can tell them how each one must look, what he +must do, and what he must say, in playing his part. Try to do it all +without the teacher, but if you need the teacher's help, ask for it. +Play the story once or twice before playing it in the presence of the +class. + +=Group Exercise.= Other pupils will play their stories. The class will +tell what it likes and what it does not like in the playing of each +story. These questions will help to show whether a story was well +played: + + 1. Did the players say enough? + + 2. Did the players speak clearly, distinctly, and loud enough? + + 3. Did the players look and act like the persons in the story? + + 4. How might the story have been played better? + +[Illustration: SAFETY FIRST] + + + + +=14. Telling about Indians[26]= + +[Illustration] + + +Long ago there were no cities and no railroads in our country. The white +men had not yet come. Only Indians lived here. As you probably know, +their houses were tents made of skins. They had no guns, but hunted with +bows and arrows. Their clothes were very different from those we wear. + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. You have probably read or heard interesting things +about the Indians. What can you tell your classmates about them? + +2. Of course you know that Indian children were not sent to school as +you are. They did not learn to read books. Do you know what they did +learn? Tell the class what you know about it. + +3. Read what an Indian says in the following true story. When this +Indian boy grew to be a young man, he learned English. He has written a +number of books about his boyhood. As you read what follows, notice how +many things you are told which you never heard of before. Perhaps you +had thought that little Indian boys were never afraid of the dark. This +story tells how they get over it. What else does it tell that is +interesting to you? + + AN INDIAN BOY'S TRAINING[B] + + My uncle was my teacher until I reached the age of fifteen years. + He was strict and good. When I left the tepee in the morning, he + would say: "Boy, look closely at everything you see." At evening, + on my return, he used to question me for an hour or so. + + He asked me to name all the new birds that I had seen during the + day. I would name them according to the color, or the shape of the + bill, or their song, or their nest, or anything about the bird that + I had noticed. Then he would tell me the correct name. + + One day he told me what to do if a bear or a wild-cat should attack + me. "You must make the animal fully understand that you have seen + him and know what he is planning to do. If you are not ready for a + battle, that is, if you are not armed, the only way to make him + turn away from you is to take a long, sharp-pointed pole for a + spear and rush toward him. No wild beast will face this unless he + is cornered and already wounded." + + [B] Copyright, 1913, by Little, Brown and Company. + +[Illustration: KNIFE IN ITS BEADED CASE] + + When I was still a very small boy, my stern teacher began to give + sudden war whoops over my head in the morning while I was sound + asleep. He expected me to leap up without fear, grasp my bow and + arrows or my knife, and give a shrill whoop in reply. If I was + sleepy or startled and hardly knew what I was about, he would laugh + at me and say that I would never become a warrior. Often he would + shoot off his gun just outside the tepee while I was yet asleep, at + the same time giving bloodcurdling yells. After a time I became + used to this. + + My uncle used to send me off after water when we camped after dark + in a strange place. Perhaps the country was full of wild beasts. + There might be scouts from warlike bands of Indians hiding in that + very neighborhood. + + Yet I never objected, for that would have shown cowardice. I picked + my way through the woods, dipped my pail in the water, and hurried + back. I was always careful to make as little noise as a cat. Being + only a boy, I could feel my heart leap at every crackling of a dry + twig or distant hooting of an owl. At last I reached the tepee. + Then my uncle would perhaps say, "Ah, my boy, you are a thorough + warrior." Then he would empty the pail, and order me to go a second + time. + + Imagine how I felt! But I wished to be a brave man as much as a + white boy desires to be a great lawyer or even President of the + United States. Silently I would take the pail and again make the + dangerous journey through the dark.--CHARLES A. EASTMAN (OHIYESA), + "Indian Child Life" (Adapted) + +[Illustration: INDIAN ARROWS] + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Play that you are an Indian boy or girl. Make +believe that you are walking through the dark woods. Remember, there may +be wild beasts in the woods, or the scouts of warlike Indian bands. Show +the class how you would walk and how you would look about you as you +picked your way to a spring to fetch water for the camp. Tell the class +what you might see and hear on this dangerous trip. + +[Illustration: A TEPEE] + +2. Now let three or four of your classmates be white boys and girls. +They are passing carefully through the same woods. Let these white +children show the class exactly how they would make their way through +the woods. What might they be whispering to each other? + +3. Play that suddenly you and the white hunters meet in these dangerous +woods. At first you see them a little distance away. What do you try to +do? But they have also seen you. What do they try to do? At length you +find that they are friendly, and they see that they need not fear you. +When you meet them, what might you say to them? What questions might you +ask them? What might they ask you? + +4. Make believe that the white boys and girls know very little about +Indian boys, and that they wonder why you are not in school studying +your lessons. What will you tell them? When they ask you whether you +never learn anything, tell them what you have learned in the woods. + +5. Now tell them that you know nothing about the schools to which white +children go. Ask them to tell you why they go to school and what they do +there. Ask them more questions until they have told you all about their +school. + + + + +=15. Studying Words= + + +When the first white men who came to this country met the Indians, they +learned from them some new words. The white men used these Indian words +more and more. To-day we think of the words as English words, and we +have almost forgotten where we got them. In talking about Indians we +shall need these words. Let us learn them at once. Then we shall make +no mistakes when we use them. + +[Illustration: STONE HATCHET] + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Listen carefully as the teacher pronounces each word +in this list of Indian words. Then pronounce it the same way. Then read +the entire list distinctly and rapidly without making a single mistake. + + tepee + squaw + wampum + hominy + toboggan + wigwam + papoose + moccasin + tomahawk + tobacco + +2. Which of these words do you already know? Make sentences using each +of these to show that you know what they mean. Learn the meaning of the +others and then use them in sentences. + +=Group Exercise.= With each of the Indian words in the list make one +interesting sentence. This the teacher will write on the board. Then the +entire class will make it as much better as possible. The teacher will +write the improved sentence on the board under the other one. Thus, with +the first word in the list, you might give this sentence: + + The hunter saw a tepee. + +The class tries to make the sentence more interesting. At last the +following sentence is seen on the board: + + The brave Indian hunter saw a large new tepee in the woods. + + + + +=16. More Telling about Indians= + + + One way of starting fire was for several of the boys to sit in a + circle and, one after another, to rub two pieces of dry, spongy + wood together until the wood caught fire.--CHARLES A. EASTMAN + (Ohiyesa), "Indian Child Life" + +[Illustration: FLINT KNIVES] + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Do you know in what kind of houses the Indians +lived? Explain to the class how large you think an Indian house was, how +it was made, and what kind of door it had. If you can, draw on the board +a picture of the tepee about which you are talking. + +2. In which of the following questions are you interested most? You +probably know something about it already. Learn as much more as you can. +Ask your teacher and your father and mother, and try to find something +about it in books. Then tell your classmates what you know. If you can +draw on the board[26] a picture of the thing about which you are +talking, it may help your classmates to understand you better. Or you +may make a drawing on paper with colored crayons. + + 1. What sort of boat did Indians use and how did they make it? + + 2. What did the Indians wear? + + 3. How were the Indian babies taken care of? + + 4. What did the Indians use for money? + + 5. How are the Indians of to-day different from the Indians whom + the first white men saw? + +=Group Exercise.= 1. After each pupil's talk the class should explain to +the speaker, first, what they liked in the talk, and, second, how the +talk might have been better. + +2. One of these talks the teacher will write on the board.[16] Then the +whole class should study it together, improving it as much as possible. +The following questions may help in this work: + + 1. Is anything important left out? + + 2. What could be added to make the talk more interesting? + +=Written Exercise.= 1. When the talk that you have just been studying +has been rewritten on the board in its improved form, copy it. Before +doing so, read the exercise that follows. It will show you why it is +very important that you try to copy the talk without making a single +mistake. Look out for the spelling of words, for the capital letters, +and for the punctuation marks. In this way you will be preparing for the +battle in the next exercise. + +2. The entire class may now be divided into two Indian tribes. The +tribes are to have a battle in the schoolroom. The battle will be a +writing battle. It will show which tribe can write from dictation[18] +with the fewer mistakes. What you have just copied from the board is to +be used for this dictation. Before the exercise begins, each tribe may +give its war whoop. + +[Illustration: WALKING STICKS USED BY THE OLD MEN OF A TRIBE] + +3. Compare what you have written with what is on the board.[12] How many +mistakes in spelling have you made? How many times have you written +small letters where there should be capitals? How many punctuation +marks have you forgotten? How many mistakes have all the Indians in your +tribe made? Did your tribe make fewer mistakes than the other tribe? +Then your tribe may give its war whoop as a sign of victory. The losing +tribe must remain silent. + + + + +=17. Still More Telling about Indians= + + + What boy would not be an Indian for a while when he thinks of the + freest life in the world? This life was mine. Every day there was a + real hunt.--CHARLES A. EASTMAN (OHIYESA), "Indian Child Life" + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. What did Indian boys and girls enjoy that you do not +have? What pleasant things do you enjoy that the Indian children had +never heard of before the white men came to this country? + +2. Make believe that you are an Indian boy or girl. Play that you have +been asked by the teacher to visit the school. The teacher asks you to +tell about your pleasant life in a tepee in the woods, and why you are +glad you are an Indian. The teacher will meet you at the door, lead you +before the class, and say something like this: + + Boys and girls, I want to introduce you to our visitor. As you see, + he is an Indian boy, who has come to us from his home in the + woods. He will tell us why he likes the Indian life and why he + would not exchange places with us. + +What will you say to the class? + +[Illustration: BARK WIGWAM WITH CURVED ROOF] + +3. Now play that the class is a tribe of Indians. You have been +captured by them as you were wandering through the woods.[27] They want +you to live with them and to grow up with the Indian boys and girls. +Stand before this Indian tribe. Tell them bravely why you would rather +stay with the white men. Ask them to let you return to your home. Give +good reasons why they should do so. Which of the following ideas will +you use in your talk? + + 1. You would rather spend your life in the city than in the woods. + + 2. You like the white men's houses and ways of living better than + those of the Indians. + + 3. You want to learn to read better so that you may enjoy many + storybooks of which you have heard. + + + + +=18. Correct Usage--_Have_[28]= + + +A game that Indians often played was called "Finding the Moccasin." The +players formed a circle around one who stood in the center and was "it." +They passed a small toy moccasin quickly from hand to hand. The one in +the center tried to guess who had it. If he guessed right, then the +player who had the moccasin became "it" for the next game. + +[Illustration: MOCCASINS] + +=Game.= Make believe that you and your classmates are a band of Indians +playing "Finding the Moccasin." Make a small moccasin of paper or cloth. +Pass it quickly from hand to hand as you stand in a circle. Be careful +that the player in the center does not see you passing it. He will ask +one after another in the circle, "Have you the moccasin?" The answer +will always be, "No, I haven't (or have not) the moccasin," until the +one who does have it answers, "Yes, I have the moccasin." Then this +player is "it" for the next game. + + + + +=19. The Names of the Months= + + +Here are two lists of names. The second gives the Indian names for the +months. As you see, the Indians use the word _moon_ instead of the word +_month_. + + January Snow Moon + February Hunger Moon + March Crow Moon + April Wild-Goose Moon + May Planting Moon + June Strawberry Moon + July Thunder Moon + August Green-Corn Moon + September Hunting Moon + October Falling-Leaf Moon + November Ice-Forming Moon + December Long-Night Moon + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. As you read the two lists above, do you see the +reason for each Indian name? Do you like the Indian names as well as the +names we use? Which Indian name do you like best of all? Which do you +think could be improved? Can you make up other names for the twelve +months?[29] + +2. Can you name the twelve months in order? Remember to pronounce all +the _r's_ in _February_. + +3. Let twelve pupils be the twelve months. Let the pupil who is January +speak first. He should tell who he is and what he brings. He might speak +as follows: + + I am January. The Indians call me Snow Moon. I bring cold weather, + ice, and snow. Healthy boys and girls like me. When I am here, they + can go coasting and skating. When I bring too much cold, they stay + indoors by the fire and read books about Indians. + +[Illustration: INDIAN SLED, OR TOBOGGAN] + +In this way each of the twelve pupils may tell the class what kind of +month he is. + +=Group Exercise.= After each month has spoken, the class should tell +him, first, what was specially good in his talk, and then, what might +have been better. These questions will help the class to see how good +each talk was: + + 1. What was the best thing in the talk? + + 2. Did the speaker leave out anything interesting? + + 3. Did he use too many _and's_?[30] + +=Written Exercise.= You and eleven classmates may go to the board. The +teacher will name a month for each pupil. Each is to write a sentence +that tells what he likes to do in one of the months. If you are to write +what you like to do in November, you might write a sentence like the +following: + + In November I like to read books and play games by the warm fire. + +While the twelve pupils are writing on the board, the pupils in their +seats will write on paper. + +[Illustration: STONE AX] + +Do not forget that the name of every month begins with a capital letter. +Do not forget that the word _I_ is always written as a capital letter. + +=Group Exercise.= 1. The class may now point out any mistakes there are +in each of the twelve sentences on the board. These questions will help +pupils to find mistakes: + + 1. Is the name of the month spelled correctly? Does it begin with a + capital letter? + + 2. Does the sentence begin with a capital letter? + + 3. Does the sentence end with a period? + + 4. If the word _I_ is used, is it written as a capital letter? + +2. Now the sentences that pupils wrote at their desks may be read. Those +that are very good may be written on the board under the ones about the +same months. Then the class will point out mistakes in them, if there +are any. + + + + +=20. Making Riddles= + + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Can you guess either one of the following riddles? + + I come once in a year. I always bring Santa Claus with me. When I + leave, a new year begins at once. What am I? + + I come once a year. Turkeys do not like me, but everybody else + gives thanks after I have been here several weeks. What am I? + +2. Make riddles about the months, for your classmates to guess. Begin +your riddles like the two above. + +[Illustration: WOODEN BOWL] + +=Game.= Twelve pupils stand in a row in front of the class. The teacher +whispers to each the name of one of the months. The game is for the +class to arrange these pupils in the order of the months of the year. Of +course January will be placed at the beginning of the row. December +will be placed at the end. Each pupil in the row makes a riddle about +the month he is. The class must guess who is January, who is February, +and so on to December. + +Those who guess the riddles may be the months in the second game. + +=Group Exercise.= Pupils who make very good riddles may write them on +the board. Then the class will try to make them still better. + +[Illustration: BUFFALO-HORN SPOONS] + +=Written Exercise.= When the riddles on the board have been corrected, +copy the one or two you like best. Take these copies home to show to +your parents. Write the name of the month under each riddle you copy. +Begin that name with a capital letter. How will you make sure that you +have spelled it right? + + + + +=21. Correct Usage--_Did, Done_= + + +Some pupils spoil their talks and stories because they make mistakes in +using _did_ and _done_. They say _did_ when they should say _done_, and +_done_ when they should say _did_. The sentences at the top of the next +page show these words used correctly: + + 1. The Indian boy _did_ a brave deed. + + 2. He _has done_ deeds of bravery before. + + 3. I never _did_ anything so daring. + + 4. _Have_ you _done_ your work? + + 5. I _had done_ my work long before you spoke. + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. As you read the sentences above, try to find out +when it is right to use _did_ and when _done_. + +2. Read the sentences again. Now notice that nowhere is the word _done_ +used unless _has_ or _have_ or _had_ is used in the same sentence. Is +this true of the word _did_ also? + +Let us remember, then, never to use _done_ alone, and never to use _did_ +with _have_ or _has_ or _had_. + +[Illustration: EARTHEN COOKING POT] + +=Game=.[31] 1. One of the pupils plays that he or she is an old Indian +squaw. All the other pupils are her children. She stands before them and +says: "Children, I must go to the river. I must see whether the warriors +are catching many fish for supper. I want you all to stay here in the +tepee and finish your work." In a little while the squaw returns from +the river. She walks up and down the aisles and asks each of her +children this question: "Have you done your work?" Each one answers: +"No, I have not done my work, but I think that John (pointing to the +next pupil) has done his." The questions and answers go on until every +pupil in the class has spoken. Then those who made no mistake in their +answers join in an Indian dance. They march up and down the aisles, +clapping their hands and chanting, "All good Indians have done their +work." + +2. The old Indian squaw again leaves and again returns to her children. +This time she asks each one, "What were you doing while I was gone?" +Each one answers, "I did the work you gave me to do." All those who +answer correctly join in an Indian dance, singing, "I did my work +yesterday, and I have done my work to-day."[32] + + + + +=22. Telling Fairy Stories[33]= + + + PETER AND THE STRANGE LITTLE OLD MAN[9] + + On the edge of a great forest there once lived a toymaker and his + little family. Although he worked hard, he was very poor. His wife + had to help him whittle and paint the toys, which he sent to the + nearest village to be sold. + + "Times are hard," the toymaker said one night to his wife, "I + cannot save any money. Christmas is near at hand, and I am afraid + we shall have no presents for the boys." + + They had two boys. These looked as like as two peas from the same + pod, but they were very unlike at heart. Peter, the younger one, + made his father and mother very happy. Joseph, the elder, caused + them much worry. + + The toymaker would say: "Put wood on the fire, boys. We cannot work + if we are not warm." Peter would go to the shed at once, bring in + an armful of wood, put some of it in the stove and the rest in the + woodbox. All the while Joseph would stay in the warm room and would + not lift a finger to help him. + + So it was with everything. Peter worked steadily at his father's + side most of the day, whittling and gluing and painting toys, while + Joseph slipped away and spent his time in idleness and play. In the + evening it was Peter who helped his mother dry the dishes. + + One day as the three workers were busily bent over the bench, a + knock was heard at the door. They were surprised to see standing + outside a strange little old man, no higher than the tabletop. + + "Excuse me," he said, lifting his red cap very politely. "I have + lost my way. Would one of the boys kindly be my guide through the + woods?" + + "Yes, of course," answered the toymaker. He looked from one of his + sons to the other, wondering which one to send. He hoped that + Joseph would offer to go, because he was the elder. But Joseph was + already shaking his head very hard and turning away. Peter caught + his father's look and put on his hat and coat. + + "I know all the paths," he said to the stranger, "and will help you + find your way." + + They started off at once. When they had gone a short distance, it + began to snow. They trudged along just the same until the ground + was covered with a thick white blanket as far as they could see. + They talked very little, but kept their eyes open for the way, and + hurried along. At last they reached a place where four great oak + trees stood in a row, as if some one had planted them so. + + "This is the place," said the little old man. He took a golden + whistle from his pocket and blew it. A low sweet tone came from it, + that sounded like pleasant music in the silent woods. In a moment a + large sleigh, drawn by eight prancing reindeer, appeared before + them. The little old man motioned Peter to follow him and jumped + in. As soon as Peter had jumped in too, they drove away as fast as + they could go, bells ringing, and sparks flying as the reindeer's + hoofs struck the ground. Now and then the strange little old man + spoke to the reindeer. They seemed to know his voice. He called + each by name, "Now, Dasher," and "Now, Dancer," and "Get up, + Prancer." Then they dashed and danced and pranced faster than ever. + + They had been moving over the ground in this way for more than an + hour. Then Peter saw in the distance a building that was longer and + wider and higher than any building he had ever seen or heard about. + As they got nearer, a steady buzzing sound was heard. Peter thought + it was the sound of machinery. He thought a thousand wheels must be + turning and humming within. As he looked and listened, the sleigh + suddenly came to a stop. They stood at the entrance to the mighty + building. + + "What is this building?" asked Peter. + + "This is my workshop," said the strange little old man, as he + jumped out of the sleigh. "Some day I shall take you inside. You + are the kind of boy I like. I know how you help your father and + mother. To-day you have helped me. Here is a little present to take + home with you." + + He placed something in Peter's hand. Then he hurried up the broad + stairs and into the workshop. The big door slammed shut behind him, + and at that very moment the sleigh, the reindeer, and the workshop + itself suddenly disappeared. Much to his surprise Peter found + himself alone in the woods and not far from his father's hut. + + He wondered whether he had only dreamed all that had happened. No, + that could not be, for he still held in his hand a small leather + bag, the present from the little man. Holding this tightly, he + hurried to his home. + + You may imagine the surprise of his parents and his brother when he + told his story. They asked him to tell it again and again. Each one + examined the small leather bag. There were two beautiful gold coins + in it. Peter gave these to his father and mother. + + His father patted him on his curly head. + + "We shall spend these for Christmas," he said. + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Which part of this story do you like best? Tell your +classmates what sort of picture you would make with colored crayons for +this part of the story. Explain exactly what will be in the picture. +Then make the picture. + +2. Why did the strange little old man help Peter? Do you know any story +in which a fairy helps good people? + +3. Think of the fairy stories that you have heard or read. What is the +name of the one you like best? Would it not be fun for each pupil to +tell the class his favorite fairy story? When you tell yours, do not let +it be too long. Tell only the important parts of it.[22] + +=Group Exercise.= After each story, you and your classmates should tell +the speaker what you liked in his story and in his telling of it. Then +tell what you did not like. + + + + +=23. Study of a Poem= + + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Tell your classmates how you think fairies look. How +tall do you think they are? What kind of clothes do they wear? After you +have answered these questions, draw on the board or on paper, with +colored chalks or crayons, a picture of a fairy. + +2. Do fairies always walk or run, or can they fly, or have they tiny +horses and wagons? + +3. Can you see the picture of the fairies in the following lines? What +do those lines tell you about fairies that you did not know before? + + Their caps of red, their cloaks of green, + Are hung with silver bells, + And when they're shaken with the wind + Their merry ringing swells. + And riding on the crimson moths + With black spots on their wings, + They guide them down the purple sky + With golden bridle rings. + + ROBERT M. BIRD, "The Fairy Folk" + +4. Where do you think the fairies live? What do they eat? The following +poem gives one answer to these questions, and tells us still more about +fairies. What is the name of the poem? The child that sings it is afraid +of fairies. Do you know any other children that are afraid of them? + +[Illustration: "AND RIDING ON THE CRIMSON MOTHS"] + + A CHILD'S SONG + + Up the airy mountain, + Down the rushy glen, + We daren't go a-hunting + For fear of little men; + Wee folk, good folk, + Trooping all together; + Green jacket, red cap, + And white owl's feather! + + Down along the rocky shore + Some make their home, + They live on crispy pancakes + Of yellow tide-foam; + Some in the reeds + Of the black mountain-lake, + With frogs for their watchdogs, + All night awake. + + Up the airy mountain, + Down the rushy glen, + We daren't go a-hunting + For fear of little men; + Wee folk, good folk, + Trooping all together; + Green jacket, red cap, + And white owl's feather! + + WILLIAM ALLINGHAM (Abridged) + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Let us make sure that we understand every line of +this pretty poem or song. In the first line, why is the mountain called +_airy_? A _rushy glen_ is a narrow valley in which many rushes or swamp +reeds grow. Have you ever seen such a place? Draw a picture of a rushy +glen. + +2. Which lines in the first part of the poem tell about fairies? These +fairies go in a troop or band or company. Which line tells us that? With +colored crayons draw a picture of a fairy wearing a green jacket, a red +cap, and a white owl's feather. + +3. The second part, or stanza, of the poem tells where some of these +fairies live. What do some of them do all the night? As they watch, who +keeps them company? + +4. When you read this poem, does it seem to be a song? Do you like the +way it reads? Which part do you like best? Draw with colored crayons a +picture for this part. Before you draw, explain how the picture looks in +your mind. Perhaps you will draw a picture of a troop of fairies, or of +a fairy in the reeds with fairy watchdogs near by. + +=Memory Exercise.= Which do you like better, this poem you have just +studied or the part of another poem about fairies that is printed before +this? Read aloud, several times, the one you like better, until you can +say it without once looking at the book. + + + + +=24. More Telling of Fairy Stories= + + + PETER VISITS THE STRANGE LITTLE OLD MAN'S WORKSHOP + + Over a week had passed since Peter's ride in the strange little old + man's sleigh, but the little man had not come again. Peter was + beginning to fear that he might never return. One afternoon, + however, just as the early winter twilight began to darken the + great forest, the jingling of sleighbells was heard in front of the + toymaker's hut. + + "Whoa, Dasher! Steady, Dancer! Whoa, Prancer!" was what Peter heard + as he pressed his face against the windowpane. Yes, there were the + reindeer, and there, bundled up to his chin in furs, was the + strange little old man. He saw Peter at once and made signs to the + boy to come along with him. Peter could not put on his cap and coat + fast enough. In less than a minute he had climbed into the sleigh, + tucked himself in snugly, and was flying over the frozen, + snow-covered ground by the side of his strange companion. Soon they + had left the lighted hut far behind them and were making their way + through the woods on an old logging road that Peter knew. After a + while, however, they reached parts of the forest that Peter had + never seen. Here grew trees whose names he had never heard. Now + and then he caught glimpses of animals that were unlike any of + those with which he was familiar. Peter was so much interested in + these that he hardly noticed the great building, the little man's + workshop, until the sleigh had stopped before the main door of it. + But then he forgot everything else. The big shop was brightly + lighted in every story, and the steady hum of machinery filled the + evening air. + + "We're working overtime now," explained the little man. "You see, + Christmas is near." + + The humming grew louder and the lights seemed a great deal + brighter, as they entered the building. Peter was much excited. + When the inner doors were opened, and Peter stood in the great + roaring workshop itself, he could hardly believe his eyes. Before + him, in long rows, he saw a thousand pounding and buzzing machines, + all running at full speed. Ten thousand workbenches stood in + orderly rows beyond the machines. The unending room fairly swarmed + with busy workmen, like a hive over-flowing with bees. And such + workmen! Each wore a green coat and a red cap, decorated with a + white owl's feather. Each was no higher than Peter's knee. They + were fairies. + + As he stood there, trying to understand it all, troop after troop + of the fairies passed him. They were pushing long, high baskets, + that stood on wheels. Down the long room they rolled these and + through a great double swinging door at the other end. These + baskets were filled to the top with playthings. Some held dolls, + some sleds, some drums. Others were full of various kinds of + musical instruments. Still others gave forth the pleasantest + smells. They contained cookies and ginger snaps and all sorts of + Christmas goodies. + + [Illustration] + + "Why, they are all Christmas things!" cried Peter in great + surprise, turning to the strange little old man at his side. But + the strange little old man was gone, and Peter stood alone in the + doorway of this wonderful Christmas workshop. + + Before he could decide what to do, a group of little workmen called + him by name, as pleasantly as if they had known him all his life. + + "Peter, come and help us with this basket!" + + "I will," answered Peter. + + He was glad to join in the work. Hanging coat and cap on a near-by + hook, he put his shoulder against one of the heavy baskets. Soon he + had it rolling merrily down the long aisle. Past machines that + sawed boards he pushed it, past planing wheels, past long rows of + benches where the workers were hammering or gluing or painting, + past wide ovens where the little bakers were busy over hundreds of + pans of frosted gingerbread--on and on, down the great room he + pushed it so fast that his wee comrades were almost left behind. As + he passed machines and benches and ovens, the workmen looked up + from their work an instant. They smiled at the newcomer. + + "When you get through with that," shouted the workmen at the saws, + "come and help us with these boards." + + "All right, I will," said Peter as he moved along with his basket. + + "When you get through with the sawing," cried the planers, "come + and help us." + + Peter smiled at them. "I will," he shouted back as loud as he + could, so as to be heard above the noise of the machinery. + + "When you finish planing," the painters called to him next, "come + and help us." + + "I will," Peter replied. "I like to paint, anyway." + + Now he passed the bakers. They tossed him a cooky. "When you finish + painting," they said, "perhaps you will come and help us." + + "That I gladly will," answered Peter in his pleasantest tone. It + was quieter here, and he did not need to shout. + + At last he reached the double swinging door. Through this he had + seen basket after basket disappear before him. Here was the + storeroom. It was even larger than the workroom. The walls were + lined with shelves, on which were placed the Christmas things. This + was an interesting place, but Peter had no time to stay. He was + eager to help at the machine saws, at the planing machines, at the + workbenches, and in the bakeshop. So he hurried back to these. He + did first one thing, then another, as he was needed. He was used to + work and liked to help. + + The fairies were careful workers and jolly comrades. Now and then + they sang as they worked. Then the machines themselves, like the + fingers and arms and legs of the workmen, seemed to move faster and + the work to be easier. + + Suddenly a loud but very pleasant whistle sounded through the + mighty workshop. It was the signal for a recess. The machines + stopped. The fairies laid down their tools and brushes. All was + quiet for a time. Now another kind of fun began. The fairies + started various games. They formed rings and danced round and round + as they sang: + + "Oh, who is so merry, so merry, heigh ho! + As the light-hearted fairy? heigh ho, + Heigh ho!" + + They played at guessing riddles. These were about toys. + + "You see," whispered a fairy who explained everything to Peter, + "when the snow comes, and Christmas is near, we leave our homes in + the woods and spend our winters making toys for all the good + children in the world. Sometimes we cannot make all the toys we + need, but we do not wish a single child anywhere to be without a + Christmas." + + Peter soon learned that the fairies took pride in speaking + correctly. Those who sometimes made mistakes played special games + to help themselves get over bad speaking habits. At one place they + stood like soldiers in a row and pronounced words that were printed + on the board. + + "Don't you sometimes wish for the woods and moonlight nights?" + asked Peter. + + He could not hear the answer. At a signal the machinery had started + again. The fairies were hurrying back to their places. Peter took + his place with the rest. He worked steadily at one job and another. + The time flew by. Another whistle blew, and it was time to stop for + the day. Then the strange little old man appeared. + + "It's time for you to go back home," he said. "Should you like to + be here always?" + + "Oh, yes," answered Peter. "But I have pleasant work to do at home + too." + + The strange little old man took a ring from his pocket and held it + up before the boy's eager face. + + "You are the kind of boy I like," he said. "You are willing to help + and work. Take this ring home with you. I give it to you. It is a + magic ring. Wear it on Christmas Day. On that day wish any one + thing you please. The ring will get it for you." + + While he was talking they had walked to the main door of the + building. Peter had put on his cap and coat. Now the door stood + open, and they said good-bye. Peter walked slowly down the steps, + staring at the magic ring on his finger. When he reached the last + step, he turned and looked back. In the doorway stood the strange + little old man, watching him. Peter thought he looked different. + Yes, he seemed taller and stouter than before. He seemed jollier. + Peter glanced at the red cap, red coat, and leather leggings he + wore. He noticed the laughing face, the twinkling eyes, rosy + cheeks, and white beard. + +[Illustration] + + "Can this be Santa Claus?" he thought. + + Instantly the great workshop disappeared. Peter found himself, as + before, not far from his father's house. His parents and brother + caught sight of him as he came out of the forest, and they ran out + to meet him. They listened in astonishment to what he told them he + had seen. They could not admire enough the magic ring on his + finger. + +=Oral Exercise.=[34] 1. What interested you most as you read the story +about Peter? What kind of picture should you make with colored crayons +for the part of the story you liked best? Draw the picture after you +have told your classmates about it. + +2. Do you remember what kind of boy Peter's brother, Joseph, was? What +do you think he would have done if he, instead of Peter, had been in +that workshop? What might have happened to him? + +3. Play the part of the story about Peter that tells of Peter and the +fairies as they worked together in the great toyshop. Who shall be +Peter? Who shall be the fairies at the saws? Who shall be the bakers? +Who shall be the painters? What toys and things will you make? + +4. Play the same part of the story but as it would have happened if +Joseph had been there instead of Peter. + +5. Make believe that, as you awoke one Saturday morning, you found a +letter on your pillow. When you read it, you learned that it was from a +fairy. This fairy invited you to meet him at the old tree near the +school-house. When you met him there, you and he went off into the +woods. Tell your classmates what happened. It may be that your story +will be somewhat like that of Peter. Still, you may have seen and heard +and done things that were very different. + + + + +=25. Making Riddles= + + +You remember that during the recess in Santa Claus's workshop some of +the fairies made riddles. Peter said that these were about toys. Here +are two they might have made: + + It has two arms, two legs, and a head, like a human being, but it + cannot walk or work or talk. What is it? + + I spend most of my life in a little wooden box. I press against its + cover day and night. I want to get out. Oh, how I leap when some + one opens the box! Oh, how frightened little girls and boys look + when they first see me! What am I? + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Of course you have guessed the first of these two +riddles. But can you guess the second one? + +2. Make riddles for your classmates to guess, about toys and other +things that are suitable for Christmas presents. + + + + +=26. Making Riddles Better= + + +A schoolgirl once made this riddle: + + It makes beautiful colors. Children like it. What is it? + +The answer is, a box of crayons. + +=Oral Exercise.= Do you think this riddle can be made better? Is +anything important left out? Is it bright enough? Try to make a better +riddle about the box of crayons. + +A schoolmate changed the riddle of the box of crayons. He thought this +was better: + + We are twelve little men in a little tight box. Each one of us + writes his name in a different color. What are we? + +=Oral Exercise.= Which of the two riddles do you like better? Can you +tell why? Does the first riddle say anything about the box? Does it tell +that anything is in a box? + +Three other schoolmates made up other riddles about the box of crayons. +Here they are: + + We are a band of fairies living in our cozy little home. Each of us + wears in his cap a feather of a different color. What are we? + + I am a piece of the rainbow caught and put in a little tight jail. + A little schoolgirl uses parts of me when she draws pictures. What + am I? + + We are a company of soldiers. Each of us wears a cap of a + different color. We spend most of our time in a small pasteboard + fort. When we go out, we are sure to make our mark. What are we? + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Of all the riddles of the box of crayons, which do +you think is the best? Which is the second best? Which is the poorest? + +2. Now again make riddles about toys and Christmas presents. But you +should now be able to make better ones than you did before. + +=Group Exercise.= 1. The class, after a riddle has been guessed, should +point out what is good in it and then should tell how it might be made +better. Should it be made shorter? Should it be made longer? How could +it be made brighter? + +2. The best riddles should be repeated slowly, so that the teacher may +write them on the board. Now these may be read over, and the class may +try to make each one better.[20] The teacher will rewrite each in its +improved form.[35] + +=Written Exercise.= 1. Copy the riddle that the class likes best. As you +copy, notice the spelling of the words, the capital letter at the +beginning of each sentence, and the mark at the end of each sentence. +This careful copying will prepare you for the next exercise. + +2. Write from dictation the riddle that you have copied. Then correct +any mistakes.[36] These questions will help you to find out whether you +have made any: + + 1. Is every word spelled correctly? + + 2. Does every sentence begin with a capital letter? + + 3. Is every sentence followed by the right kind of punctuation + mark? + + + + +=27. Study of a Poem= + + +You read in the story of Peter's visit to Santa Claus's workshop that +the fairy workers sometimes sang while they worked. At recess too they +had songs. One of these you will probably enjoy very much. As you read +it you can see the fairies dancing in a ring in the moonlight. + + THE LIGHT-HEARTED FAIRY + + Oh, who is so merry, so merry, heigh ho! + As the light-hearted fairy? heigh ho, + Heigh ho! + He dances and sings + To the sound of his wings + With a hey and a heigh and a ho. + + Oh, who is so merry, so airy, heigh ho! + As the light-headed fairy? heigh ho, + Heigh ho! + His nectar he sips + From the primroses' lips + With a hey and a heigh and a ho. + + Oh, who is so merry, so merry, heigh ho! + As the light-footed fairy? heigh ho, + Heigh ho! + The night is his noon + And the sun is his moon, + With a hey and a heigh and a ho. + + UNKNOWN + +Would it not be pleasant to dance in a ring with your classmates? You +might play that you are all fairies, and you might say this poem while +you dance. Each pupil could make a red cap of paper. He might stick a +white owl's or a white chicken's feather in it as fairies do. He could +wear it while reciting the poem. But, first of all, you must make sure +that you understand every line of the song, else you cannot say it well. + +=Oral Exercise.=[37] 1. What do you like about this poem? Have you +noticed that the fairy is called _light-hearted_ in the first stanza of +the poem, but light-headed in the second and _light-footed_ in the +third? + +2. What do fairies drink? The second stanza tells. They find this +delicious sweet drink in the cups of flowers. + +3. As you know, fairies are rarely, if ever, seen in the daytime. The +night is their day, when they dance and sing and do good deeds. What is +meant in the poem by the line, _The night is his noon_? What is the +fairies' sunlight? + +=Memory Exercise.= 1. Read this poem aloud a number of times. You will +not have to read it often before you will be able to say it without the +book. When you know it, recite it to the class as well as you can. Wear +your red cap and think of the merry, airy, light-hearted fairy as you +recite it. That will help you to say it in a lively way. + +2. Perhaps the teacher will permit the five or six pupils who have +recited best to form a ring in front of the class and dance round and +round as they recite the poem. Then the class may point out what might +have been done better. Perhaps other bands of fairies will recite, each +trying to recite best. + + + + +=28. Correct Usage--_Rang_, _Sang_, _Drank_= + + +The story about Peter does not tell us the words with which some of the +fairies had trouble. If some fairies are like some pupils, then they +need to learn how to use the words _rang_, _sang_, and _drank_ +correctly. + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. As you read the following sentences, notice that +_rang_, _sang_, and _drank_ are not used with _have_ or _has_ or _had_. +Are _rung_, _sung_, and _drunk_ used with _have_ or _has_ or _had_? + + 1. I _rang_ the bell for the teacher. + + 2. Have you ever _rung_ it? + + 3. I _sang_ the Christmas song. + + 4. Have you ever _sung_ it? + + 5. I _drank_ the grape juice. + + 6. Have you ever _drunk_ apple juice? + + 7. The fairies danced and _sang_, and _drank_ nectar. + + 8. They had _rung_ the bell. + + 9. They had _sung_ that song before. + + 10. He has never _drunk_ nectar. + +2. Which of the six words that you have been studying in this lesson are +used with _have_ or _has_ or _had_? Which are not used with them? Make +these two lists. Would it be right to make the following rule? + +Never use _rang_ or _sang_ or _drank_ with _have_ or _has_ or _had_. + +3. Using what you have just learned, fill the blanks in the following +sentences with the right words, _rang_ or _rung_, _sang_ or _sung_, +_drank_ or _drunk_: + + 1. The strange little old man had already ---- his morning coffee. + + 2. He ---- an old song that he had ---- many times before. + + 3. When he had ---- a silver bell, a troop of fairies appeared. + + 4. Peter is not a fairy. He has never ---- nectar. + + 5. But he has often ---- the song he heard the fairies sing. + + 6. He has never ---- a silver bell. + + 7. Have you ever ---- the school bell? + + 8. Have you ever ---- spring water? + +=Game.= Let the girls of the class, working together in a group, write +on the board six sentences in which _rang_, _sang_, and _drank_ are used +correctly. Let the boys in the same way write six sentences in which +_rung_, _sung_, and _drunk_ are used correctly. The boys will correct +the girls' sentences, and the girls the boys'. The teacher will decide +whether the boys or the girls made fewer mistakes, and which group wrote +the more interesting sentences. Then all the sentences may be read aloud +by several groups of pupils in turn, each trying to read the most +clearly. + + + + +=29. Making up Fairy Stories= + + +The magic ring that Santa Claus gave Peter would bring him any one thing +that he might wish. When Christmas morning came, he had only to say his +wish, and it would be fulfilled.[38] + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Suppose that you had such a magic ring. What would +be your one big wish? It will be fun to see whether you and your +classmates have the same wish. + +2. What do you think Peter himself wished when Christmas morning came? +What happened then? Tell your classmates the story of Peter's wish on +Christmas Day, exactly as you think everything happened. + +=Group Exercise.= One or two of the best stories about Peter's wish +should be told a second time. This time the teacher will write them on +the board. Now you and the other pupils should read them carefully to +see where they can be made better.[20] These questions may help in this +work: + + 1. Can better words be used for some of those in the story? + + 2. Should some of the _and's_ be left out? + + 3. Can anything be added to make the story interesting? + +=Written Exercise.= Silently read one of the improved stories, perhaps +more than once, noticing the spelling of the words, the capital letter +at the beginning of each sentence, and the mark at the end of each +sentence. Write it from dictation. Then compare your paper with what is +written on the board, and correct any mistakes you may have made. + +=Oral Exercise.= Suppose that Peter lost the magic ring before Christmas +came. Who might have found it? What might have happened then? Make up a +story to tell this. You might call it "The Lost Magic Ring." Try to make +up a fairy story that your classmates will be very glad to hear. Try to +think of some wonderful happenings for it. Perhaps the following ideas +will help you to begin your story: + +1. When Peter learned that he had lost the magic ring, and could find it +nowhere, he started off at once into the woods. He wanted to find the +strange little old man and tell him what had happened. Peter had not +gone very far when he met a giant. On the giant's finger Peter saw his +magic ring. What did he do? + +2. Peter's careless and lazy brother, Joseph, saw the magic ring on the +window sill. Peter always laid it there when he washed his hands. Joseph +took the ring in order to tease his brother. Then the thought came to +him that he would wish himself something on Christmas Day. On Christmas +morning he placed the fairy ring on his finger and spoke his wish. What +was that wish? Was the wish fulfilled, or did a fairy appear to punish +the boy? What happened then? + +3. The strange little old man himself took the ring from Peter's finger +while Peter was asleep. Why did he do this? Did he want to see what +Peter would do? Did he plan to give him another ring instead,--a ring +that held three wishes instead of one? How did Peter find the strange +little old man? When and where did he receive the more wonderful ring? +What were his three wishes on Christmas morning?[39] + + + + +=30. Writing Dates= + + +If you were asked to write on a slip of paper your name and the date of +your birth, could you do it? Of course you know how to write your name. +Some time ago you learned to write the names of the months. Now you are +to learn how to write dates. You will need to know this when you begin +letter writing, which will be soon. + +=Written Exercise.= 1. Here are two dates: + + January 1, 1918 + + December 25, 1917 + +The first date is that of a New Year's Day some time ago. The second +date is that of Christmas more than a year ago. See the little mark (,), +called a comma, between the year and the day of the month. Write the +date of the last New Year's Day; of the next New Year's Day. Write the +date of last Christmas; of next Christmas. + +2. Write the date of your birth; the date of the birth of your mother; +of a friend. + +3. Write from dictation the list of dates that your teacher will give +you.[40] + + + + +=31. Telling Interesting Things= + + +Now the Christmas vacation is over. Of course you had a good time. Of +course Santa Claus brought you something. It would be fun for every +pupil to tell the class about his Christmas. Probably each one's +Christmas was different in some ways from that of his classmates. + +=Oral Exercise.=[41] 1. Did Santa Claus come to your home? Did you see +him? If you did, tell the class how he looked. Show the class how he +walked into the house. How did he talk? What did he say? + +2. Tell the other pupils what Santa Claus brought you. If he brought you +a little engine, or a sand machine, or a small airplane, or a steamship +that runs by clockwork, or a baby sewing machine, or a music box, or a +doll stove on which one can really cook, or some other interesting toy, +explain to the class exactly how it works. Perhaps it would be pleasant +if each pupil brought a toy to school and held it up before the class +while he explained how it works. + +3. What was the best fun you had during the Christmas vacation? Tell +the class about it. + + + + +=32. Story-Telling= + + + JACK AND JILL[C] + +[Illustration] + + "Clear the lulla!" was the general cry on a bright December + afternoon. All the boys and girls of Harmony village were out + enjoying the first good snow of the season. Up and down three long + coasts they went as fast as legs and sleds could carry them. One + smooth path led into the meadow. One swept across the pond, where + skaters were darting about like waterbugs. The third, from the very + top of the steep hill, ended abruptly at a rail fence near the + road. There was a group of lads and lasses sitting or leaning on + this fence to rest after an exciting race. + + [C] Copyright by Little, Brown and Company. + + Down came a gay red sled. It carried a boy who seemed all smile and + sunshine, so white were his teeth, so golden was his hair, so + bright and happy his whole air. Behind him clung a little gypsy of + a girl. She had black eyes and hair, cheeks as red as her hood, and + a face full of fun and sparkle. + + "It's just splendid! Now, one more, Jack!" cried the little girl, + excited by the cheers of a sleighing party that passed them. + + "All right, Jill," answered he, and they started back up the hill. + + Proud of his skill, Jack made up his mind that this last "go" + should be the best one of the afternoon. But they started off, + talking so busily that Jill forgot to hold tight and Jack to steer + carefully. No one knows how it happened. They did not land in the + soft drift of snow or stop before they reached the fence. Instead, + there was a great crash against the bars, a dreadful plunge off the + steep bank beyond, and, before any one could see what was + happening, a sudden scattering of girl, boy, sled, fence, earth, + and snow, all about the road. There were two cries, and then + silence. Down rushed boys and girls, ready to laugh or cry, as the + case might be. They found Jack sitting up, looking about him with a + queer, dazed expression, while an ugly cut on the forehead was + bleeding. This sobered the boys and frightened the girls half out + of their wits. + + "He's killed! He's killed!" wailed one of the girls, hiding her + face and beginning to cry. + + "No, I'm not. I'll be all right when I get my breath. Where's + Jill?" asked Jack stoutly, though still too giddy to see + straight.--LOUISA M. ALCOTT, "Jack and Jill" (Adapted) + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Make believe that you are the Jack or the Jill in +the story. Play that the accident has just happened. You are lying in +the snow. Your classmates are standing around you wondering whether you +are alive or dead. Slowly you sit up. What do they do and say? Let some +of your classmates do and say these things. What do you say? What +happens next? Play the story up to the time when the doctor looks you +over and says that you will have to stay in bed a long time.[42] + +2. Again make believe that you are Jack or Jill. Play that the accident +happened some time ago. Tell your classmates about that afternoon's +coasting and how it ended. Could you walk home that day? Did the other +children lay you both on sleds and slowly draw you to your homes? What +did your mother do and say when she saw you coming? Did they put you to +bed at once and run for the doctor? What did the doctor do and say? + +3. Do you own a sled? Tell the class about this sled. Tell about going +coasting on it. + +4. What can one do with a sled besides go coasting? What was the best +fun you ever had with your sled? Where were you? What did you do? After +you have told the class about the fun you had, you may make one or two +pictures about it with colored crayons. Perhaps the following list will +help you to remember some good times you have had: + + 1. The first sled ride that I remember + + 2. Hitching behind with a sled + + 3. A race down a hill on sleds + + 4. The toboggan slide + + 5. The longest hill I ever coasted down + + 6. The steepest hill I ever coasted down + + 7. Six of us on a bob + +5. Did you ever have an accident with your sled? Accidents sometimes +happen. Perhaps you are very careful and have never had any trouble. But +you have probably heard of accidents and narrow escapes. Tell the class +of one, and explain how it might have been avoided. + + + + +=33. Explaining Things= + + +Winter is here. There are many games to play and many pleasant things to +do after school and on Saturdays. You would enjoy talking with your +classmates about these. Perhaps you can plan some good times together. + +=Oral Exercise.= Make believe that your class is having a meeting to +plan some fun for after school and Saturdays. What games do you think +would be best? Think out a clear plan. Then stand before your classmates +and explain it to them. Tell exactly how it is to be carried out. Tell +where, when, and everything else they must know. The following list may +help you to make a good plan:[43] + + 1. A skating party some Saturday + + 2. A skating race to see who is the best boy skater and who is the + best girl skater in the class + + 3. Building one or two snow forts + + 4. A snowball battle between your class and another + + 5. A straw ride + + 6. A game of shinny, or hockey, between your class and another + + 7. A class tramp with the teacher through the woods or parks + + 8. A basket-ball game between your class and another + + 9. A class party at some one's house + + 10. A coasting party + +=Group Exercise.= After the plans have been told, you and your classmates +must decide which one you will carry out. You may wish to ask some of +the speakers questions. At last the class may vote. + + + + +=34. Words sometimes Mispronounced= + + +Some pupils do not know how to speak certain words correctly. If they +did, their talks would be much more pleasing.[44] + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Pronounce the following words as your teacher +pronounces them to you, in a clear, strong, and pleasant voice. Then +read the whole list as rapidly as you can without speaking any word +indistinctly or incorrectly. + + looking + seeing + walking + running + jumping + smiling + laughing + crying + teasing + speaking + talking + hearing + saying + eating + paying + +2. Use in sentences each of the words in the list above. Try to make +sentences that will give pleasure to your classmates. Anybody can use +the word _looking_ to make uninteresting sentences like these: + + Some one is _looking_ for me. + + I am _looking_ for some one. + + He is _looking_ at me. + +Try to make sentences like these: + + The boys were looking at Jack's big red sled. + + The girls were looking for a story-book at the public library. + + The hunter was looking at the panther, and the panther was + looking at him. + +Perhaps the teacher will write the best sentences on the board, or let +the pupils who give them write them on the board.[20] + + + + +=35. Telling Interesting Things= + + +Far north of us lies a part of the world where it is very cold both in +summer and in winter. It is so cold there that trees cannot live. No +cities are to be seen there, and no farms. The people who make their +homes in this world of ice and snow live by hunting and fishing. They +are called Eskimos. Their clothes are warm suits made of the fur of the +polar bear, the seal, and the reindeer. Let us learn about the Eskimos. + + HOW THE ESKIMO BUILDS HIS HOUSE + + The house in which an Eskimo family lives is made of ice and snow. + First the builder makes a ring on the snow-covered ground. This he + makes as large as he wishes the house to be. On this ring he places + blocks of snow. Then he lays more blocks on top of these. Each row + or ring of blocks is a little smaller than the row or ring below + it. As more and more rows of blocks are laid, these rows at last + close the top like a roof. Then snow is shoveled over it, until not + a crack remains in the solid wall. + +[Illustration] + + Now a narrow hallway is made. This is the only way into the house. + It is long, and the opening is hung with skins. The Eskimos creep + through it on their hands and knees. + + There is only one window in the Eskimo's house. It is a small hole + in the wall, over the low hallway. There is no glass in it, but it + is covered with a thin skin that keeps out the wind and cold.[45] + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Can you think of a good reason why the Eskimos have +no such houses as ours? Why have they no fine large coal or wood stoves +in that cold country? What would happen if an Eskimo placed our kind of +stove in his house and started a roaring fire in it? + +2. The Eskimo has only three things with which to build. What are they? +If you had only snow and the skins and bones of animals to work with, +what kind of house should you make? Can you think of any way in which +you could make the Eskimo house warmer or safer? + +3. Does the Eskimo way of building a house give you an idea of a good +way of building a snow fort? Tell your classmates what you think would +be the best way of building one. Shall you put a roof over it? + +4. Play that you are an Eskimo. Make believe that you are in the frozen +North and are just beginning to build yourself a new house. You have +already drawn a ring on the snow-covered ground. Draw a ring on the +floor of the schoolroom with a piece of chalk. Other pupils will play +that they have come to the Far North in a ship. They will pretend that +they know nothing about the way Eskimos live or build their houses. They +stand around while you work at your new house. They ask you many +questions about it. Stop in your work and explain it to them. Remember +that they know nothing at all about it. Perhaps some of their questions +will seem very stupid to you. But patiently explain to these strangers +everything they want to know. + +=Group Exercise.= The class will tell you and the other pupils how the +meeting between the Eskimo and the strangers might have been played +better. But first they will point out what they liked in the play. +Several other groups of pupils will each try to show the class how the +meeting should be played. + +[Illustration] + +=Oral Exercise.= Find out from a book or from your parents or your +teacher some interesting fact about the Eskimos and the country where +they live. Let it be something that you think the class does not know. +The other pupils will do the same. Then each one will stand before the +class and tell what he has learned. + +Some might tell about how cold it is in this North-Pole part of the +world. + +Some might tell about polar bears, seals, reindeer, or walruses. + +Some might tell the class what Eskimos eat and how they cook their food. + +Some might tell about the inside of the Eskimo house. + +Other pupils might tell the class about some of the men from our country +who traveled in this cold part of the world. Some of these men wished to +reach the North Pole. + +=Group Exercise.= When each pupil has spoken, some of those who spoke +best will tell again what they said. The teacher will write on the board +what they say. Now the class will try to make this better. The following +questions will help the class improve what has been written on the +board:[46] + + 1. What is the best part of the account on the board? + + 2. Is anything important left out? + + 3. Could anything be left out because it is not needed? + + 4. Are too many _and's_ used? + + 5. What could be added to make the account better? + +=Written Exercise.= When all the accounts on the board have been +rewritten, study the one the teacher selects. Notice the spelling of the +hard words. Notice the capital letter at the beginning of each sentence +and the punctuation mark at the end of each sentence. This study will +make it easier for you to write the account from dictation without +making any mistakes. Write it from dictation. + + + + +=36. Study of a Poem= + + +You remember, of course, that the house of snow in which Eskimos live +has only one window. But this is only a hole in the wall, covered with a +thin skin. There is no glass in it. So the little Eskimo boys and girls +do not know the wonderful things that Jack Frost sometimes pencils on +the windowpanes when children are asleep. The Eskimo children could not +understand the poem below. But you have seen these sights on your own +windows--castles, high and rocky places, knights with waving plumes, and +trees and fruits and flowers. You will learn from the poem how Jack +Frost paints them there.[9] + + JACK FROST + + The door was shut, as doors should be, + Before you went to bed last night; + Yet Jack Frost did get in, you see, + And left your window silver white. + + He must have waited till you slept; + And not a single word he spoke, + But pencilled on the panes, and crept + Away again before you woke. + + And now you cannot see the hills + Nor fields that stretch beyond the lane; + But there are fairer things than those + His fingers traced on every pane. + + Rocks and castles towering high; + Hills and dales and streams and fields; + And knights in armor riding by, + With nodding plumes and shining shields. + + And here are little boats, and there + Big ships with sails spread to the breeze; + And yonder, palm trees waving fair + On islands set in silver seas. + + And butterflies with gauzy wings; + And herds of cows and flocks of sheep; + And fruits and flowers and all the things + You see when you are sound asleep. + + For creeping softly underneath + The door when all the lights are out, + Jack Frost takes every breath you breathe, + And knows the things you think about. + + He paints them on the windowpane + In fairy lines with frozen steam; + And when you wake you see again + The lovely things you saw in dream. + + GABRIEL SETOUN + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. How did Jack Frost get into the house? Has he +visited your house this winter? Did he pencil, or trace, on your windows +some of the pictures of which the poem speaks? Which ones? + +2. What is a castle? What is a knight? What is a knight's armor? What is +a knight's plume? Can you draw a picture of it on the board for those +who do not know how it looks? Why did knights have shields? Draw a +picture of a shield on the board. + +3. Can you draw on the board a picture of a palm tree? Draw an oak or an +apple tree beside it, so that every one will see how a palm tree is +different. Explain your drawings. + +4. Which part, or stanza, of the poem do you like best? Read it so that +your classmates may see why you like it. + +5. Play that you are Jack Frost. Show the class how you tiptoed into the +room and out again without waking any one. Think of the following +questions, and tell the class what you did last night when all children +were sound asleep: + + 1. Did you visit more than one home? + + 2. What did you paint on the windowpanes? + + 3. Did you paint the same pictures in all houses? + +=Memory Exercise.= When you understand every stanza in this poem, read +the whole poem aloud several times. Perhaps the teacher will read with +you, so that you may be sure to read correctly. After a few readings you +will find that you can say the poem without looking at the book. It will +be fun to see which pupils will know it first. But which pupils can +recite it best?[47] + + + + +=37. Game= + + +=Group Exercise.= 1. Did you ever telephone? Make believe that you are +telephoning to a classmate. Hold the make-believe telephone in your +hands and call for the pupil with whom you wish to talk. He will take up +his make-believe telephone and answer you. Ask him some questions. +Listen to what he says. Reply to what he asks. In this way carry on a +conversation with him. + +2. The class will listen, and when you have finished talking they will +tell you what they liked and what they did not like in the telephone +conversation. The following questions[15] will help the class to decide +how the talks might have been better: + + 1. What interesting thing was said by the speakers? + + 2. Was any poor English used? + + 3. Were the voices of the speakers pleasant? + + 4. What might have been said that the speakers did not say? + +3. Other pairs of pupils may now telephone. Each pair will of course try +to make their conversation as bright as they can. The class will enjoy +listening to the bright talks. + +4. Would it not be a good plan, before going on with this game of +telephoning, for the class to make a telephone directory? All names +beginning with _A_ could be written on one page of a little notebook +that you could make. All names beginning with _B_ would go on another +page. And so it would go on, through the _C's_, the _D's_, the _E's_, to +the end of the alphabet. Then each name could be given a number, just as +in telephone books. Perhaps the teacher will bring a telephone directory +to class and explain it to you. + +[Illustration] + +5. It might be fun to place in your telephone directory such names as +Jack Frost, Santa Claus, Peter the toymaker's son, Joseph his brother, +Queen Mab, the busy ant, the lazy grasshopper, and some of the Indians +and Eskimos that you have come to know in this book. Then you could +telephone to these. One pupil would be Jack Frost and would always +answer when Jack Frost's number rang. Another would be Santa Claus, +another would be Peter the toymaker's son, another Queen Mab, and so +on. + +6. You and your classmates may now have the following conversations +over the make-believe class telephone: + + 1. A conversation between Queen Mab and Jack Frost about some pupils + in your class + + 2. A conversation between Peter and Joseph about the lost magic ring + + 3. A conversation between the ant and the grasshopper in the fable + + 4. A conversation between an Indian boy and a white boy + + 5. A conversation between two fairies, one in the woods and one in + Santa Claus's workshop + + 6. A conversation between a polar bear and a boy hunter (the bear + objects to being hunted) + + 7. A conversation between an Eskimo girl and a girl in your class + + 8. A conversation between Santa Claus and the teacher about some + pupils in your class + + 9. A conversation between two girls about a plan for a good time + next Saturday with which to surprise the class + + 10. A conversation between two girls about a new dress that one of + them will soon wear to school + + + + +=38. Correct Usage--_May_, _Can_= + + +A mistake that pupils sometimes make is to use the word _can_ when they +mean the word _may_. These two words do not have the same meaning. The +following conversation shows this: + + "Mother, can I eat another piece of pie?" once asked a boy at the + dinner table. + + "I suppose you can, Tom," replied his mother. "You have teeth to + bite and chew, and there is room in your stomach for another piece. + Yes, I suppose you _can_ eat another piece. But you _may_ not, + because I want to save it for to-morrow." + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Read the following sentences and try to tell the +difference in meaning between _may_ and _can_: + + 1. I can run faster than you. + + 2. I can write my name. + + 3. May I write my name in your notebook? Will you let me? + + 4. May I run over to George's house, mother? + + 5. I can do many things. + + 6. May I read the book Santa Claus gave you? + + 7. I can read books. + +2. Do you see that when you say, "I can do this," you mean, "I am able +to do this"? What do you mean when you say, "May I go to the +moving-picture theater, Mother?" Do you mean, "Will you permit me to +go?" + +3. Fill each blank in the sentences below with the right word, _may_ or +_can_: + + 1. John, ---- you spell _Eskimo_? + + 2. Father, ---- I go with John to the game? + + 3. Miss Brown, ---- I change my seat? + + 4. Miss Brown, ---- you see me when I stand here? + + 5. Mary, ---- you find that book for me? + + 6. ---- you touch the ceiling when you are on the chair? + + 7. ---- I go home at three o'clock, Miss Smith? + + 8. Miss Smith, ---- I borrow a pencil of Ruth? + + 9. Miss Smith, ---- you speak French? + + 10. Miss Smith, ---- I have another sheet of paper? + +=Game.= 1. Let the boys write on the board a number of sentences in +which _may_ is used correctly. Then let the girls do the same. Now let +the girls read the boys' sentences. The boys will read those written by +the girls. Who made the fewer mistakes? + +2. After all sentences have been corrected (if they need to be +corrected), let the boys read their sentences aloud, and the girls +theirs. The teacher will tell whose reading was the better. + + + + +=39. Talking over Plans= + + +Valentine Day is near at hand. Why could not your class plan a special +good time for that day? Other classes have done it. One plan would be +for pupils to send each other valentines. You could have a post office +right in the schoolroom. One of the pupils could be the postmaster. It +would be the business of the postmaster to see that each valentine went +to the right person. + +=Group Exercise.= Make plans with your classmates for Valentine Day. +Think out what should be done and how it should be done. Then stand +before the class and explain your plan. The other pupils will explain +theirs. At last the whole class will choose the one that seems best. The +following questions will help in the making of plans: + + 1. How shall the class post office be run? + + 2. Who shall be the class postmaster? What shall he do? Shall there + be letter carriers? + + 3. Would it be more fun for pupils to send short notes to each + other than valentines bought at the store? Perhaps red-paper + borders could be pasted around the edges of the letters? Some of + the letters might be from Jack Frost, Queen Mab, Peter, and other + friends you have met in this book. + + + + +=40. Letter Writing= + + +First of all, in getting ready for Valentine Day, you will need to learn +how to write letters. + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Who wrote the first of the following letters? How +can you tell? Who wrote the second? To whom is it written? To whom is +the first written? + + Dear Jill: + + The doctor says that I am perfectly well again. I should like + to go coasting Saturday. Shall we go together? I want to show you + how careful I can be in steering a sled. + + Jack + + Dear Jack: + + My mother will not let me go coasting. I wish you would come + over to my house Saturday. We could write valentine letters + together, to our friends. We could pop some corn too. + + Jill + +2. Do you see the little mark (:) after the words _Dear Jack_ and _Dear +Jill_ in these two letters? That mark must always[48] be written there +in a letter. Next, do you see how the first line in each letter is +different from the other lines? The first line of a letter must always +begin a little to the right of the other lines. Notice where the name of +the writer of each letter is placed. Is there any mark after it? + +=Written Exercise.= 1. In order that you may not forget the points you +have just learned about letter writing, copy Jack's letter to Jill. Then +compare your copy with the letter as it stands in the book, and correct +mistakes. + +2. Now read carefully Jill's letter to Jack. Notice once more exactly +how the different parts of the letter are written. Write the letter from +dictation. Then correct what you have written by comparing it with the +letter in the book. + +It is well that you now know how to write a letter. There is at this +very time an important letter that needs to be written by you. As you +know, the teacher will soon choose some one in your class to be the +postmaster for Valentine Day. Whom do you want for that position? +Perhaps you would like to be postmaster yourself. Or do you want to be +one of the letter carriers? The next exercise will give you a chance to +tell the teacher. + +=Written Exercise.= It would take too much of the teacher's time to +listen to each pupil's opinion about those post-office questions.[49] +Then, too, the teacher might not remember all that each pupil said. So +there is only one thing to do. Each pupil must write his ideas and +wishes in a letter to the teacher. Write your letter, beginning it thus: + + Dear Teacher: + +Tell in your letter exactly what you would tell the teacher in a private +talk. No one but the teacher will see your letter.[50] + + + + +=41. More Letter Writing= + + +When Valentine Day comes, you will wish to write very good letters to +your classmates. You already know how to write a letter, but it is +another matter to write a bright letter. + +Do you remember that boy, Tom, who once dreamed about an owl and an elf? +One day Tom told his mother that his school was planning a special good +time for Valentine Day. "We shall have a post office in our room," he +said. "Everybody is to send everybody else letters." + +"What kind of letters are they to be?" asked his mother. + +"Well," answered Tom, "each pupil is to write at least one bright letter +about himself. Those who receive the letters have to guess who wrote +them. You see, we do not sign our names." + +Tom had already written his letter, and he showed it to his mother. It +was to his best friend, Fred. Here it is: + + Dear Fred: + + I am four feet three inches tall. I weigh seventy-five pounds. + I like to run and jump. I like to read books, too. I am your best + friend. + + Somebody + +=Oral Exercise.= What do you think of Tom's letter to Fred? Is it a +bright letter? How does every sentence in it begin? Do you like to have +all the sentences begin the same way? + +Tom's mother read the letter. Then she read it again. Then she said, +"Tom, you can do better than that." + +Tom was surprised. He thought it was a good letter. "Are there any +mistakes in it?" he asked. "No, there is not a single mistake in it," +answered his mother. "You have the right mark after the words _Dear +Fred_. You have begun every sentence with a capital letter. You have the +right mark at the end of every sentence. But, Tom, it isn't a bright +letter." + +"How shall I make it bright?" asked Tom. + +His mother smiled. "Look at the first sentence in your letter," she +said. "It tells that you are four feet three inches tall. How +uninteresting that is! Who cares to know your exact height, down to an +inch! Why not say instead, 'I am a funny little blue-eyed chap with +brown hair all over the top of my head'! Would not that be much brighter +than 'I am four feet three inches tall'? Now look at the next sentence. +It tells that you weigh seventy-five pounds. How uninteresting that is! +Is some one thinking of buying you by the pound, as if you were a little +pig or a calf? Why not say instead, 'I am as round and fat as a ball of +butter'? Look at the third sentence. It says that you like to run and +jump. That is true. You do like to run and jump. But why not tell it in +a bright way? You might have said, 'My brother says I can run like a +deer and jump like a frog.'" + +Tom took the letter back and gave a shout. "I see what you mean," he +cried. "I'll write the whole letter over." A little later he showed his +mother the following: + + Dear Fred: + + I am a funny little blue-eyed chap with brown hair all over the + top of my head. I am as round and fat as a ball of butter. My + brother says I can run like a deer and jump like a frog. My + sister says I am a bookworm. But rather than be a deer or a frog + or a bookworm, I want to be your best friend. + + Somebody + +=Oral Exercise.= Which of the letters that Tom wrote do you like better? +Can you tell why? Point out bright sentences in his first letter. Point +out interesting sentences in his second letter. + +Tom was very much pleased that he had written his letter over. "The next +time I have to write a letter," he said, "I shall write two, and send +the second one." + +"That's a good plan," said his mother. "First write the best letter you +can. Then read it over and make it better." Tom began at once to write +more letters for Valentine Day. "It's fun," he said, "and the teacher +told us that we might send more than one if we cared to." He followed +the new plan of writing a first letter, rather rapidly, and then slowly +writing it over and making it better. Then he would throw away the +first. Tom worked more than an hour. At the end of that time he showed +his mother three letters. Here is one, written to a schoolmate named +Marjorie: + + Dear Marjorie: + + I have two blue eyes and a roof of brown hair. Besides, I have + a nose, a mouth, and two ears. But I must not tell you any more, + or you will guess who I am. My name is short and begins with + _T_. + + Somebody + +Tom's next letter was written to George, the biggest and strongest boy +in the room. He and Tom were good friends. Probably Tom wrote the letter +in order to have some fun with George. This is it: + + Dear George: + + I am the boy who can spank you. I think I shall do it soon, if + I feel like it. Better be good when I am near. Of course you know + who I am. My name is short and begins with _T_. Better be good, + George. + + Somebody + +Tom's mother asked whether this letter might not hurt George's feelings. + +"Oh, no," laughed Tom. "He knows that I am only joking. Why, he is so +big and strong, he could spank me, if he wanted to." + +Tom's third letter was to a friend whose name was Mary. Tom liked to +tease her. Only a few days before, he had thrown snowballs at her. Here +is the letter: + + Dear Mary: + + I am the very, _very_ good boy who _never_ teases you. I never + pull your hair. I never throw more than one snowball at you, at + a time. + + Somebody + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Which one of the three letters by Tom do you like +best? Read the sentence or sentences in it that you like specially. + +2. What plan does Tom follow in writing letters? Why did he decide to +follow this plan? + + + + +=42. Still More Letter Writing= + + +=Written Exercise.= 1. Write a letter for Valentine Day. Write it to one +of your classmates. Have your letter tell about yourself, just as Tom's +told about himself. Sign it _Somebody_, and let the receiver guess who +wrote it. Better write the letter twice. Make the first one as good as +you can, but write it rather rapidly. Then read it over carefully and +make it better wherever you can. Let the second letter be the one you +send. + +2. If you would like to write more than one letter, as Tom did, do so; +but it is better to write one very carefully than two or three +carelessly. + +Now all the letters should be taken to the class post-office. Each +letter should be folded and should show on the outside the name of the +person to whom it is to go. Perhaps the class postmaster will have a +box for all this mail. In this the letters may be kept until Valentine +Day. On that day the entire mail should be sorted by the postmaster. All +the letters for each row may be placed in a separate pile. The letter +carriers, one for each row, will deliver them. + + + + +=43. Improving Letters= + + +After the Valentine letters have been read, and the writer of each has +been guessed, it will be time to copy some[51] of the letters on the +board for the following exercise. + +=Group Exercise.= 1. The first letter on the board should be read +carefully by the class. You and your classmates should tell clearly what +you like and what you do not like in it. The teacher will rewrite it on +the board as the class tells how it can be made better. The following +questions will help in this work: + + 1. Is the letter as good as it might be? + + 2. What do you like best in it? + + 3. Can you tell how it may be made better? + + 4. What bright thought might be put in the letter? + + 5. Are there any mistakes in the letter? + +2. Other Valentine letters should be studied in the same way. + + + + +=44. Study of a Poem= + + +Our friend Tom, who wrote the bright letter we read a few days ago, was +somewhat careless about putting his things in their proper places. + +"I wonder where my cap is," he shouted one morning, just as it was time +to hurry to school. + +"Where did you put it?" his mother asked quietly. + +"On the hook in the hall," answered Tom. + +"Well," said his mother with a smile, "if you are sure you put it there, +Mr. Nobody must have taken it away. Perhaps he threw it on a chair in +the kitchen or on the table in the hall." + +And there, to be sure, on a chair or table somewhere in the house, or +even on the floor, the cap was found. Mr. Nobody had put it there. + +On another day Tom was unable to find a story-book he had been reading. + +"I'm sure I put it back in the bookcase," he said. + +"Isn't it there now?" asked his mother. + +"No!" + +"Then Mr. Nobody must have been reading it," she answered. "He always +forgets to put the books back where they belong. Perhaps he left it on +the lounge, where you were reading last night." + +And there, to be sure, in a corner of the lounge, was the lost book. + +In Tom's house Mr. Nobody was always doing mischief. He was always +mislaying Tom's things. He was always tearing his books, leaving doors +ajar, and making finger marks on the doors. Now and then he spilled the +ink on Tom's desk. He usually forgot to put Tom's boots where they +belonged. He was so careless and forgetful that he got Tom into trouble +nearly every day. + +Does Mr. Nobody visit your house, too? If he does, you will understand +the following poem about him: + + MR. NOBODY + + I know a funny little man, + As quiet as a mouse, + Who does the mischief that is done + In everybody's house! + There's no one ever sees his face, + And yet we all agree + That every plate we break was cracked + By Mr. Nobody. + + 'Tis he who always tears our books, + Who leaves the door ajar; + He pulls the buttons from our shirts, + And scatters pins afar; + That squeaking door will always squeak + For, prithee, don't you see, + We leave the oiling to be done + By Mr. Nobody. + + He puts damp wood upon the fire, + That kettles cannot boil; + His are the feet that bring in mud, + And all the carpets soil. + The papers always are mislaid, + Who had them last but he? + There's no one tosses them about + But Mr. Nobody. + + The finger marks upon the door + By none of us are made; + We never leave the blinds unclosed, + To let the curtains fade. + The ink we never spill, the boots + That lying round you see + Are not our boots; they all belong + To Mr. Nobody. + + UNKNOWN + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Read the poem again in order to see which of the +four stanzas you like best. Can you tell why? Look through the poem and +tell all the things that Mr. Nobody does. Which of them has he done at +your house? + +2. Did you ever see Mr. Nobody at your house? Do you think you could +catch sight of him if you looked in the mirror? Make believe that you +did see him at your house. Tell your classmates exactly how he +looked.[52] + +=Group Exercise.= As each pupil gives the class a picture of Mr. Nobody +the class will say whether this picture looks like the pupil speaking. +Then the class will point out what they liked and what they did not like +in that pupil's way of speaking. These questions will help in this work: + + 1. Did the pupil stand squarely on both feet, or was he so weak + that he had to hold onto a chair or desk to keep from falling over? + + 2. Did he speak so clearly that every one in the class could + understand him? + + 3. Did he make a stop at the end of every sentence and drop his + voice there to show that the sentence was finished? + + 4. Did he use too many _and's_? + + + + +=45. Making a Little Book= + + +Would it not be pleasant for you and your classmates to make a class +picture book? Perhaps you do not know how to make one. This is the way. +Every pupil writes a few sentences that tell how he looks. These give +the reader a picture of each writer. Then these pictures are all put +together in a little book. + +One pupil might write this picture of herself: + + I am a short little girl with straight yellow hair, blue eyes, and + red cheeks. My mother says I am always giggling. So my picture + would show my round face covered with smiles. + +Another pupil might write as follows: + + I am a boy with black hair that is curly, brown eyes, and a long, + thin nose. You would know me by my size, for I am the tallest pupil + in the room. + +=Written Exercise.= Write a picture of yourself. Write what will help a +reader to see you as you are. You need not say that you have two eyes, +two ears, two arms, and two legs. But if you have only one leg, or only +one arm, say that. If you wear your hair in two braids, say that. +Perhaps you will write twice, using the first writing as a help for the +improved second writing, as Tom learned to do when he wrote letters. + +[Illustration] + +=Group Exercise.= 1. When every pupil has finished his picture of +himself, all these should be given to the teacher. Then the teacher will +read one after another aloud, and the class will try to tell whose +picture each one is. You see, this will be like a game. If the class +cannot guess a picture, the teacher will read the name of the writer. +Then the class will explain what should be added to the writing, or +changed in it, so that it may give a true picture of the writer. + +2. You and your classmates should now rewrite your pictures, making them +better. After that they should be neatly copied. Then[53] all these +pictures should be fastened together to form a book. A cover should be +made for the book, on which may be written words like these: + + +----------------------------------+ + | PICTURE BOOK | + | | + | OF THE | + | | + | THE PUPILS OF MISS SMITH'S ROOM | + | | + + + + +=46. Correct Usage--_No, Not, Never_= + + + _I haven't_ means _I have not_ + _you don't_ means _you do not_ + _he doesn't_ means _he does not_ + _never_ means _not ever_ + +It is a common mistake to use two _not_-words in a sentence when one is +enough. Each of the following sentences is correct. Each contains only +one _not_-word. + + 1. I have _never_ seen your father. + + 2. I _haven't_ ever seen your father. + + 3. I have _no_ money in my pocket. + + 4. I _haven't_ any money in my pocket. + + 5. I _don't_ see any mistakes in this example. + + 6. I see _no_ mistakes in this example. + + 7. I _don't_ ever go down that street at night. + + 8. I _never_ go down that street at night. + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Point out the _not_-word in each of the eight +sentences above. Are there any sentences there that need another +_not_-word? Do you see that the second sentence is only another way of +saying the first? Which sentence do you like better, the first or the +second? The third or the fourth? The fifth or the sixth? The seventh or +the eighth? + +2. Say each of the following sentences in another way without changing +the meaning: + + 1. I haven't any ink. + + 2. He has no book. + + 3. She hasn't any paper, and I haven't a pencil. + + 4. I have no ticket. + + 5. My father doesn't do any work on Saturday. + + 6. My father does not play any kind of instrument. + + 7. Haven't you ever seen a circus? + + 8. I have no pocketknife. + + 9. I haven't seen a ball game this year. + + 10. He had no money to spend. + +=Game.= A pupil, who may be called _John_, is sent from the room. The +teacher gives a flower, a piece of colored paper, a thermometer, or some +other object that is not usually found in pupils' desks, to a member of +the class. Then John is told that he may return. + + TEACHER: John, some one in this room has a flower (or whatever the + object may be) in his desk. Try to guess whose desk it is. You may + ask any of your classmates whether they have it. + + JOHN (to a classmate): Have you that flower in your desk? + + THE CLASSMATE (if he does not have it): I have no flower in my desk + (or, I haven't any flower in my desk). + + THE CLASSMATE (if he has it): I have it in my desk. Here it is. + +[Illustration] + + + + +=47. Telling Interesting Things= + + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. What kind of dog should you like to have for your +pet? Stand in front of the class and tell your classmates why you like +that kind of dog and what you would do with him. + +2. Dogs can do many useful things. Tell the class of a remarkable thing +you have seen a dog do. If you cannot do that, tell of some intelligent +and brave deed which you have heard that a dog did. Perhaps the +following list will help you: + + 1. Some dogs are faithful watchdogs. They may be trusted to guard a + house, a small child, an automobile, or a flock of sheep. + + 2. Some dogs are used in hunting. + + 3. Some dogs are good rat catchers. + + 4. Some dogs are taught tricks. Such dogs are sometimes seen at the + circus. + + 5. In some countries dogs are used to haul carts; in others they + draw sleds. + + 6. The St. Bernard dog and the Newfoundland dog are famous as + life-savers. + + 7. Dogs make good playmates for boys and girls. + +3. Think of a dog you like. Without telling what kind of dog he is, make +your classmates see exactly how he looks. There is no need of saying +that the dog has four legs, two ears, two eyes, and a tail. Every dog +has these. But tell what the class must know in order to see the dog as +you see him in your mind. Perhaps you will make the class see a picture +something like one of the following: + + I + + My dog has long hair but he himself is short. He looks like a white + muff. His bark and bite are sharp, but no one is afraid of him. He + might just as well be a rabbit. + +[Illustration: After a painting by Landseer] + + II + + The dog I am thinking about is nearly as tall as I am. He is so + heavy that I cannot lift him off the ground. He is so strong that + he can carry me. His beautiful brown and white hair is long and + curly. He is a good dog, and I should feel safe with him anywhere + on the darkest night. + +=Group Exercise.=[54] 1. The class will try to guess the kind of dog +each pupil tells about. Then it will tell each speaker (1) what was good +in his talk, and (2) where the talk might have been better. + +2. Some of the talks should be given a second time. This time the +teacher will write them on the board.[16] How can each of them be made +better? + +3. You and your classmates might make an interesting dog picture book. +After writing about each dog, you could draw his picture or cut it out +of a magazine and paste it beside what you have written.[55] + + + + +=48. Study of a Picture Story= + + +I + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. What is happening in the first picture on the next +page? Does the dog want to go along? Why do the boys not take him? + +2. Make believe that you are the boy on the back seat in the boat. Look +at the dog as that boy looks at him. Hold up your finger as the boy +does. What does that mean? Now, as your boat slowly moves from shore, +talk to the dog. Are you sorry that he must stay? How do you show that? +Do you sternly warn him not to leave his post? + +=Group Exercise.= 1. Some of your classmates will now play that they are +talking to the dog. Each tries to show how it really happened. + +2. The class will tell what it likes in each pupil's talking and +playing, and what it does not like. The following questions will help +the class: + + 1. Did the pupil talk as he really would talk to his dog if the + class were not there to hear him? + + 2. What was the best thing he said? + + 3. What might he have said that he left out? + +[Illustration: AN UNFINISHED STORY] + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. You and a classmate may now play that you are the +two boys in the first picture. Make believe that you are just arriving +at the lake on your bicycles. Jump off and lean them against trees.[56] +Talk about the lake and the beautiful day. Look the boat over and talk +about your plan to go rowing. Talk about where to leave the bicycles. +Decide to have the dog watch them. Explain this to the dog. Tell him you +are sorry that he cannot go along. Then untie the boat, jump in, and +push off. One of you is rowing. The other is sitting on the back seat +and talking to the dog. + +2. Two other pupils, and two others, may now play the same +happenings.[57] They should try to talk exactly as they would if they +were really the boys in the picture. Those two boys probably talked all +the time. + +=Group Exercise.= The class will tell what it likes in each playing of +the picture, and what it thinks could be done better. The following +questions will be useful in these talks: + + 1. Did the boys jump off their make-believe bicycles as if these + were real? Did they lean them carefully against trees? + + 2. Did they talk together as if they were really on a day's picnic? + + 3. Did they get into the boat carefully? Did one of them row the + make-believe boat as if it were a real boat? Did he look back now + and then to see where he was going? + + 4. Which two boys played the picture best? Which two talked the + best? + + +II + +In the second picture the boys are seen on the water, well out from +shore. They have just made an unpleasant discovery. + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Play that you are one of the boys in the boat and +have suddenly discovered your dog in the water near by. Look as you +think this boy looked. Say what you think he said to the dog. Say what +he said to the boy rowing the boat. + +2. Now, with a classmate, play this part of the story. Begin where you +stopped in the first picture. You have left the dog on shore and are +rowing out into the middle of the lake. What can you see out there? What +do you say to each other? Think of the things that two boys out in a +boat would talk about,--birds flying by, fish, the sky, the depth of the +water, whether they could swim ashore. Say these things. Then, right in +the middle of your good time, the dog! After you have scolded him, you +and your classmate talk together about what to do. What does each say, +and what do you decide? + +=Group Exercise.= Other pupils will now play this part of the story in +their own way. Each two will try to show the others the best way. After +each playing, the class will talk about it. These questions will help +the class to see whether the playing was good or not: + + 1. Did the players talk enough? What more could each one have said? + + 2. Did they act and move as if they were sitting in a boat out on a + lake or as if they were standing on dry land? + + 3. Did they lean over the edge of the boat and look for fish? Did + they speak about how the shore looked from the middle of the lake? + Did they see other boats on the water? + +=Oral Exercise.= How did the story end? Did the boys row on and let the +dog swim after them until he got tired and returned to shore? Or did +they take the wet animal into the boat and leave the bicycles to take +care of themselves? What happened then? Were the bicycles still there +when the boys returned from their boat ride? Tell your classmates how +you think the story ended. If the ending is a good one, the teacher may +ask you and other pupils to play it. + +=Group Exercise.= The teacher will write some of the story endings on +the board. Perhaps one or two pupils who have told good endings may +write these on the board. Then the class will try to make each one +better.[58] The following questions will help in this class work: + + 1. Does every sentence begin with a capital letter? + + 2. Does every sentence end with the right kind of mark? + + 3. Are there mistakes in any sentence? + + 4. Where can better words be used than those of the writer? + + 5. Where can a sentence or two be added to make the story better? + +=Written Exercise.= Of all the story endings that have been corrected and +rewritten on the board, the best one should now be copied. As you copy, +notice the spelling of the hard words, the capitals, and the punctuation +marks. Then, together with two or three classmates, correct your work +and theirs. + + + + +=49. Correct Usage--_Went_, _Saw_, _Came_, _Did_= + + +An interesting game is sometimes played by pupils, which teaches them to +use four words, _went_, _saw_, _came_, and _did_, correctly. Besides, it +teaches them to have sharp eyes. + +=Game.= Many things are placed on the teacher's desk. At a word all the +pupils in the class march past the desk and try to see everything on it +as they pass. When they have returned to their seats, the teacher asks +questions that the pupils answer. For example: + + TEACHER (to first pupil): Tom, what did you do? + + TOM: I _went_ to your desk, I _saw_ a pencil on it, and I _came_ to + my seat. That is what I _did_. + + TEACHER (to the next pupil): Mary, what did you do? + + MARY: I _went_ to your desk, I _saw_ a knife on it, and I _came_ to + my seat. That is what I _did_. + +Each pupil must name an object on the desk that no other pupil has +spoken of. One of these objects the teacher has marked on its under +side. The pupil who names that object wins the game, if he has made no +mistake in his language, and he may go to the desk and mark another +object for the next game. In this second game only those may play who +made no mistake in the first. + + + + +=50. Two Punctuation Marks= + + +You already know that every sentence must begin with a capital letter. +Besides, you have learned that some sentences end with a little mark (.) +that is called a period, and some with a mark (?) that is called a +question mark. + +=Written Exercise.= In order to prepare for the game on the next page, +copy the following sentences on the board.[59] Put capital letters where +they belong. Place the right mark, a period or a question mark, at the +end of each sentence. + + 1. what do you see on the side of the mountain + + 2. a large dog is standing in a snowdrift and barking + + 3. does he want to call us to him + + 4. these Saint Bernard dogs are very intelligent + + 5. they are beautiful dogs + + 6. what happened to the two boys who went boating on the lake + + 7. did they take the disobedient dog back to shore + + 8. the next picture in this book shows what they did + + 9. what should you have done + +=Game.= The class is divided into two equal sides. Five pupils of one +side go to the board. Each pupil writes a question. The questions may be +about dogs or horses or Indians or anything that the class may choose. +When they are written, the whole class reads them carefully to see +whether there are any mistakes in them. Every mistake that is pointed +out counts one score for the side that finds it. When the questions have +been corrected, five pupils of the other side write the answers. These, +in turn, are read by the class for mistakes. Then five more questions +are written by five other pupils, and so on. When one of the two sides +has made a certain score, twenty-five or more or less, the game ends. +The side first reaching that score wins. + + + + +=51. Another Study of a Picture Story= + + +Of course you remember the two boys whose dog followed them out into the +lake. When they rowed back to land, they found the bicycles untouched. +Nobody seemed to have passed there. Still, the boys were afraid to leave +them, and of course they could not take them along in the rowboat. + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. What plan are the boys carrying out in the first +picture on the next page? Do you think it is a good plan? Could you +think out a better one? Explain it to your classmates. + +[Illustration: A STORY TO FINISH] + +2. Look at the second picture and tell what has happened since the boys +tied the dog to the bicycles. How did the boat happen to upset? Is this +dog a good swimmer? Could he probably save the drowning boy if he were +not tied? What will happen next? This exciting story might end in +several ways. Tell the class how you think it ended. Begin your story +with the tying of the dog. + + + + +=52. Letter Writing= + + +It is over a month since you mailed a letter in the class post office. +Shall we have another letter-writing day? It might be fun for all the +pupils to send short letters to each other. + +=Written Exercise.= 1. Think of a question that you would like to ask +one of your classmates.[60] It may be something you really want to know, +or it may be a question that you are asking just for fun. It does not +matter. Write a short note asking the question. + +2. Before mailing the letter, read it over several times with one of the +following questions in your mind at each reading: + + 1. Have you begun the letter correctly? If it begins with a + greeting like _Dear Tom_ or _Dear Mary_, there should be this mark + (:) after the name of the pupil to whom you are writing. + + 2. Have you written your own name in the right place at the end of + the letter? No mark should follow your name. + + 3. Does the first line of the letter begin a little more to the + right than the lines below it? + + 4. Did you place a question mark at the end of the question you are + asking? + + 5. Would it be a good plan to write your letter over so that it + will be one of the best and neatest letters in the class post + office? + +3. The class letter carrier will bring you the letter that one of your +classmates has sent you. Write a letter[61] answering the question you +have been asked. You know how to write dates. Place in the upper +right-hand corner of your letter the date of your writing. The following +letter shows the date written in the right place and in the right way: + + March 25, 1919 + Dear Tom: + + The question you sent me is the same as the one my letter asks + you. I wonder whether the answers will be the same. My answer + is, Yes, I do want to go to the woods next Saturday. + + Fred + + + + +=53. Words sometimes Mispronounced= + + +It is very pleasant to listen to speakers who make no mistakes in +pronouncing words. In the list below are some of the words that give +trouble to some pupils. + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Listen carefully as the teacher pronounces the words +in the following list. Then read the whole list as rapidly as you can, +pronouncing no word incorrectly or indistinctly. + + again + Tuesday + picture + I wish + drowned + you + threw + Italian + could have + window + into + chimney + to-morrow + nothing + February + just + +2. Ask your classmates questions in which the words above are used. The +answers, too, should use words from the list. + + + + +=54. Story-Telling= + + + THE DAUGHTER OF CERES + + Long ago there lived on the earth a good goddess or fairy whose + name was Ceres.[62] It was she who made the corn and the grass and + the flowers grow. She drove over the fields in her magic chariot + and waved her wand. Then the trees put forth green leaves, the + grain sprouted, and the fruits glistened in red and gold colors. + She was the queen of all growing plants. + + Ceres had an only daughter, of whom she was very fond. Her name was + Proserpina.[62] One day Proserpina begged her mother to allow her + to go into the meadow to gather flowers. + + "You hardly ever let me wander in the fields, Mother," she said. + "Other girls go. Do let me go to-day. I shall be gone only a short + time." + + Ceres did not like to let her daughter go. She feared some harm + might come to the little girl. But Proserpina begged so piteously + that, finally, Ceres agreed. + + "But," she said, "you must not go farther than the brook that + borders the meadow. Do not cross that. I want to be able to see you + when I look out of my window." + + Proserpina promised gladly. In a minute she had put on her bonnet + and had kissed her mother good-bye. With a basket on her arm she + ran gaily toward the near-by fields. They were dotted, on this + sunny morning, with the most beautiful flowers. Ceres at her window + watched the happy girl for a time. Then she returned to her work, + for she was always very busy. + + Proserpina, like a butterfly that is glad to use its wings, + wandered delightedly from flower to flower. Never had the sunshine + seemed brighter and pleasanter. Never had the birds sung more + happily. Never had she seen such beautiful flowers. The violets + seemed larger and sweeter than ever before. The roses, the pinks, + and the lilacs seemed to be wearing holiday clothes. In a short + time she had filled not only her basket but also her apron with the + choicest blossoms. Then she sat in the tall grass and clover to + make some wreaths. She decided to make one for herself and a large, + beautiful one for her mother. + + As she sat there in the sunshine and twined the stems of flowers + into pretty wreaths, she suddenly heard a low murmuring. It seemed + to come from near by. She listened. The sound kept steadily on. She + arose to see what it was. A few steps showed her that she had heard + only the murmuring and splashing and babbling of a little brook. It + bordered the meadow in which she had been gathering flowers and was + the very brook that her mother had told her not to cross. + + And now a strange thing happened. As Proserpina stood beside the + running water, she saw, just a little distance on the other side, a + large shrub such as she had never set eyes on before. It was + completely covered with the most wonderful flowers in the world. + Before she knew what she was doing she had stepped lightly across + the brook. The nearer she came to the beautiful plant, the more + attractive it looked; and when she stood close to it, its beauty + seemed richer than anything she had ever seen. There were a hundred + flowers on it. Each had a color of its own. All together they made + one beautiful bouquet. + + Proserpina was so charmed with what she saw that she did nothing at + first but look and look at the magical sight. At length, however, + she made up her mind to pull the shrub up and carry it home. + + "I will plant it in our garden at home," she said. + + So she took hold of the thick stem at the center of the plant and + pulled. It would not come up. She tried harder and loosened it a + little. Then she grasped it firmly near the ground with both hands, + and pulled and pulled with all her might. Suddenly, up came the + shrub, roots and all, so suddenly that Proserpina nearly fell. A + deep hole had been left in the soil where the plant had grown. As + Proserpina looked at this hole, it grew wider and wider and deeper + and deeper. In a few moments it had grown so deep that the bottom + seemed to be entirely gone. + + Suddenly a tall man arose from the black depths. He wore a helmet + and carried a shield. As soon as he saw the frightened maiden, he + made a sign to her to come nearer. + + "Do not be afraid," he said. "I shall do you no harm. I have come + to take you to my palace. You may live there as long as you + please." + + Proserpina was so frightened that she wanted to run away. But she + was not able to move. + + "No, no," she cried. "I don't want to go to your palace. I want to + go to my mother." + + The stranger leaped swiftly to where she stood. He caught her in + his arms. In a moment he had jumped with her into the deep and + almost bottomless opening. There, far down, stood a golden + chariot, drawn by six coal-black horses. Into this chariot the + stranger stepped, carrying the frightened girl. He laid her gently + on the floor of the car and took the reins in his hands. They were + off at once at a furious pace. In a minute they had left the + meadows and the brook far behind them. Then the opening slowly + closed. Nowhere was there left the least mark or sign to tell what + had happened. + +[Illustration] + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. What did you like best in this story? Do you like +the ending? How do you wish it had ended? + +2. With a classmate play the first part of the story. This is the part +that tells about Ceres and Proserpina before Proserpina goes to the +meadow. What does Proserpina say? What does Ceres say? + +3. Now with another pupil play the part of the story that tells what +happened after Proserpina crossed the brook. First, she sees the +beautiful shrub. What does she say when she sees that? Next, she tries +to pull it up. How she tugs and tugs at it! This must be shown in the +playing. What does she say as she pulls away at it? How does she look +and what does she say when she sees the deep hole that grows wider and +deeper every moment? Last, the stranger is seen. He and Proserpina talk +together before he carries her away. Does Proserpina scream as the +stranger picks her up? Scream as if you were being carried away. + +4. Now that spring is here, shall you be going into the fields and woods +to gather flowers? Tell the class the best places you know, how to reach +them, and what flowers may now be found there. Do you know any place +where some rare wild flower grows every year? What is the most beautiful +wild flower you have ever found or seen? + +5. Did you ever see a brook? If you did, tell your classmates how a +brook looks. How is it different from a river or a lake? Can you tell +the class where to go to see a brook? + + + + +=55. Telling Interesting Things[63]= + + + THE RETURN OF SPRING + + Have you noticed any signs that spring is coming? The bluebirds are + usually among the first to tell us that winter is over. Soon after, + the robins tell the same glad story. Then the song sparrow puts the + good news into a beautiful song. At about this time boys and girls + begin to talk of going into the woods for flowers. + + But the air still seems a little too cold. The ground is still too + wet. The tramps into the country are put off a while. In the + meantime a pretty flower, an early dandelion perhaps, shows itself + here and there along the roadside or on a green lawn. Then, + suddenly, one fine warm day, a boy brings to school a handful of + yellow marsh marigolds. He found them in the low meadows. Now every + boy and girl starts out, and spring flowers are seen in every + schoolroom and in every home. + + Gradually the pleasant weather grows still warmer. One boy sees a + snake. Another finds a turtle. These have been enjoying their long + winter sleep deep down, a yard or more, in the ground. Now they are + glad to lie in the pleasant sunshine, as if they needed to thaw + out. In the ponds the frogs sing day and night. More and more + flowers start up, more and more birds arrive and begin to build + their nests. Boys play marbles and make willow whistles. Farmers + start their early plowing. A veil of delicate green shows clearly + on the forest trees. Spring has come. + +=Written Exercise.= Make a list of all the birds you know. Make a list +of all the flowers you know. Make a third list of all the flowers, +birds, and animals other than birds, that you have seen this spring. + +=Correction Exercise.= The teacher will now write three lists on the +board. The first will give the names of all the birds the class knows. +The second will name all the flowers the class knows, and the third all +the flowers and all the birds and other animals that have been seen this +spring. Compare your own lists with those on the board, and correct any +mistakes in spelling that you may have made. + +=Group Exercise.= Think of one of the birds or flowers or animals in +your three lists. Tell your classmates an interesting fact about it. +Tell it in two or three sentences. Thus, you might choose the bluebird +from your list and say: + + A pair of bluebirds is building a nest in a bird-box my father put + up. They lived in the same box last year. + +Your classmates will tell about some bird or flower or animal in their +lists. The teacher will write some or all these groups of sentences on +the board,[64] or ask some of the pupils to write their own on the +board. Then the class will try to improve each of these short accounts. +Thus, what was said about the bluebird might be changed to read as +follows: + + A bluebird family has rented the birdhouse that my father built in + our back yard. They seem to like it, for they lived there last + year. Perhaps they will buy it some day and decide to live there + always. + +Or: + + Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird have started housekeeping in a little flat + near my home. I saw them getting the straw mattress ready. They are + old neighbors, for they lived here last summer. + + + + +=56. Story-Telling= + + + CERES AND APOLLO[62] + + Ceres, the good queen of fruit trees, grains, vegetables, and all + growing plants, returned to her work after watching Proserpina run + gaily to the meadow to pick flowers. She was very busy. Now and + then during the afternoon she went to the window. She wanted to + make sure that her daughter was in sight and safe. She saw the girl + sit down in the long grass. + + "The child is getting a little tired, I suppose," she said. "She + will be coming home before long." + + But an hour passed, and Proserpina had not yet returned. + + "She has probably fallen asleep in the soft grass," said her + mother. "When she awakes, she will run home as fast as her legs + will carry her." + + But when another hour had slipped by, and Proserpina was still not + in sight, Ceres became greatly worried. + + "I wonder what has happened," she cried, as she hurried outdoors. + She ran into the meadow. She called. Here and there she found a + withered flower that the girl had dropped. At length Ceres reached + the place where Proserpina had sat in the grass and where, as Ceres + supposed, she had fallen asleep. There was nothing here but an + unfinished wreath beside a pile of flowers. Ceres hastened to the + brook. Yes, there in the soft ground on the edge of the water + Proserpina's footprint was plainly to be seen. A little farther on, + Ceres came upon the shrub that Proserpina had pulled out of the + soil. But no other trace of the girl could she discover anywhere. + + A farmer chanced to be passing. He was on his way home from the + fields where he had been at work all day. + + Ceres called to him. "Have you seen a little girl around here + to-day?" + + The farmer thought a moment. Then he shook his head. + + A little later Ceres met an old woman in a meadow. The old woman + was gathering herbs. She had seen no girl. + + It was not only human beings whom Ceres asked about her daughter. + She asked the animals too. A robin on a tree top was merrily + singing his evening song. Ceres asked him. A pair of squirrels were + chattering noisily in a pine tree. Ceres stopped a minute to + question them. But no one had seen the lost maiden. + + At last night fell. Ceres left the fields and entered the open + road. At the door of every house she knocked. Wondering and pitying + faces looked at her curiously as she told her story. Some asked her + to come in and rest a while. But Ceres had no thought of rest. All + night long she kept up her search, and when morning came she was + far from home. She looked about her in the early light. She found + that she had wandered to that far eastern place where the sun rises + and begins the day. + + In a few minutes, indeed, Apollo, the sun-god, appeared. He was all + ready to drive his sun-chariot across the sky. In this way he + gives light and warmth to the people of the earth. His six white + horses wore golden harness, which jingled pleasantly as they + pranced about. They were anxious to be off. Apollo held them in + check with a firm hand, when he saw Ceres approaching. + +[Illustration] + + "What brings you here before sunrise, Mother Ceres?" he called to + her gaily, for he had known her a long time. Then he saw that her + eyes were red with weeping, and he leaped from his chariot to take + her hand. + + "What has happened?" he asked in a gentle tone. + + "Oh, Apollo," cried Ceres, while the tears streamed down her + cheeks, "I have lost Proserpina. Only yesterday I allowed her to go + into the meadow near my house to gather flowers. She did not + return, and I can find no trace of her. Oh, tell me, have you seen + her? You see everything as you drive across the sky." + + Apollo thought a moment. "Let me see," he said. "Could that have + been little Proserpina I saw in Pluto's[62] chariot--" + + "In Pluto's chariot?" cried Ceres. "What would she be doing in + Pluto's chariot?" + + "It was she," said Apollo. "Now that I think of it, I am certain it + was she." + + Then Apollo told Ceres all that had happened. He told her about the + shrub of marvellous flowers. He told of the hole that its roots + left in the ground. He told of Pluto and his six black horses, and + of how Pluto had carried off Proserpina. + + "He will never bring her back," said Apollo. + + Then Ceres dried her tears. Her face grew stern and cold. She stood + straight and held her head high, like a queen. + + "He will bring her back," she said. "I shall make him bring her. + Until he does, I shall allow nothing on the earth to grow. Until he + brings Proserpina to me, no tree shall put forth leaves or fruit, + no grass shall become green, no grain shall sprout,--nothing, + nothing at all, shall grow on the earth." + + Scarcely had she said this when a change came over the earth. The + leaves on trees and shrubs everywhere grew yellow and dropped to + the ground. The green fields became brown and gray. Fruits rotted + on the stem, and vegetables dried where they grew. Even flowerbeds + lost their bloom and became patches of dry stalks. + + Mother Ceres looked upon all these changes with a hard heart. + + "Never," she said, "will the earth grow green again, until my + daughter is returned to me." + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Play that you are Ceres working in her house and +glancing out of the window now and then. Say what she said when she saw +Proserpina sit down in the long grass. Say what she said when, after +several hours, her daughter was still absent. Say it in the way you +think she said it. Now show your classmates how she hurried into the +meadow to find Proserpina; how she picked up the half-finished wreath +and crossed the brook; how she looked when she saw her daughter's +footprint in the soft ground near the brook. What do you think she was +thinking then? + +2. One of your classmates will be the farmer in the story, another the +old woman, another the robin, two others the pair of squirrels. Still +other pupils will be the people in the houses at whose doors Ceres +knocks. Now play that you are Ceres looking for her daughter, and asking +everywhere for her. Remember how Ceres must have felt. Show that feeling +in what you say and in the way you say it. The pupils playing the other +speakers in the story will answer your questions. Try not to ask your +questions always in the same words. + +=Group Exercise.= 1. Now let other groups of pupils play this part of +the story. + +2. Each time[57] the class will say what they liked and what they did +not like. The following questions should be answered by the class: + + 1. Did the pupil playing Ceres look very much worried over + Proserpina's not returning? Several pupils should try to show the + class how the player ought to have looked. + + 2. Did the pupil playing Ceres talk like a worried person? Several + pupils should show how Ceres probably did talk. + + 3. Did the pupil playing Ceres talk enough? What might she say as + she looks out of the window now and then? What might she say when + she finds the unfinished wreath? What might she say when she sees + Proserpina's footprint and, a little farther along, the beautiful + shrub pulled out of the ground? + + 4. Did the pupils playing the farmer, the old woman, the robin, + the squirrels, and the other people speak as persons really would + speak if a poor woman should ask them where her daughter was? What + might these say that none of the players said? + + 5. Did the pupil playing Ceres ask each of the other players the + same question in the same way? Would it be better if this player + asked the question differently of different persons? Should this + player grow more worried and more excited all the time? + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Make believe that you are Apollo. Obtain a long rope +and harness your six horses. Choose six classmates to be the horses, but +first explain to the class how you plan to harness them. Then drive them +up and down in front of the class once or twice. As you do so, you see +Ceres coming toward you. You pull in your horses in great surprise. Show +your classmates this surprise. What might you say in a low tone to +yourself to express this surprise? + +2. Talk with Ceres. The pupil playing Ceres will answer you very sadly +at first. But at the end of the story the manner of Ceres changes. How +does Apollo look and what does he say when Ceres declares that nothing +shall grow on earth until Proserpina is returned? + +=Group Exercise.= 1. Several pairs of pupils should play the meeting +between Apollo and Ceres. Each pair should try to show the class exactly +how they think Apollo and Ceres looked and spoke and acted. + +2. Then the class will tell what they liked and what they did not like +in each playing. + +3. Now the entire story should be played several times. After each time +the class will explain to the players how the story might have been +played better. + + + + +=57. Correct Usage--_I am not_[65]= + + +=Game.= The teacher asks a pupil to stand before the class. This pupil +plays that he is a certain bird, flower, or animal other than a bird, +that is seen in the woods in the spring, but he tells no one except the +teacher what he is. The class must guess this. No pupil may guess more +than once, and only ten guesses are allowed the whole class. The pupil +before the class says nothing except that he is or is not the bird, +flower, or animal guessed. The game moves along as follows: + + FIRST GUESSER: Are you a dandelion, John? + + PUPIL BEFORE THE CLASS: No, Fred, I am not a dandelion. + + SECOND GUESSER: Are you a turtle, John? + + PUPIL BEFORE THE CLASS: No, Mary, I am not a turtle. + + THIRD GUESSER: Are you a song sparrow, John? + + PUPIL BEFORE THE CLASS: Yes, Nellie, I am a song sparrow. + +The pupil who guesses correctly is the next flower or bird. If no one of +the ten guesses is correct, the pupil before the class says, +"Classmates, I am a song sparrow." Then he names the pupil who is to +take his place in the game. + + + + +=58. Riddles= + + +One day our old friend Tom read his mother a riddle he had made. This is +it: + + I am a tiny little thing and have an orange face. What am I? + +"Can you guess it, mother?" he asked. "A dandelion," she answered. "Yes, +that's right," said Tom. "What do you think of it?" + +"It's a pretty good little riddle," his mother replied, "but I think you +can make it better. Is _orange_ the best word for a dandelion? And +should you not put in something to show that you do not mean a bird? +Your riddle, as it is, would do for a yellow bird as well as for a +dandelion." + +Tom thought this over. Then he wrote the following riddle: + + I am a tiny little thing with a bright yellow face. I have no legs + or wings, but I come and go with spring. What am I? + +Tom's mother was very much pleased with this riddle, and so was Tom. Tom +thought he could not make it the least bit better. The next day, +however, he had made the riddle over once more. "This," said Tom, "is +the very best that I can do." + +Here it is: + + My face is bright yellow. I have hundreds of brothers and sisters. + We have fine parties on the lawn. I cannot walk, but I can fly when + I am old and white-haired. What am I? + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Which of Tom's three riddles do you like the best? +Which do you care for least? Why? Do you think the third riddle is too +long? What is in the third riddle that you do not find in the second? + +2. Can you make a riddle of your own about the dandelion? + +3. Make riddles for your classmates to guess, about flowers, birds, and +animals that are seen in the spring. + +=Written Exercise.= Write on paper the best riddle of a bird or a flower +that you can make. Then, as Tom did, think it over a little longer and +try to make it better. When you think it is so bright that your +classmates will be much pleased with it, read it to them.[66] + +=Group Exercise.= Some of the riddles should now be copied neatly on the +board. It will be fun for the whole class to try to make them better. +The very best ones the teacher will copy in a book to show to other +classes.[35] + +=Written Exercise.= 1. Copy the riddle or riddles that your teacher +chooses. As you copy them, notice the spelling of the words, the capital +letters, the punctuation marks, and the beginning of the first line of +each riddle. This will help you to write the riddles correctly when you +reach the next exercise. Together with another pupil, correct your copy +and his. + +2. Write from dictation the riddles you have copied. Then correct any +mistakes you may have made. You may do this work of correcting either +alone or with one or more other pupils. + + + + +=59. Story-Telling= + + + CERES AND PLUTO + + In the underground world, where Pluto was king, stood a magnificent + palace, in which he lived. The pillars that held up the roof were + of solid gold. Jewels of many colors shone and sparkled in the + walls. + + Two persons were talking together in a room in this wonderful + building. One of these, who was no other than the lost Proserpina, + was crying. Before her stood Pluto. He was trying to comfort her. + + "Why do you keep on weeping day after day?" he asked. "Look about + you and see what a beautiful place it is to which I have brought + you." + + Proserpina only shook her head and cried the harder. "I do not care + how beautiful it is," she said. "I want to go back to my mother. I + want to see the sunshine and the blue sky, and the flowers growing + in the meadows." + + Pluto pointed to the jewels that gleamed from the walls and floor + and ceiling of the palace. Some were red as roses, others blue as + violets. Still others shone yellow as dandelions or purple as + lilacs or green as the young grass that grows on the banks of + brooks. + + "There are flowers for you," said he. "See all their colors! And + these flowers are unlike those on the earth, that last only a day + or a week. These never wither and never fade." + + But Proserpina did not so much as look at the jewels that Pluto + praised so highly. + + "Please take me back to the earth," she begged. "If you will do + that, I shall always think of you as a kind king. Perhaps I should + visit you now and then." + + Pluto smiled and shook his head. "I do not dare let you go back to + the earth, Proserpina," he explained. "I am almost sure you would + never come back to me. Think how lonely I should be down here. I + should have no one to share my palace and my riches with me. But + let me tell what I will do." + + He took the golden crown from his head. It was the most splendid + crown in all the world. He held it out before her. It sparkled with + a thousand lights. The most skilful goldsmiths in Pluto's kingdom + had made it. + + "This," said Pluto, "I will give you, if you will stay with me." + + Before Proserpina could answer, the bark of a dog was heard outside + the palace wall. It was Pluto's giant mastiff. He was a huge + three-headed dog that guarded the palace gate. Some one was + coming. A minute later a loud knock sounded on the door. At once + this flew open and showed a tall young man standing there. His + face was flushed and he was breathless, as if he had run a long + distance. + + [Illustration] + + When the stranger saw the king and Proserpina, he drew himself up + to his full height and made a deep bow. + + "What is it?" asked Pluto. + + The tall stranger stepped into the room. He was still breathing + hard. "I am the bringer of sad news, King Pluto," he began. "I come + from the earth to let you know what has happened." + + "Well, what has happened?" impatiently asked the king. + + "The earth has lost its color and its beauty," answered the + stranger. "Nothing grows any more. Where once there were beautiful + fields and orchards, now there is nothing but the uncovered ground + and bare branches to be seen. And Ceres sends me to you with this + message, O Pluto. Until you return her daughter, not a blade of + grass, not a shoot of corn shall grow, not a flower shall bloom, + not a tree shall put forth leaves, on the whole earth that was once + so green and wonderful." + + Pluto smiled at these words. "What care I," he said, "whether + anything grows on the earth!" Then he saw that Proserpina was + weeping. His voice grew softer. "What does Ceres want me to do?" he + asked. + + "She wants you to return that which you have taken away," was the + solemn answer. + + "That," said Pluto, "I will never do." + + The messenger of Ceres turned to go, without another word. + Proserpina stepped forward and stopped him. + + "I have a plan," she said, "that will help us all." She turned to + Pluto. "Let me spend half of every year with Mother Ceres," she + said, "and I will gladly spend the other half with you." + + Pluto looked at her and made no answer. He did not like being alone + in his great palace six months of every year. But then he thought + of how unhappy Proserpina would be if he never allowed her to see + her mother again. He did not wish her to be unhappy. At last he + said, "I will do it." + + Proserpina clapped her hands. She laughed and danced about. "Six + months here," she said, "and six months on earth. That will make + six months of green and bloom on earth, and six months of bare + branches and empty fields. Every year when I start back to the + earth, things will begin to grow and bud and blossom. That will be + spring. Every year when I return to this underground world, the + leaves will fall from the trees, the grass will become yellow, and + flowers will wither and fade. That will be fall." + + Proserpina at once prepared for her journey back to the earth. When + she had said good-bye to Pluto, Ceres's messenger led the way. They + passed the growling three-headed dog. They passed the iron gates of + Pluto's kingdom. Far ahead they saw a bright light. It was the + sunshine of the earth. They hastened toward it. As they hurried + along, Proserpina noticed that the dry fields began to change. + Green grass sprang up in them, and flowers. A veil of green covered + all the shrubs and trees, and fruit blossoms began to unfold. The + farmers had been sad over the long winter. Now they worked merrily + in the fields, glad at the coming of spring. + + It was not long before Proserpina saw that she had reached the + meadow in which she had gathered flowers. Yes, there was the brook + she had crossed without really meaning to do it. There was the + place where she had sat in the grass to weave wreaths. And there, + at the edge of the meadow, stood her mother's house. Hurrying from + it and toward Proserpina with outstretched arms was Mother Ceres + herself. + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Make believe that you are Proserpina in the story +above. Think how you would feel if you were in an underground palace far +from your mother. A classmate will play that he is King Pluto. Ask him +to let you go back. Speak as Proserpina probably spoke. Pluto will +answer you. He will try to explain to you that you ought to stay with +him. + +2. Make believe that you are the messenger from Ceres. Make the deep bow +that he made when he saw the king. Tell the king what is happening on +the earth. Give him the message from Ceres. + +3. You and two classmates should now play the story. Would it be a good +plan to have some one play the dog? + +=Group Exercise.= 1. Now three other pupils[67] should play the story, +and then three others. Each group will try to show the class exactly how +everything happened in the story. Each player will try to look and act +and speak exactly as he thinks the person in the story did. + +2. The class will praise what is good in the playing and point out what +might be done better. + + + + +=60. Talking over Plans= + + +Why couldn't the class plan a spring festival? It might be held on a +Friday afternoon. Every pupil could invite his parents and friends. The +festival would be one way of showing how glad you and your classmates +are that spring has come. + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. Make a plan for a spring festival.[68] Then stand +before the class and tell the other pupils what your plan is. The +following questions may help you to make a plan that your classmates +will enjoy carrying out: + + 1. Shall the festival be held in the schoolroom or outdoors? + + 2. Shall you decorate the room with spring flowers? + + 3. Shall the festival begin with a march by the pupils? + + 4. Do you know a suitable story that could be played by a group of + pupils? + + 5. Could some suitable poems be recited? + + 6. Would it be a good plan to have each pupil play that he is a + spring flower or a bird and make a riddle about himself for the + visitors to guess? + + 7. How shall visitors be invited? Shall each pupil write a letter + inviting somebody and mail it in the United States Post Office? + +2. It would be fun to have you and a classmate talk the spring festival +over on the class telephone. Of course this is only a make-believe +telephone, but two pupils can talk to each other over it just as well as +if it were real. Tell your classmate at the other end of the telephone +what you think of the spring-festival plan. Ask him questions about it. +He will ask you questions. + +3. Use the class telephone to invite persons to the spring festival. +Different classmates of yours will play that they are Mr. Brown and Mrs. +Brown and others whom you wish to invite. Tell them about the spring +festival. Tell them why the class will have it, and what it is to be +like. Then invite them to come. + +=Group Exercise.= The class of course hears these telephone +conversations. After each one the class should talk about it with the +following questions[69] in mind: + + 1. Did the speakers telephone in clear, pleasant voices that could + easily be heard? + + 2. Were the speakers polite to each other? + + 3. Did the speakers make any mistakes in English? Did they + pronounce any words incorrectly? + + 4. Did the speakers say bright things that every one likes to hear? + + 5. Can you think of anything the speakers might have said to make + the telephone talk more interesting? + + + + +=61. Letter Writing= + + +A few days before the spring festival you will be inviting your parents +and friends to come to it. You could write short letters asking them to +come. You could take your letters to their houses or you could send the +invitations by mail.[70] + +Here is an invitation to the spring festival. It was written, as you +see, by a boy named George Smith to his friend Mr. Brown. + + +----------------------------------+ + | May 9, 1919 | + | | + | Dear Mr. Brown: | + | | + | Come to our spring festival. | + | | + | George Smith | + | | + +=Oral Exercise.= What do you think of George Smith's invitation? What do +you think Mr. Brown will say when he receives it? Does George Smith seem +to be a very polite boy? How could the invitation be made more polite? +What should the invitation tell about the spring festival? + +=Written Exercise.= Write one of your invitations for the spring +festival. Put in it all that you think such an invitation should say to +the one who receives it. Before you begin it, notice how the following +greetings are written. This may help you in writing yours.[71] + + Dear Mr. Brown: + Dear Mrs. Brown: + Dear Miss Brown: + Dear Friend: + Dear Uncle: + Dear Teacher: + +=Group Exercise.= A number of the invitations should now be copied +neatly on the board. Then you and your classmates may point out what is +good in each, and may try to make each one better. + + + + +=62. Addressing Letters= + + +If you send your invitations by mail, you will need to know how to write +the addresses on the envelopes. Perhaps you can learn this most quickly +by carefully copying addresses that are correctly written. Before +copying them you should read them with care. Notice every capital letter +and punctuation mark. + +=Oral Exercise.= Read the name of the person to whom each of the +following envelopes is addressed. Is it placed nearer the top or the +bottom edge of the envelope? Is it nearer the right or the left edge of +the envelope? Is it placed exactly in the middle of the envelope? Is +the second line of the address exactly under the first line? Is the +third line exactly under the second line? + + +-----------------------------+ + | | + | Mr. James Smith | + | 46 Oak Street | + | Toledo, Ohio | + +-----------------------------+ + + +-----------------------------+ + | | + | Mrs. Henry Jones | + | 1616 Superior Street | + | Portland, Oregon | + +-----------------------------+ + +=Written Exercise.= 1. Draw lines to mark off an envelope on your paper. +Then copy the first of the addresses above. Mark off another envelope, +and copy the second address.[72] + +2. Cut figures of paper the size and shape of an envelope, and on each +write one of the following addresses: + + 1. The address of your father + + 2. The address of your mother + + 3. Your own address + + 4. The address of a friend not in the class + + 5. The address of a friend who is a classmate + + + + +=63. Telling Interesting Things= + + +=Oral Exercise.= 1. When did you last go to the circus?[73] Of course +you remember many interesting things about it. Think of these a minute; +then tell your classmates about them. Perhaps the following questions +will help you remember: + + 1. Did you see the circus come to town early in the morning? + + 2. Did you see the men putting up the tents? + + 3. Did you see the parade? + + 4. Where did you buy your ticket? + + 5. What did you see first when you entered the tent? + + 6. What did you like best of all you saw and heard? + +2. If you were old enough to travel with a circus, and if your parents +would allow you to go, what should you most like to be? Should you like +to be an animal trainer? Should you like to be a horseback rider? +Should you like to be a juggler, a tightrope walker, or a clown? Tell +your classmates what you would be if you could join a circus. Besides, +tell what that kind of performer needs to know and do. Tell how he does +some of his tricks. + +You and your classmates may now plan to make a book about the circus. +Each pupil should write a page for it. One could tell about the parade, +another about the tents and the seats and the rings, another about the +horses, another about the jugglers, another about the trapeze +performers, and so on. When all the pages are finished, they should be +bound and a cover put on them. On the cover might be written or printed +in large letters:[74] + + +----------------------------------+ + | THE CIRCUS BOOK | + | | + | MADE BY | + | | + | THE PUPILS OF MISS SMITH'S CLASS | + | | + +=Written Exercise.= Choose what you will write about for the circus +book. Think what you can say that your classmates will enjoy reading. +Then write the account. Better write a short and bright account than a +long and stupid one. First, write on your paper rather rapidly the best +account you can. When this is finished, read it several times and try to +make it better. If you were writing about the juggler, your first, +rapidly written account might read like this: + + THE JUGGLER AT THE CIRCUS + + There was a juggler at the circus. I cannot tell all the tricks he + did. It must take a long time to learn to do tricks. I wish I could + do some. + +Of course this first, rapid account can be made much better. It does not +tell how the juggler looked. It does not tell clearly what he did. After +you have added these and other points, the account might be like this +one: + + THE JUGGLER AT THE CIRCUS + + I saw the wonderful Japanese juggler at the circus. He was dressed + in red silk. He stood in the ring before all the people. I saw him + do one trick after another. It was like magic. He threw five shiny, + sharp knives up in the air. He kept them flying up and down without + dropping one. + +=Group Exercise.= Some of the circus stories should be copied neatly on +the board. Then the whole class may try to make them better before they +are copied on the pages of the circus book.[75] + + + + +=64. Making Riddles= + + +=Oral Exercise.= Make believe that you are one of the performers or one +of the animals in a circus. Tell your classmates two facts about +yourself: (1) what you look like and (2) what you do. But do not tell +what you are. Thus, you might say: + + I look just like you, but I spend much of my time in a cage. No, I + am not a monkey. It is my business to be in a cage. Lions are + afraid of me, and I am afraid of them, but you can see us side by + side in the same circus cage in every parade. What am I? + +Or you might say: + + My face is pale, and my clothes are white. I look like a very + foolish, sad, and solemn person. Everybody laughs at me. I don't + mind it. It is my business to look silly. If I did not look silly, + I should lose my place in the circus. What am I? + +Your classmates will try to guess what you are. + +=Group Exercise.= 1. Some of the riddles may now be written on the +board. Then the class will try to make them better. The teacher will +write each improved riddle beside the one from which it was made. 2. +When everybody in the class has made a riddle, and all the riddles have +been guessed, you and the other pupils will enjoy having a circus +parade. In this circus parade the whole class marches around the room +and up and down the aisles. Each pupil plays, as he did in making the +riddles, that he is one of the performers or one of the animals in a +circus. Each without speaking tries to show what performer or animal he +is. For example, if you are a circus horse, show it by prancing about, +but do not lose your place in the parade. If you are an elephant, show +it by your walk. You might use a piece of rope or cloth for an +elephant's trunk. If you are a horseback rider, show it by talking to +your horse in low tones and by holding him in line. If you are a clown, +show it by acting as clowns do.[76] If you are a musician, play your +instrument as you march. + +Perhaps the teacher will let the parade pass into the hall, so that the +piano may be played as the class marches. + + + + +=65. Telling about Wild Animals[77]= + + +Sometimes boys and girls play menagerie. Each makes believe that he is +the keeper or trainer of some wild animal. When his turn comes, he +stands before the class and tells about the animal that is supposed to +be in a cage at his side. + +[Illustration: AFRICAN LION] + +=Oral Exercise.= Choose the animal of which you will play that you are +the keeper. Then tell the class about this animal. Tell everything +interesting that you know or can find out about it. Perhaps the +following list of questions will help you to think of what to say: + + 1. What does the animal look like? What is its size, color, and + shape? + + 2. Where does the animal live? + + 3. How does it live? How does it obtain its food? + + 4. Is the animal very different from most wild animals in any + important ways? + + 5. Can it be easily tamed? + +=Group Exercise.= 1. The two following accounts are such as a +make-believe trainer might give of a lion. One of these is much better +than the other. Can you tell which is the better one? + +2. What do you like in the first account? Notice that all of the +sentences begin in the same way. Do you like that? + +3. Do you like the word _frames_ in the second account? What is the +difference in meaning between _dangerous_ and _cruel_? + +4. After each talk the class should tell whether that talk was more like +the first or the second of these accounts: + + I + + The lion is a large animal. It has four legs, one on each corner. + Its body is covered with yellow hair. It has a shaggy mane. It has + a long tail. It lives in the wild parts of Africa. It will eat + human beings. + + II + + Ladies and gentlemen, the big animal that you see in this cage is a + lion. See his beautiful yellow coat. See the shaggy mane that + frames his head. You probably know that the lion is a dangerous + beast. But do you know that he is the most dangerous and cruel of + all the wild animals? The father of this fine-looking specimen + before you was caught in Africa. Human bones and several copper + bangles were found in his den. + +[Illustration: BENGAL TIGER] + + + + +=66. Making a Little Book= + + +Now you and your classmates are ready to make a book about wild animals. +Every page of the book should contain a short but interesting account of +some wild animal. A cover of stiff paper might have these words written +or printed on it: + + +---------------------------------+ + | | + | A BOOK ABOUT WILD ANIMALS | + | | + | WRITTEN AND MADE BY | + | | + | THE PUPILS OF MISS SMITH'S ROOM | + | | + +=Written Exercise.= Write your page[78] for the class book about wild +animals. Better write it twice. After the first, rather rapid writing is +finished, read it over several times and try to make it better. Try to +put better words in the places of some of those you used. Try to add a +bright sentence or two. Leave out sentences and words that are not +needed. Copy what you then have. + +=Group Exercise.= Before each pupil's account is put in the book, that +account should be read by the class to make sure that there are no +mistakes in it. The class might be divided into a number of groups of +five or six pupils each. Each group could then correct its five or six +accounts. The pupils of each group would work together, correcting one +account at a time.[79] In this work of finding mistakes the following +questions[80] will be useful: + + 1. Does every sentence in the account begin with a capital letter? + + 2. Does every sentence end with a period or question mark? + + 3. Is every word correctly spelled? + + 4. Are there any mistakes in English? + + + + +=67. Correct Usage--_Good, Well_= + + +Some pupils make the mistake of using the word _good_ when they should +use _well_. + +The word _good_ is correctly used to tell what sort of person or thing +you are speaking of. Thus, you may say, "He is a _good_ writer." + +The word _well_, on the other hand, usually tells _how_ something is +done. Thus, you may say, "He writes _well_." + +=Game.= Tom plays that he is the manager of a circus. His classmates +want to work in the circus. Each one makes up his mind what kind of work +he will play that he can do. Then one after another raises his hand and +asks Tom for a position. + +For instance, Fred says: "Tom, have you a position for me in your +circus?" + +Tom answers: "What kind of work can you do well, Fred?" + +Fred says: "I am a good ticket seller. I can sell tickets well." + +Then Nellie asks: "Tom, have you a position for me in your circus?" + +Tom answers: "What kind of work can you do well, Nellie?" + +Nellie replies: "I am a good cook. I can cook well." + +Other pupils are good musicians, they can play well; or good tightrope +walkers, they can walk the tightrope well; or good singers, they can +sing well; or good drivers of horses, they can drive horses well; or +good shoemakers, they can repair shoes well. After each pupil has told +what he can do well, all those who made no mistake in speaking to the +manager of the circus may march around the room, saying or singing, "We +are good circus workers. We do our work well." + + + + +=68. Talking over the Telephone= + + +=Oral Exercise.= Talk to a classmate over the make-believe class +telephone.[81] Play that he is the ticket seller in a circus. You want +to know about the prices of seats. Ask the time at which the doors are +open. Ask him whether you and your two children may all go in on one +ticket. He will say no to the last question. Try to make him see that he +should let you in on one ticket. Then telephone to other classmates. The +following ideas[82] for telephone talks will help you think of what to +say: + + 1. Telephone to the lion trainer. Tell him that you want to become + a lion trainer. Ask him what you must do to get ready for this + work. Ask his advice about it. Perhaps he will tell you something + interesting about lions. + + 2. Telephone to the keepers and trainers of other wild animals. + + 3. Telephone to the clown, or the juggler, or the tightrope walker, + or the horseback rider. + + 4. Telephone to a pupil and try to make a plan with him for going + to the circus to-morrow. Where shall you meet him? How will you + prove to your parents and to your teacher that it will do you more + good to spend the afternoon at the circus than in school? + + 5. Telephone to a classmate and ask him where the circus is to be. + Play that you are a new pupil in the school and do not know the + roads and streets very well. Keep asking the classmate questions + about how to reach the circus grounds. He should answer so clearly + that a stranger would not miss the way. + + + + +=69. Words sometimes Mispronounced= + + +=Oral Exercise.= Pronounce each of the following words clearly and +distinctly as the teacher pronounces it to you. Then pronounce the +entire list as rapidly as you can, but still clearly, distinctly, and +correctly. + + horse + because + engine + evening + eleven + lying + lion + address + library + elm + perhaps + something + often + father + theater + bouquet + across + iron + parade + fourth + third + +=Game.= Ask a classmate a question that has in it one of the words in +the list above. The classmate will answer your question, using the same +word from the list. If he pronounces the word correctly, he will ask a +classmate a question containing another word from the list. And so it +will go on until every one in the class has both asked and answered a +question. + + + + +=70. Talking over Vacation Plans= + + +Soon the school term will come to an end. Then the long summer vacation +will begin. What good times you will have! Perhaps your parents have +already made plans for you. Perhaps they have planned a trip away. Or it +may be that they will send you to the summer school. Or, like most +pupils, perhaps you will spend the summer at home. You will play +outdoors with boys and girls who live near you. + +=Oral Exercise.= Tell your classmates what you think you will be doing +during the coming summer vacation. Perhaps the following questions will +help you: + + 1. What games do you think you will play during the summer? + + 2. Shall you go to any city parks? What can you see and do there? + + 3. Shall you go swimming or boating? Shall you go on a picnic to a + pleasant place? + + 4. Shall you go to the public library? + + 5. Shall you take a trip away from home? + +Earlier in this book you read about fairies. You know what wonderful +things they can do. They can make wishes come true. If a fairy came to +your schoolroom and spoke to you and your classmates, you might be very +much surprised. But you would be still more surprised if the fairy stood +before the class, perhaps on the top of the teacher's desk where all +could see, and made this little speech in a tiny but musical voice: + + Boys and girls, I have been very glad all the year to see you + having such good times together in this room. I think that young + folks who enjoy school as much as you do should have a very + pleasant vacation too. + + As you see, I have brought my magic wand with me. Watch me as I + wave it in the air. Yes, I am waving it more than once. I want to + make a ring in the air for every boy and girl in the class. There, + I have done it. Now each of you may have a wish, just as Peter was + given a wish by the strange little old man. Each of you may wish a + summer vacation exactly as he would like it best. All these wishes + will come true. + + Some of you boys will probably wish for a trip to the moon in a + magic airplane. The trip is yours the moment you speak your wish. + Some of you girls will probably wish to spend the two summer months + in fairyland. Your wish, too, will come true. + + Now I must say good-bye. Before I leave I shall make one more + circle in the air with my wand. For whom is this? It is for the + teacher. When the wishing begins, the teacher must have a wish, + too. + +When the fairy left the room, the planning and wishing would begin. Each +pupil would probably have a wish very different from that of his +classmates. Some of the plans and wishes would be very interesting. It +would be fun to hear them all. + +=Oral Exercise.= Tell your classmates how you would like to spend the +long summer vacation if you could spend it any way you wished.[83] + + + + +=NOTES TO THE TEACHER= + +(The page number following each note number indicates the first +appearance of the note in the text) + + +=Note 1= (page 1). Although the lessons in this book are addressed to +the pupil, it will probably be advisable for the teacher to reproduce +the procedure of the first ones orally and independently of the text, +rather than to confront the class at once with the printed page. In some +instances, however, it will be preferred from the beginning to work out +each lesson as it stands, the class reading and studying the text with +the teacher (the "study recitation"). In no case should there be haste. +If the teacher finds that the Christmas lessons cannot easily be reached +by December, or the valentine lessons by early February, much depending +on the class, judicious omissions are advised. The plan of the text +makes this both permissible and easy. The teacher is asked to read the +Preface and is strongly urged to read the entire book, including the +Notes, at the beginning of the year's work. + +=Note 2= (page 1). The spirit of play should pervade the composition +period. Pupils should feel as free and happy as on the playground. It is +suggested that they be encouraged to "let go" when they are playing +stories. Let there be much action, even exaggerated action. Let there be +unembarrassed speaking, even if it be sometimes a little louder than +necessary. Let there be energetic pantomime. When animals are imitated, +or sleepy boys, or elves, let it be done with a will, perhaps even +ludicrously. This freedom and abandon of play and fun will help lay the +foundation for natural, vigorous, and interesting self-expression. + +=Note 3= (page 2). A number of pupils may be asked to show how the +sleepy boy looked as he wakened. Let each one lie on the platform or +floor before the class, apparently fast asleep; then awaken and stretch +and yawn prodigiously; and finally awake fully and realize lazily that +mother is at the bedside. This may represent an awakening from dreamless +sleep. Next, let each player awake with a start, as Tom may have done +after his exciting dream. It may be advisable with some classes, as a +preliminary "warming up," to ask that (for example) flying a kite, +riding a horse, picking flowers, sweeping and dusting a room, rowing a +boat, be represented in pantomime. + +=Note 4= (page 3). No finished dramatic product is looked for in these +exercises. The ends are (1) the pupils' keen pleasure in the activity +and expression involved in the play; (2) the creation of a situation +that means for the pupils freedom and absence of self-consciousness; (3) +purposeful speech by the children "in the situation"; (4) development of +increasing interest in the story as a basis for further, and now +story-telling, expression work. _No_ rehearsing, _no_ memorizing of +speeches, but originality, extemporaneous expression, natural, +spontaneous speech, are desired. Later on, different pupils should be +asked to be managers of plays, selecting players, giving stage +directions, urging the actors to speak more, to act more naturally, etc. + +=Note 5= (page 3). It is desirable that all pupils take part in the +dramatizations, and not only the favored or the forward few. Besides, +each pupil should be encouraged to play the part _as he sees it_. +Originality, not thoughtless imitation, is desired. It is the +_differences_ that will be recognized as interesting and valuable in +schoolrooms where individuality is encouraged; and it is the differences +that justify repeated playing of the same story before the same +audience. See Note 57. + +=Note 6= (page 4). It is astonishing and delightful how well little +people do when they are permitted to take the initiative and to assume +responsibility. Frequently pupils should be allowed to work out a play +alone, the teacher helping only when asked or when the situation calls +loudly for her assistance. + +=Note 7= (page 4). If the purpose of language teaching is the +improvement of pupils' speaking and writing, pupils must speak and write +abundantly. But they must do more. Two garrulous housewives may gossip +over the back fence for years and at the end of that time speak no +better than at the beginning. The same grammatical errors with which +they began, the same infelicities of expression, the same lack of +organization, the same meager and overworked vocabulary, the same +mispronunciations and slovenly utterance, will still be there. Why is +this? The reason indicates clearly that it is not enough that pupils +speak and speak and write and write. This is only half the battle. In +addition there must be continual attention to the problem of improvement +in speaking and writing. This improvement is a task of years, and only +one step can be taken at a time. In these first lessons criticism should +be directed mainly to the matter of the pupil's expressing himself +fully. See Notes 20 and 64. + +=Note 8= (page 5). As pupils suggest improvements, Tom's dream should be +rewritten on the board, sentence by sentence, the point being throughout +that Tom did not tell all that he had in mind. The class will greatly +enjoy and profit by seeing Tom's original bald, fragmentary story become +a vivid narrative, full of interesting detail and realistic color. See +Note 64. Later this should be compared with Tom's improved narrative as +it stands on pages 5 and 6. Pupils should not conclude, however, that +_length_ is necessarily a virtue in compositions. What is desired is not +mere fullness but fullness of interesting detail. + +=Note 9= (page 7). After pupils have read the introduction to the poem, +or the teacher has freely developed one (see Note 1), the poem should be +read aloud by the teacher, in order that the class may be impressed at +once with its rhythm and thought. A second reading by the teacher, +immediately following the first, may be advisable, in order to deepen +the first favorable impression. With most classes every selection in the +book should be read, the first time, by the teacher to the class. Many +teachers memorize the poems, reciting instead of reading them. + +=Note 10= (page 7). Some teachers will desire to use the second half of +this poem. Judiciously employed, that half will be greatly enjoyed by +children and will, in fact, give added point to the first half. + +=Note 11= (page 7). When the force of each word has been explained, +pupils should use it in sentences of their own and thus show that they +understand its meaning. + +=Note 12= (page 8). Far better than the traditional correction of +completed papers by the teacher at home it is for the teacher to walk up +and down the aisles while pupils are busy copying, and to point out +sympathetically their mistakes, making concrete and constructive +suggestions where they are needed. + +=Note 13= (page 9). The best way for the pupil to memorize, as is well +stated in Pillsbury's "Essentials of Psychology," page 192, is "to read +through the whole selection from beginning to end, and to repeat the +reading until all is learned, rather than to learn bit by bit." The +teacher should join the class in reading the poem aloud repeatedly, in +order that pupils may have the right emphasis and expression while they +memorize. + +=Note 14= (page 9). Pupils will enjoy, in this connection, hearing some +of the wonderful tales, which might very well have been fantastic +dreams, of Baron Munchhausen. See "Tales from Munchhausen," edited by +Edward Everett Hale (D. C. Heath & Co.). The telling of dreams involving +comical situations should by no means be discouraged. The funnier they +are, other things being equal, the better. + +=Note 15= (page 9). The term _group exercise_ designates in this book +those class activities in which pupils manage the matter in hand mainly +themselves, or in which they work together on a problem as in a +laboratory. + +=Note 16= (page 10). It is suggested that the term _sentence_ be used +incidentally by the teacher while writing on the board. The beginning +capital letter and the final punctuation mark (period or question mark) +should be pointed out, as well as capital _I_, also incidentally. +Besides, the terms _punctuation mark_, _period_, and _question mark_ +should receive passing notice. The object is to give pupils a +preliminary acquaintance with these technicalities. No definition of the +sentence should be attempted in this grade, but the foundation for +sentence sense may be laid successfully. + +=Note 17= (page 10). Improvement here should take the form of adding +interesting and significant details, as was done on pages 4 and 5 in the +improvement of Tom's dream. The matter of variety in expression may be +lightly touched. By no means should the work be formal or heavy or above +the heads or interests of the pupils. So far as possible let them make +the suggestions. + +=Note 18= (page 10). Let the dictation clearly indicate, by a dropping +of the voice and by a pause, the end of each sentence. Thus the +dictation work will be a drill rather than a test in the writing of +sentences. Preparation for dictation work may include counting the +capital letters in the selection to be written, counting the periods, +etc. It is suggested that occasionally the pupils be asked to repeat +each sentence aloud as it is read by the teacher, and then write it. + +=Note 19= (page 11). See page 21 for the fuller presentation of _saw_ +and _seen_. In this connection the teacher need hardly be reminded that +good English is largely a matter of habit rather than of knowledge, and +that repetition under stimulus and in the atmosphere of interest is the +means of establishing habits. Of course the game is one of the best of +these means. + +=Note 20= (page 12). Encourage originality. Applaud unusual conceptions. +Let pupils give free rein to their imaginations. Some of the best +sentences may be written on the board, both for their content interest +and to emphasize again the capital letter at the beginning, the +punctuation mark at the end, and capital _I_. Besides, work in variety +of expression or in amplification may profitably become an incident of +the game. Thus, a sentence like "I saw an automobile" offers a real +opportunity. It should be placed on the board. By means of questions the +class should be led to amplify it, to give it definition, color, +interest. What sort of automobile was it? Was it new or old? Where was +it? Who was in it? Etc. Finally the original meager sentence becomes, "I +saw an old, unwashed automobile that stood by the roadside with the +driver asleep on the back seat," or, "I saw a shining new automobile +spin noiselessly down the street with three laughing children on the +back seat." See Notes 7 and 64. + +=Note 21= (page 18). While the fable of the ants and the grasshoppers is +occupying the attention of the pupils certain classic phrasings of its +lesson may profitably be put on the board. See Proverbs, Chapter VI, +verses 6-11, besides the quotations below. A lesson devoted to the study +of these may be given, followed by exercises in copying and memorizing. + + "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." + + "Work while it is day: for the night cometh, when no man can work." + + "There is a time for work and a time for play." + + "He that will not work shall not eat." + + "When you play, play with all your might. When you work, do not + play at all." + +=Note 22= (page 20). Pupils should stand before the class as they tell +their stories. Only when they _face_ their classmates can they speak +_to_ them effectively. There is no good in pupils' speaking unless they +speak _to_ some one. They must, like adults, have a real audience and +something to tell that audience which it does not already know. Or, if +there be repetition, this must be for a purpose that is of interest to +the audience and therefore to the speaker. + +=Note 23= (page 23). A little talk on "Sharp Eyes" is suggested. + +=Note 24= (page 25). The expansion should not go too far. There is no +virtue in mere length. Quality of work should be emphasized. Besides, +one of these fables, the shortest one, is to be used in the subsequent +exercise in copying. + +=Note 25= (page 25). The work in copying should be motivated by placing +before the pupils the problem involved, namely, making an exact +reproduction of the original. _Can it be done?_ This is the question +before the class. Copy only a part of a fable rather than make the +exercise too long. See Note 12. + +=Note 26= (page 28). It is suggested that the room be decorated +appropriately for these lessons that deal with Indian subject matter. +Possibly a small Indian tepee may be pitched in one corner of the +schoolroom. A Navajo rug may adorn the wall, and pictures of Indian +weapons, tools, utensils, and other articles of various kinds may be +drawn in color on the board. Besides the book quoted in the text, +Frederick Starr's "American Indians" (Heath) and Gilbert L. Wilson's +"Myths of the Red Children" (Ginn), from the latter of which the Indian +illustrations in the present textbook have been taken with the kind +permission of Mr. Wilson, will be found replete with authoritative +information. At the discretion of the teacher this problem of room +decoration may be solved in a series of group exercises in English (see +Note 15), each pupil expressing his views as he stands before the class. + +Pupils will enjoy drawing tepees, tomahawks, Indian chiefs, squaws, and +papooses on paper with colored crayons; dressing dolls as Indians; +dressing themselves as Indians; making tepees, canoes, etc. out of paper +and cardboard; making an Indian scene on the sand table. + +The following are war whoops or Indian calls: "Ki-yi, whoo-oo! Ki-yi, +ki-yi, ki-yi, whoo-oo!" and "Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, +boom!" + +=Note 27= (page 39). It is suggested that this exercise be preceded by a +pantomime in which a pupil plays that he is wandering through the woods, +while the class pretend that they are Indians waylaying him. Some may +approach on the river in canoes. Some may follow his tracks on the +ground. The women and the papooses would remain in the safe background. +Finally the boy is captured. Then a little extemporized dramatization +takes place before the captured boy makes his speech. Sensitive children +should perhaps be informed that such captures no longer happen. + +=Note 28= (page 40). This game is designed to help stop the incorrect +use of _got_. If some chicken feathers can be obtained, each player may +wear one. + +=Note 29= (page 41). Some Indians call January "Cold Moon," April +"Green-Grass Moon," May "Song Moon," June "Rose Moon," and November "Mad +Moon." + +=Note 30= (page 42). The antidote for the _and_ habit is not a _don't_ +but a _do_. If pupils are trained to drop the voice at the ends of +sentences and to make a pause there, not only will many thoughtless +_and's_ remain unspoken, but sentence sense will be developed. Let the +class read the January selection in the text, exaggerating the pause at +the end of each sentence. + +=Note 31= (page 46). The teacher should not hesitate to modify any game +to suit the needs of the class. Games 1 and 2 on pages 46 and 47 should +be played on different days, to avoid confusion. Few mistakes will be +made in these easy games, nor are mistakes desirable. The repetition of +the correct form is desirable. It must not be a thoughtless repetition. + +=Note 32= (page 47). Parent coöperation in the work of eradicating +common errors is to be sought. Some schools send cards to the pupils' +homes, explaining the errors for the removal of which the teachers ask +the help of the parents. + +=Note 33= (page 47). Pictures of fairies should now be drawn on the +board, in order to help create the proper atmosphere for the present +lessons. Later in the month let Christmas decorations be added. Perhaps +a small Christmas tree could be brought in and ornamented with +inexpensive colored papers. See Note 26. + +The story in the text may be used for story-telling, although it is +given here merely to create an appropriate atmosphere for the pupils' +stories and as a prelude to the work of the next weeks. + +It depends very much on the class whether teachers will read or freely +retell the stories and other selections in the book or whether they will +utilize them for reading lessons or for study recitations. With many +classes it will be decidedly best for the teacher to read or reproduce +the stories and selections. See Notes 1 and 9. + +=Note 34= (page 64). A number of possible exercises suggest themselves +here. Thus, several lesson periods might profitably be devoted to each +pupil's explaining how to make a toy or other Christmas thing. If +correlation with manual training be possible, pupils may actually make +toys, Christmas cards, New Year's cards, and calendars. This may be +handled dramatically. Pupils may play that they are a band of fairies +going to Santa Claus to offer their services in the great toyshop. One +pupil is Santa Claus. He asks each pupil to _explain_ what he can do in +the way of making Christmas things. Then he puts them to work. See the +game in section 67. + +=Note 35= (page 67). Teachers who preserve the best riddles will find +them useful means of stimulating subsequent classes to their best +endeavor. A riddle book may gradually be made by a teacher's successive +classes, each class contributing its best. Only worthy pieces of work +may be included. Thus a school or a schoolroom tradition in English may +be made to grow up, whose educational value would be not inconsiderable. + +=Note 36= (page 67). An exchange of papers, or the correction of each +paper by a small group of pupils working as a team, will often prove +desirable. + +=Note 37= (page 69). Very incidentally during the study of the poem, use +the word _stanza_ to designate each of the three large sections of it, +and call attention to the interesting fact that every line of poetry +begins with a capital letter. + +=Note 38= (page 72). The teacher may read or tell the class the Spanish +fairy tale "The Three Wishes" (see Wiggin and Smith's "Tales of +Laughter," Doubleday, Page & Company). The story of Midas should be +postponed until the fourth grade. See "Oral and Written English" (Ginn), +Book One, page 100. + +=Note 39= (page 74). The last lesson period preceding Christmas may be +given to the teacher's reading aloud "A Visit from St. Nicholas," by +Clement C. Moore. + +=Note 40= (page 75). Dictate twelve dates, one in each month. Remind the +pupils of the spelling of _February_ and of the fact that the names of +the months begin with capital letters. + +=Note 41= (page 75). Let children of foreign parentage tell about their +unusual customs. Let them realize, as they tell about their home +traditions, that they are making a most interesting contribution to the +class entertainment. + +=Note 42= (page 78). Pupils will enjoy and profit by a pantomimic +presentation of the scene, as a preparation for the real dramatization. +Let one pupil show how Jack slowly and painfully rose from the ground. +Let another show the alarmed mother, another the wise doctor. Then ask +each actor what the person represented might have said. See Notes 2, 3, +4, 5, 6, and 27. + +=Note 43= (page 80). Other subjects will readily suggest themselves: as, a +toboggan party, making an ice rink, trapping for muskrats or rabbits, +fishing through the ice, ice boating, visiting the museum, visiting the +zoo, visiting the botanical gardens, visiting the aquarium, a class +dance, a class workshop for making things of wood, paper, or cloth. + +The meeting may be presided over by a member of the class. Set speeches +should be required and order maintained. The discussion should not lapse +into undirected, fragmentary conversation. It is not enough for a pupil +to say, "Let us go to the museum next Saturday afternoon." The speech +should say when and where the class is to meet, how long it is to stay, +what it is to do when it reaches the museum, who the leader is to be, +whether the teacher is to be invited, and why this plan is preferable to +the others proposed. + +For seat work the class may make a picture book of winter fun, using +colored crayons. An opportunity will here be incidentally offered to +impress pupils with the fact that _if they could only write their +thoughts_ they might now make a real book about winter fun, and not +simply a picture book. The promise may be made that as soon as they +learn to write their thoughts well, they will be given a chance to make +books. + +=Note 44= (page 81). The moment a word is mispronounced in the +story-telling or other exercises, it should be added to a list kept on +the board. Pupils will soon become alert for errors of this kind. From +such a small beginning may well grow a class language conscience, a +class pride in its English, and thus finally an individual +conscientiousness in the use of the mother tongue. + +=Note 45= (page 83). Freely rendered after Chance's "Little Folks of +Many Lands." Other books containing suitable material are Andrews's "The +Seven Little Sisters" and "Each and All," as well as Peary's "Snow Baby" +and "Children of the Arctic." Some Eskimos do have houses of wood, +mainly driftwood, but others do not. It is with these latter that the +present lessons are concerned. + +=Note 46= (page 86). It is advised that, as pupils suggest improvements, +each account be rewritten by the teacher. The improved account should be +placed on the board beside the original, so that the differences may be +apparent to all. Teachers should guide in these criticisms and +reconstructions, but very gently, leaving pupils free to suggest and +change, making them responsible for the improvement, putting nothing +down that does not appeal to the class, thus _confronting the pupils +with the problem of making each account better_ and permitting them to +feel and to enjoy the full challenge of this problem. + +=Note 47= (page 89). Parents may be invited to hear the class recite +poems. This will give an occasion and reason for reviewing the poems +learned during the year. + +=Note 48= (page 96). It seems inadvisable, in the present state of +conflicting usage, to follow the greeting of some letters with a comma +and of others with a colon. Not only may this arbitrary distinction +prove embarrassing when a writer does not wish definitely to commit +himself as to whether his letter is strictly business or merely +friendly, but it also compels the teaching of two forms where one will +do. + +=Note 49= (page 97). Since the question may arise, why the subject +should not become a matter of class discussion, it is advised that +emphasis be placed on the fact that each pupil would probably prefer to +talk the matter over with the teacher privately. Few pupils would like +to announce publicly their desire to be postmaster, but all would be +willing to tell this wish to the teacher alone. All these individual +conferences, however, would be impracticable for the reasons stated in +the text. There thus arises a real occasion and need for the personal +letter from each pupil to the teacher. + +=Note 50= (page 97). This will probably prove the strategic time for a +conference between the teacher and each pupil. The letter written by +each pupil alone should be made the occasion for this meeting. +Sympathetic, constructive suggestions by the teacher, covering letter +form (just taught) as well as the capitalization and punctuation of +sentences, will do much toward giving letter writing a promising start +with the class. + +=Note 51= (page 103). Some of the best letters, as well as some of the +poorest, should be utilized for criticism, in order that pupils may +appreciate the excellence of the best and, on the other hand, may have +ample opportunity for constructive, improving work in making over the +poorest. See Note 20. + +=Note 52= (page 106). This exercise involves, of course, the description +of each pupil by himself. It is suggested that the spirit of play and +fun be permitted to permeate the exercise, in order that wooden +descriptions, mere catalogues of qualities, may be avoided. + +=Note 53= (page 109). A committee of pupils, or several committees, may +profitably be appointed to see that each pupil rewrites and copies +neatly his sketch of himself. The committee would have charge of the +making of the book after each sketch has been finished. During this work +the need may arise of learning ways of lettering book titles. Then and +there the teacher should study titles of books and articles with the +class and inductively teach the rule that the first and every important +word in a title should begin with a capital letter. + +=Note 54= (page 113). Do not hurry in these critical exercises. Continue +each one as long as the interest of the pupils will permit. + +=Note 55= (page 114). If pupils manifest a desire at this point to talk +about ponies, horses, goats, chickens, ducks, pigeons, rabbits, or other +domestic animals, this desire should be utilized for a series of +exercises similar to those about dogs. + +=Note 56= (page 116). Pupils should arrive on their bicycles in animated +talk, should dismount and lean the bicycles very carefully against the +tree. Then they should step cautiously into the boat. When the boat +leaves shore, the boy in the stern is sitting half twisted around and +talking to his dog, while the other boy is seated squarely, well braced, +so that he may row with steady strokes. Two girls may play the story as +if it were about two girls. + +=Note 57= (page 116). Repetition in these dramatizations must always +have a clear and justifiable purpose that pupils understand. For +instance, having a new audience (the pupils from another room or a +visitor) would usually constitute a good reason for a second +performance. Then, repetition before the _same_ audience might be +justified by the endeavor to improve the playing by introducing more +action or more speech and thus achieving a better representation, which +the class recognizes as desirable. But every wise teacher knows that the +play must stop before it has lost its savor. See Note 5. + +=Note 58= (page 118). If this exercise is to reach the maximum of profit +for the class, it will include constructive work in word study, variety +in expression, expansion by happy additions of words and sentences, +contraction, rearrangement, combination of sentences, shortening of +sentences, the striking out of needless _and's_, as well as attention to +mistakes in grammar. Only one critical question should be considered at +each reading. + +=Note 59= (page 120). Nine pupils may work at the board at the same +time, each writing one of the nine sentences. + +=Note 60= (page 123). Teachers will arrange matters tactfully, that +every pupil may receive a letter from one of his classmates. Pupils may +write more than one letter if they wish, but the postmaster should +accept no slovenly mail. + +=Note 61= (page 124). It is recommended that this correspondence be +permitted to continue as long as pupils take pleasure in it. There +should be allowed great freedom of content. Let pupils tease each other, +poke fun at each other, even ask silly questions. See Note 2. + +=Note 62= (page 125). Pronounced s[=e]´r[=e]z, pr[=o]-sûr´p[i]-n[_.a_], +[_.a_]-p[o]l´[=o], pl[=o]o´t[=o]. + +=Note 63= (page 131). Since the next dozen lessons or more assume the +spring-time as their background, it is strongly recommended that the +room be fittingly decorated. If a class excursion could be made into the +woods or to a river or park, it should be done. Some time during this +group of lessons dramatization may take the form of playing that the +schoolroom is a meadow or a wood in which pupils wander about picking +flowers, seeing birds and animals. These they describe to the class. + +=Note 64= (page 133). By seeing written products grow in clearness, +force, interest, beauty, and language effectiveness as the class faces +the problem of improving them, by seeing the better word displace the +good and the phrase of color the colorless one, by watching the vague +thought give way to the vivid thought, pupils will be impressed as in no +other way with the fact that the first draft of any written expression, +brief or long, is merely the first draft, merely a basis, a beginning, a +preliminary sketch, for the finished written composition. See Notes 7 +and 20. + +=Note 65= (page 141). By having another pupil stand before the class and +speak for the pupil who is a bird, flower, or animal (replying, for +instance, "No, he is not a dandelion" or "Yes, he is a sparrow") the +game _I am not_ is easily transformed into the game _He is not_. +Similarly, the games _He has not_ and _He does not_ may easily be +devised. + +=Note 66= (page 143). A classroom correspondence, that is, a class +exchange of riddles through the class post office, may be desirable at +this time. + +=Note 67= (page 149). The playing of this story, the preliminary +pantomime, the discussion before and after, the playing by different +groups in friendly rivalry, may well occupy several English periods. + +=Note 68= (page 150). It is recommended that a real spring festival be +held. See Percival Chubb's "Festivals and Plays" (Harpers). A committee +of pupils may be appointed to take charge of it. + +=Note 69= (page 151). During the telephone game the teacher may now and +then take the receiver and show what clear, polite, efficient +telephoning is. In fact, the entire game may be played between the +teacher on the one side and different pupils in succession on the other. + +=Note 70= (page 152). Sending by mail may not seem advisable in some +schools; but if it is decided on, it should be preceded by an exercise +on the writing of addresses. + +=Note 71= (page 153). The writing of the titles _Mr._, _Mrs._, and +_Miss_ should not be made the object of any extended drill at this time. +Pupils should know how to write them for the purposes of the present +exercises and of a few of the succeeding exercises. + +=Note 72= (page 154). While some pupils are copying at their desks, +others may copy at the board. The latter will write copies for class +criticism. Then other addresses, supplied by the teacher, may be written +from dictation or copied, other pupils now writing at the board. + +=Note 73= (page 155). It will be delightful to decorate the schoolroom +for this lesson and the lessons immediately following. Pictures of wild +animals, of trick riders, of circus parades, should be hung on the +walls. It would be the best of good luck if a large circus poster could +be obtained and fastened on the front wall. See Note 26. + +=Note 74= (page 156). In many schools the making of the book will be +doubly enjoyed if the carrying out of the plan is put in charge of +several committees of pupils, after the work has been initiated by the +teacher. + +=Note 75= (page 157). A committee of pupils, or several such committees, +may now take upon itself the work of helping in the improvement of the +remaining circus stories, their final copying, and their arrangement in +the book. The whole class may be divided into six or eight small groups +for this coöperative work. The teacher, apparently in the far +background, is in reality in the thick of the work. See Note 79. + +=Note 76= (page 159). A march may be played while the parade is on its +way around the room. Let fun and play abound. Let pantomime be as +extravagant as these dictate. The parade may well precede as well as +follow the making of riddles. In fact, there might be an alternation of +making riddles with marching, a short march following each half-dozen +riddles. + +=Note 77= (page 159). Wood's "Animals: their Relation and Use to Man" +(Ginn) is recommended to teachers who wish interesting and reliable +information about lions, tigers, elephants, and other wild animals. + +=Note 78= (page 163). For the sake of difference from the preceding oral +work it may be desirable to let each animal tell its own story in the +written accounts for the class book. Each animal may say where it came +from, how it used to live, how it was caught, how it likes to travel +with a circus, and what it would do if it were free again. + +=Note 79= (page 163). While this correction work is apparently entirely +in the hands of the pupils, the teacher should make the most of the +situation, first, by allowing pupils to feel the weight of +responsibility (for a book with mistakes is no book at all, since it +cannot be shown to other pupils and teachers), and, second, by +imperceptibly and constructively assisting in the finding and correcting +of mistakes. The teacher should pass from group to group, ready to help +where help is needed, but very cautious about interfering or dominating +or overturning the delicate balance of enjoyment, responsibility, and +coöperative endeavor in any social group of workers. + +=Note 80= (page 163). Only one question should be considered at one +critical reading. + +=Note 81= (page 165). The more realistic this can be made, the more fun +there will be for the pupils, and the more profit for them from the +English teacher's point of view. Each child should have a telephone +number. A "Central" should answer rings and make connections. A little +bell might be used. Toy telephones might be employed. The children are +to play at telephoning, with emphasis on the _play_. Not until we have a +deep stream of pleasure running in the class consciousness can we float +the technical freight for whose sure delivery to the pupils the language +teacher is responsible. + +=Note 82= (page 165). Pupils will enjoy pretending to telephone to the +animals in the circus. These may tell how they like circus life, what +they think of their trainers, whether they would like to return to their +homes in the wilds, what they think of other animals in the menagerie +tent, and which kinds of people they like to have look at them. For +still further variation, the different circus animals, as well as the +circus people, may telephone to each other. + +=Note 83= (page 168). If written work be desired at this time, it is +suggested that this oral exercise be followed with the making of a book +of vacation wishes or vacation plans. + + + + +INDEX + + + (The numbers refer to pages. The Notes designated are the Notes to the + Teacher, printed at the end of the text) + + Address on envelope, 153, 154, 155 + + Alcott, Louisa M., _Jack and Jill_, 76, 77, 78 + + Allingham, William, _A Child's Song_, 54 + + _And_ habit, the, 42, 72, 86, 107; + Notes 30 and 58 + + + Bible, quotations from, Note 21 + + Bird, Robert M., _The Fairy Folk_, 52 + + + _Came_, 119, 120 + + _Can_, _may_, 92, 93, 94 + + Capitalization, Notes 16, 40, and 53; + drill in, 8, 11, 25, 37, 45, 67, 72, 86, 119, 143, 163; + sentences, 11, 25, 37, 67, 72, 86, 99, 118, 163; + months, 41, 42, 43, 45, Note 40; + _I_, 43; + names of persons, 90, 91; + titles, 153; + to begin every line of poetry, Note 37 + + _Ceres, The Daughter of_, 125-129; + _Ceres and Apollo_, 133-138; + _Ceres and Pluto_, 144-149 + + Christmas, Notes 33, 34, 39, and 41 + + Circus, 155-166 + + Colon, 96, 99, 123, 153 + + Comma, 74 + + Committee of pupils, Note 53 + + Completing unfinished story, 3, 4, 72, 73, 74, 114, 116, 117, 118, 119 + + Copying, 8, 10, 25, 37, 45, 67, 96, 119, 143, 154; + Notes 12 and 25 + + Correct Usage, Notes 19, 28, and 32; + _saw_, 11, 12; + _saw_, _seen_, 21, 22, 23, 119, 120; + _have_, 40, 41; + _did_, _done_, 45, 46, 47, 119, 120; + _rang_, _sang_, _drank_, 70, 71; + _may_, _can_, 92, 93, 94; + _no_, _not_, _never_, 109, 110, 111; + _went_, _came_, 119, 120; + _I am not_, 141; + _good_, _well_, 163, 164 + + Correlation, Notes 26 and 34 + + Criticism of compositions, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 19, 20, 26, 42, 43, 51, + 72, 73, 86, 90, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 109, 113, 114, 116, + 118, 123, 124, 132, 133, 139, 140, 142, 143, 149, 151, 153, 157, + 158, 161, 163, + Notes 7, 8, 12, 17, 36, 50, 51, 53, 64, and 79; + questions for, 26, 36, 42, 43, 67, 72, 86, 90, 98, 99, 103, 114, + 116, 118, 123, 124, 139, 140, 151, 163, + Note 80 + + + Dates, 74, 75, 124; + Note 40 + + Decoration of schoolroom, Notes 26, 33, 63, and 75 + + Description, exercises in, 8, 42, 52, 106, 112, 113, 158, 160, 161, 163; + Notes 52 and 63 + + Dictation, 10, 37, 67, 73, 86, 96, 143; + Note 18 + + _Did_, _done_, 45,46, 47, 119, 120 + + _Doesn't_, Note 65 + + Dogs, 111-123 + + Double negative, 109, 110, 111 + + Dramatization, 1, 2, 3, 8, 10, 15, 16, 26, 31, 32, 33, 38, 39, 42, 64, + 69, 70, 75, 84, 89, 91, 92, 114, 116, 117, 130, 138, 139, 140, 149; + Notes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 27, 42, 56, 57, and 63 + + _Drank_, 70, 71 + + Dreams, telling, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12; + Note 14 + + + Eastman, Charles A. (Ohiyesa), _An Indian Boy's Training_, 29; + starting a fire, 35; + character of Indian life, 38 + + Eskimos, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86; + Note 45 + + Explanation, 28, 35, 36, 39, 75, 79, 80, 111, 116, 121, 123, 130, 150, + 159, 160, 166, 167, 168; + Notes 34 and 43 + + + Fables, 13-25; + _The Ants and the Grasshoppers_, 13 + + Fairies and fairy stories, 1-8, 47-74, 167, 168 + + Foreign children, Note 41 + + + Game, 12, 22, 23, 40, 44, 45, 46, 47, 71, 90, 94, 109, 111, 119, 121, + 164, 166; + Notes 28, 31, and 69 + + _Good_, _well_, 163, 164 + + _Got_, 40, 41 + + Greeting of a letter, 96, 97, 99, 123, 153; + Note 48 + + Group exercise, 9, 19, 20, 26, 34, 36, 42, 43, 45, 51, 67, 72, 81, 85, + 95, 103, 107, 108, 114, 117, 118, 132, 133, 139, 140, 143, 149, 151, + 153, 157, 158, 161, 163; + Notes 15, 53, 58, and 79 + + + _Hasn't_, Note 65 + + _Have_, _got_, 40, 41 + + Hood, Thomas, _Queen Mab_, 7 + + + _I_, 43 + + _I am not_, 141; + Note 65 + + Improvement in English, 4, 5, 6, 10, 19, 25, 35, 36, 42, 65, 66, 67, 72, + 81, 82, 86, 90, 98, 99, 100, 101, 103, 107, 109, 113, 118, 133, 142, + 143, 149, 151, 153, 157, 158, 161, 163; + Notes 7, 8, 17, 20, 24, 46, 50, 51, 53, and 64 + + Indention, 96, 124 + + _Indian Boy's Training, An_, 29 + + Indians, 28-47; + Notes 26 and 29 + + Individuality, Notes 5 and 20 + + Initiative, Note 6 + + _Isn't_, Note 65 + + + Letter writing, 95-103, 123, 124, 152-155; + Notes 49, 50, and 66 + + + Making a book: + class picture book, 107-109; + dog picture book, 114; + circus book, 156, 157; + book about wild animals, 162, 163 + + _May_, _can_, 92, 93, 94 + + Memory exercise, 9, 59, 69, 89; + Note 13 + + Months, 41-45; + Note 29 + + _Mr._, _Mrs._, _Miss_, 153; + Note 71 + + + Names, writing, 90, 91 + + Negative words, 109-111 + + + Observation, 22, 23; + Note 23 + + Optional work. _See_ the Preface + + Oral Composition. Not listed, since practically every page of the book + would be included + + + Pantomime, 2, 8, 12, 15, 16, 17, 31, 32, 33, 69, 75, 78, 84, 89, 114, + 116, 117, 138, 139, 140, 159; + Notes 2, 3, 27, 42, 56, and 76 + + Parent coöperation, Notes 32 and 47 + + Period, 8, 11, 25, 67, 72, 86, 118, 120, 121, 163 + + _Peter and the Strange Little Old Man_, 47; + _Peter Visits the Strange Little Old Man's Workshop_, 56 + + Picture, as basis for composition (_see_ Notes 26 and 33): frontispiece; + _Safely First_, 27; + _An Unfinished Story_, 115; + _A Story to Finish_, 122 + + Picture, making a, with colored chalk or crayon, 8, 35, 36, 51, 52, 55, + 64, 89; + Notes 26 and 33 + + Poem, study of: + _Queen Mab_, 6-9; + _The Fairy Folk_, 52; + _A Child's Song_, 54, 55; + _The Light-Hearted Fairy_, 68-70; + _Jack Frost_, 87-89; + _Mr. Nobody_, 104-107 + + Post office, class, 94, 95, 97, 102, 103, 124; + Notes 60 and 66 + + Posture, pupil's, while speaking, 20, 107 + + Project. _See_ Situation. _See also_ Note 46 + + Pronunciation, 23, 24, 34, 81, 82, 124, 125, 166; + Notes 44 and 62 + + Punctuation, Note 16; + sentence, 8, 11, 25, 37, 67, 72, 86, 99, 118, 119, 143, 163; + period, 8, 11, 25, 37, 67, 72, 86, 118, 120, 121, 163; + comma, 74; + letter, 95, 96, 97, 99, 124; + colon, 96, 99, 123; + question mark, 120, 121, 124, 163 + + + Question mark, 120, 121, 124, 163 + + Questions used in criticism of oral and written compositions, 26, 36, + 42, 43, 67, 72, 86, 90, 98, 99, 103, 114, 116, 118, 123, 124, 139, + 140, 151, 163; + Note 80 + + + _Rang_, 70, 71 + + Responsibility, Note 6 + + Review. _See_ Group exercise. _See also_ Notes 15 and 47 + + Rhythm in poems, 55, 68, 69, 70 + + Riddles, 44, 45, 65, 66, 67, 141, 142, 143, 158, 159; + Note 35 + + + _Safety First_, 26, 27 + + Salutation of a letter. _See_ Greeting + + _Sang_, 70, 71 + + _Saw_, _seen_, 11, 12, 21, 22, 23, 119, 120 + + Sentence study, 10, 11, 24, 25, 34, 35, 36, 43, 44, 67, 71, 72, 73, 86, + 94, 97, 113, 119, 120, 121, 133, 143, 157, 158, 163; + Notes 16 and 58 + + Setoun, Gabriel, _Jack Frost_, 87, 88 + + Situation, long (_see_ the Preface): + dreams, 1-12; + fables, 13-25; + Indians, 28-47; + fairies and Santa Claus, 47-74; + winter, Eskimos, Jack Frost, 80-92; + valentines, 94-109; + dogs, 111-123; + spring-time, 125-151; + circus, 155-166; + vacation plans, 166-168 + + Spelling, 11, 37, 42, 45, 67, 72, 86, 119, 132, 143; + Note 40 + + Spring festival, Note 68 + + Stanza, 55, 69, 89, 106; + Note 37 + + Story-telling, 3, 4, 9, 10, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 26, 47, 51, 56, 64, 72, + 73, 74, 76, 78, 79, 118, 123, 125, 133, 144; + Notes 22 and 38 + + Study recitation, the, Notes 1 and 33 + + + Telephone directory, making a, 90, 91 + + Telephoning, 90-92, 151, 165; + Notes 69, 81, and 82 + + Telling interesting things, 28, 35, 36, 38, 39, 75, 82-86, 111, 131, + 155, 160 + + Titles, 153; + Note 53 + + + Unfinished story, completing, 3, 4, 72-74, 114, 116-119 + + + Vacation plans, 166, 167, 168 + + Valentine projects, 94, 95, 97, 102, 103 + + Variety in expression, Note 58 + + Voice, 20, 107, 151; + Note 30 + + + _Well_, _good_, 163, 164 + + _Went_, 119, 120 + + Word study, 7, 33, 34, 35, 55, 69, 72, 118; + Notes 11 and 58 + + Written composition, 45, 97, 102, 108, 114, 118, 123, 124, 143, 156, + 163; + Notes 43, 49, and 64 + + * * * * * + + +Transcriber's Notes: + +Pronunciation key for Note 62: + + "=" indicates a long vowel (macron above), + [o] and [i] indicate short vowels (breve above), and + ".a" appears as the "a" with a dot above. + +Phonetics shown in note 62 are more easily read in the html version of +this book. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Beginner's Book in Language, by H. Jeschke + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41288 *** |