cry again. When you become angry with it for crying and not letting you alone, and you begin to say, "Bad baby, go to sleep and don't cry," it will become still crosser and not let you alone at all. When once it begins it will never stop until it realizes that crying is not doing any good. Some night when mother tells you to put baby to sleep and then you may go out and play, you willingly do it, but when baby won't go to sleep then the trouble begins. You wheel him up and down, thinking that in a minute he will be asleep, but fifteen minutes go by and Mr. Baby is still wide awake. Then all of a sudden he is asleep, you think; but the minute you stop wheeling he begins to cry again. You never have any play because it's always baby. And just think I have a sister seven years older than I, and I was a baby once myself. Answer the following questions about these paragraphs: a. Which is the more interesting? Why? b. Which of the writers probably thought the subject over the more carefully before beginning to write? Which more carefully considered what other people would like to know about the subject? Which drew more on his personal experience? c. The writer of the first paragraph says that he did all the "funny things" he knew of to amuse the baby. Would not the paragraph have been better if he had told in detail the "funny things" he did? Mention some of the things he probably did do. d. Which of the two paragraphs ends in the more interesting way? Now that you have judged of the success or failure of these compositions, prepare to do some similar work yourselves, first by thinking over what you are to say, second by giving orally what you have prepared, and afterward by writing. following hints will be helpful to you: The a. Be sure that you select a subject about which you have a great deal of information. b. Consider carefully what questions might be asked by any person seeking information on the subject. c. Consider whether or not you have had any personal experience that throws any light upon the subject. d. Make brief notes of all that you have thought of. When you have done these things, think all the points over in order and be prepared to tell about them from beginning to end. Before beginning, read the following section. SOME SUBJECTS SUGGESTED 2. You know better than any one else what subject will suit you best, but for some reason or other you often find it difficult to select one. Every one of you, however, knows how to do some particular thing, and it ought to be easy to tell how. For the first few lessons, then, explain how something is done. If you cannot think of a good subject at once, take one of the following: How to Go to Hongkong How to Care for a Garden How to Plow a Field How to Save a Person from Drowning How to Shoe a Horse How to Make Butter How to Make Fudge How to Keep the Kitchen Clean and in Order How to Study a History Lesson How to Prepare for Hallowe'en How to Go to Manila How to Manage an Incubator How to Harvest Wheat How to Revive a Half-drowned Person How to Train a Dog How to Cook a Roast How to Make Mincemeat How to Make a Layer Cake How to Lay out a Tennis Court How to Prepare for Christmas Each of you should select one of these or some other subject, think it over carefully, and tell all you know of it, standing before the class as you do This work may go on for several days if you desire. There is no hurry; take your time. SO. CRITICISM OF THE ORAL COMPOSITIONS 3. After each of the speakers has finished, you should offer him your judgment upon what he has said; that is, you should tell him what you liked about his composition and what you did not like, and why. Each of you should try to profit by the criticism made upon the others; that is, you should try to do well in the same ways that they have done well, and try to avoid falling into their mistakes. In criticizing, discuss questions like the following: a. Did the speaker tell you all that you would want to know if you were going to do the thing he talked about? b. Did he make his speech in good order, or did he, at some time while he was talking, go back and tell something he should have told before? c. Did he enliven his speech by telling some of his personal experiences in doing the thing, or something he had read about doing the thing, or something he had been told about doing the thing? d. Was he at all times right in what he said, or are you inclined to differ with him about some of the things he said? e. Did he stand out boldly before the room, or did he lean on a desk or in some other way appear ill at ease? f. Did he speak loud enough to be heard all over the room? g. Did he pronounce his words distinctly, and not too rapidly? h. Did he run most of his sentences together by saying and-uh, but-uh, so-uh, then-uh, and why-uh? i. Did he use any English that you know to be poor? WRITTEN COMPOSITIONS 4. After every one has spoken, it is time to write. Take the subject that you chose for oral composition, or, if you prefer, some other, and write upon it as fully as time permits. If you are at a loss to know how to spell some word, go to the dictionary. The full English period may be used for writing. Before beginning, however, read the next section. FORM OF A MANUSCRIPT 5. In order that every one who reads your compositions may do so with ease, you should observe the following rules: a. Write your name and the number of your room in the upper left-hand corner of the page. If you write more than one page, do not repeat the name; number the pages in the upper right-hand corner. b. A little lower than your nameyou use ruled paper on the first line if I write the title. Do not repeat the title on successive pages. c. Draw a line under the title. d. In order to make the title stand out even more distinctly, leave a blank space between it and the first line of the composition. e. Leave a margin of about one inch at the left and the right of each page, and at the bottom. f. Indent the first line of each paragraph. g. Write on only one side of the sheet. h. Make your penmanship as good as possible. Somewhat fuller instructions about margins are necessary. It is best to use unruled paper and to become accustomed to managing margins without drawing guide lines. Inspect the diagram on page 7. The outer lines represent the edges of your paper. The inner lines represent the margins; they are not to be drawn, but are only to be imagined. Whatever size of paper you use, you should have about the proportion of margins indicated by the lines. |