Junior English course ...

Book One By

PRINCIPAL OF THE BLAIR SCHOOL ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI paWvXO-q^S

BOSTON

LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY 1923

Copyright, 1923 ,

By Little, Brown, and Company.

All rights reserved

Gift

Publish®*

m »S2i

Printed in the United States of America

MAR 3i -23

Foreword

This course in English is prepared to meet the demand for a new and more effective solution of the pressing problems of oral and written speech in junior high schools, and to bridge the chasm between the elementary and high schools where junior high schools have not been organized. It follows the most helpful suggestions presented in the Reorgani¬ zation of English in the Secondary Schools, Bulletin, 1917, No. 2, National Bureau of Education, and the recent investigations of pupils' errors, particularly the study by Professor Charters and Miss Miller, and the more recent one by the Principals' Com¬ mittee of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

The author has had much experience as a teacher and supervisor in elementary schools, as an adminis¬ trator and teacher in Ben Blewett Junior High, as a teacher in Soldan Senior High, and as a Super¬ visor of English in the Continuation Schools of St. Louis. This wide experience gives him such knowledge of the whole field of English as to qualify him for preparing such a course both as to content and method.

Most of the material has been carefully tried out in class work and found successful. Almost all the model themes are taken directly from the work of pupils, particularly from the best. It is undoubt¬ edly true that these can be better comprehended

VI

FOREWORD and more easily imitated than illustrations from Milton or Addison.

In the preparation of this course the author is guided by two well defined and accepted ideals in present-day education — the project method and the socialized-classroom procedure. The projects are not imposed ; neither are they outlines nor class exercises labeled projects. They possess all the characteristics of the real project that can be put into a book that is to be used by the children as a text.

In spirit we believe they possess the elements — purposing, planning, executing, and judging — as defined by Dr. Kilpatrick, and in scope they meet the standard as given by Dr. Charles A. McMurry. Situations based upon life issues are created through class discussions ; out of these a probable life prob¬ lem springs and provides the stimulant for a project. Should some other problem than that given in the text arise, the procedure given in the text provides an excellent type for the unexpected project. Each project offers repeated opportunity for the pupil to exercise his power to purpose, plan, execute and judge. The free and natural movement of project work functions in the socialized-classroom method. Plenty of opportunity is given for the socialized recitation through committee work, club organiza¬ tion, voting, programs, etc.

The work in composition is treated under thirty projects — ten for each grade. These projects involve life issues pertaining to civic interests, such as “Conducting a Health Campaign”, “Forming a Civics Club”, etc.; those involving vocational in¬ terest, as “Making a Study of an Occupation”,

FOREWORD

Vll etc.; those pertaining to school activities, as “The School Paper ”, etc.; and those that develop pride in good English and correct expression, as “Hold¬ ing a Public Debate.”

A simple treatment of grammar and good usage is given in the second section of each chapter. A good deal of space is given to the treatment of the sentence as a basis for written composition and good usage, but in order to prevent strained correlation, grammar is not presented as an outgrowth. The course contains the material that is still alive and helpful. Difficult and unusual constructions have everywhere been omitted, since many difficulties in construction arise from an effort to explain idioms of speech according to the rules of formal grammar. This course would pass over such constructions lightly, explaining them merely as idioms.

For the most part, sentences used in the exercises are such as were actually found in the speech and writing of pupils. Punctuation is treated along with the study of the sentence wherever the need arises, and the subject is made so easy, through few rules and many illustrations and explanations, that every boy and girl should be able to master the subject thoroughly. Wherever grammatical nomenclature is needed, that recommended by the Joint Committee of the National Education Association is used.

Much space is devoted to good usage. This should please those who believe that grammar should be functional and that it should be shorn of its need¬ less classifications. We have gone directly to the work of the children to find their errors. We have found them. Guess-work, therefore, has been care¬ fully avoided. Many errors of the children are

Vlll

FOREWORD easy to correct, and the number is not great, but the need for good-usage drills is fully recognized.

Superintendents, supervisors, and teachers who are endeavoring to vitalize curricula through the project method and socialized-classroom activity will find this English course constructed upon these ideals.

L. W. Rader

Assistant Superintendent St. Louis Public Schools St. Louis, Missouri

SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS

The plan of this course is intended to be both simple and logical. There are two sections in each chapter — the first presenting the project and the second the practical grammar. There are thirty projects, ten for each grade, and the course is divided into three parts — Part One for the seventh grade, Part Two for the eighth, and Part Three for the ninth.

The work of each chapter, together with such lit¬ erary selections as may be chosen for study, should require three or four weeks for completion. If de¬ sirable, however, you may expand the work of the projects by having your pupils plan additional exer¬ cises. You may even lead your pupils to suggest and undertake new projects similar to those given in the book.

The suggestions given under the heading Planning the Work are intended mainly to serve as a guide for the pupils. You should see to it, therefore, that every boy and girl exercises initiative in plan¬ ning.

To secure the best results, make use of the so¬ cialized recitation by putting into practice class organization, committee work, programs, debates, voting, etc.

Near the end of the work in each grade there is a reading project designed to take care of the problem of supplementary reading. It need not be deferred

X

SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS to the close of the year, however ; you may take it up much earlier, if you wish to do so.

No attempt has been made to treat grammar as an outgrowth of the project, as this would often result in a strained correlation. The work should be taken up in the order given, so as to serve as a foundation for correct speaking and writing.

P. H. Deffendall

Chapter Thirteen

I. A “Know Your State” Campaign .

II. The Complex Sentence : Adjective Clause Chapter Fourteen

I. A Thrift Campaign .

II. The Complex Sentence : The Adverbial Clause Chapter Fifteen

I. A Sales Campaign .

II. The Complex Sentence : The Substantive Clause Chapter Sixteen

I. A Travel Magazine .

II. Analysis of the Sentence .....

Part One. The Seventh Grade Pagb3

I. Making a List of Interesting Theme

Subjects . 4

II. The Class Magazine . 20

III. Getting Acquainted with the Library . 28

IV. Dramatizing a Story for the Class Pro¬

gram or the Assembly Program . . 39

V. A Writers’ Contest . 56

VI. A Letter Ordering Something for Your

Club . 67

VII. A “Boost Your Club” Campaign . . 80

VIII. Conducting a Health Campaign . . 91

IX. Conducting a “Safety-First” Campaign . 98

X. Conducting a Reading Club . . . 105

Part Two. The Eighth Grade

XI. Holding a Writers’ Contest . . . 115

XII. Forming a Civics Club .... 126

XIII. Conducting a “Know Your State” Cam¬

paign . 136

XIV. Conducting a Thrift Campaign . . . 146

XV. Conducting a Sales Campaign . . . 160

XVI. Making a Travel Magazine . . . 170

XVII. Holding a Public Debate .... 179 xvi PROJECTS

XVIII. Our Postal System and How It Aids the

Public .

XIX. Visiting a Factory or Museum .

XX. Conducting a Reading Club

PAGE

Chapter One

I. INTERESTING MATERIAL FOR SPEAKING AND WRITING

You are about to begin the study of speaking and writing English. At first you are likely to think that it will be dry and uninteresting. You may even be puzzled to know just how to begin. What subjects shall I select? What shall I say? What shall I write ? — These questions no doubt stagger the mind, but you will find interesting material and subjects. You will examine your own experience and try to recall its most interesting parts. What you have done, what you have seen, what you have heard — in fact all that you have taken in through the senses makes up your experience. You have had a vacation with many pleasant days. Could you tell of the most interesting day and what made it so? You have had an outing that has been denied to some of your classmates. Write to them about it. You will enjoy telling about it, and they will be glad to hear your story. No doubt you are thinking of pleasant or unusual happenings in con¬ nection with recreation — games, drills, hikes, and the like. Tell about them. You are interested in the social life of your community — the school, the church, the club, the Boy Scouts, the Camp Fire Girls, and various other organizations. Can you not think of dozens of subjects in connection with them? Then, too, from self-interest you must be thinking about the vocations. What are you going to be when you grow up? You will need to visit shops, factories, stores, and offices, and you will need to interview business and professional men before you decide. In these visits and interviews is the material for many an interesting theme. Can you not think of many an interesting title now ?

Project I. Making a List of Interesting Theme Subjects

The best list of theme subjects is the one you make for yourself. You can find them, as you have seen, in your own experience and much of your community life. Make your own list of subjects. They will be new and interesting.

The following is a list made by a class of St. Louis boys and girls. Read it over and determine whether you can do as well. Your subjects will, of course, be different, because you live in a different locality and do many different things :

1. A day at Long’s Gulch

2. A trip over the Columbia

Highway

3. A swim at the Highlands

4. Kicked by a mule

5. A day at Pike’s Peak

6. My trip to Missouri Uni¬

versity

7. Frog-hunting on the Mis¬

sissippi

8. An excursion on the river

9. A narrow escape

10. My first visit to a country

school

11. Exploring a haunted

house

12. A camp on the Meramec

13. A ’possum hunting trip

14. An unusual automobile

tour

15. A tramp to the lighthouse

16. A day at Niagara Falls

17. A Thanksgiving breakfast

in Forest Park

18. The last evening in camp

19. My first day in the Junior

High School

20. A trip to a factory

21. A visit to our national

capitol

22. The largest fire I ever

saw

23. A trip to the Great Lakes

Training Camp

24. Seeing the Border (Mex¬

ican)

25. A visit to the Custom¬

house

26. Through the Rockies

27. A country picnic

28. A day at Valley Park

29. How a horse was rescued

30. Around the camp fire

31. From Detroit to Toledo

by steamer

32. A day at Coney Island

33. A “hike” in the country

34. A “hike” with the Camp

Fire girls

35. A rainy-day picnic

36. A Hallowe’en party

37. Fourth of July in a country

town

38. A trip to the Officers’

Training Camp at Fort Riley

39. What I saw at Cliff Cave

40. Motoring from St. Louis

to St. Paul

41. A lesson in horseback rid¬

ing

42. What I saw when I visited

the Federal Court

43. Hunting arrow-heads in

Missouri

44. A Soldan-Central football

game

Narrowing the Subject. It frequently happens that the subject is too indefinite for a short theme. Such a subject is Camping or My Vacation. You could probably write many pages on either of them, or you might be puzzled to know just what to say. You will need to take a point of view with reference to such a subject and write about a single phase of it. Let us see how we may narrow it and arrive at a suitable title.

Subject: Camping Topic : What a delightful time I had in camp on the Meramec

Title: A day in camp on the Meramec

Subject : Horseback riding Topic: How I learned to ride a vicious horse

Title: A remarkable lesson in horseback riding

A title should be brief and attractive. It should generally arouse curiosity, but should not give away the point of the story. Study the titles of articles and stories in newspapers and magazines.

Narrow the following subjects till you arrive at a suitable title :

1. Motoring 4. Football

2. Fishing 5. Hunting

3. Vacation

Writing the Title. The title of a theme should be written about two inches from the top of the page, and an equal amount of space should be left on either side. The first word and all important words should be capitalized. Prepositions, conjunctions, and the articles a, an, and the are written with small letters.

Compare your list of titles with those in the maga¬ zines. Try to improve them.

Subjects Based on Civics, Occupations, and Commercial Work. The study of elements of in¬ terest in civics, the occupations, and commercial work will afford many interesting subjects for oral and written themes. We need not look far to find material that will appeal to us.

1. Topics suggested by civics :

(1) How I can help my school

(2) How I can make health conditions better in my

community

(3) We need more playgrounds. What can I do about

it?

(4) How I spent the day in the tenement district

(5) What one man did to help the people of the slums

(6) Tell some one of the advantages of your city. (Per¬

suade him to move to your city.)

(7) How taxes are levied and collected

(8) A policeman’s duties

(9) What I can do to make my city more beautiful

(10) Safety First : How may we help to educate the

public for greater safety?

2. Topics suggested by the occupations :

(1) A visit to a glass factory

(2) A visit to a power plant

(3) Why I wish to be an electrician

(4) What I saw in a large department store

(5) Why I want to be a merchant

(6) A day in a hospital

(7) A trip to a medical college

(8) Why I should like to be a physician

(9) Attending a session of court

(10) Why I should like to be an employee of a railway

company

(11) Our railways

(12) Why I should like to be a lawyer

(13) A teacher whom I admire

(14) Why I wish to become a teacher

(15) Our minister’s duties

3. Subjects suggested by commercial work :

(1) Why I like to trade at - store

(2) A discourteous salesman

(3) Doing an honest day’s work

(4) Learning all about my employer’s business

(5) An interview with a business man

(6) Driving a bargain

(7) How I earned my first money

(8) A roadside fruit stand

(9) Trying to please the manager

Interesting Subjects for Imaginative Writing.

Although experience is the source of the material for most of our writing, the imagination also fur¬ nishes much. The imagination re-combines our experience into new wholes. It does not present what really is, but what might be. When we at¬ tempt to write from imaginative sources, we should therefore be careful to say nothing that will seem improbable and impossible. Of course fairy stories are improbable and impossible, but they do not pretend to be otherwise.

The following titles are suitable for imaginative writing. How many can you add to the list ?

1. An imaginary visit to the trenches in Europe

2. An imaginary journey to some foreign country

3. A second Robinson Crusoe

4. If Ichabod Crane were my teacher

5. An ideal football hero

6. How I expect to become a millionaire

7. A conversation with Tom Brown

8. A trip to Venice in the time of Shylock

9. School in 1950

Organizing the Class. Much interesting practice in speaking from real motives comes from organizing the class and from the work of the class organiza¬ tion. When it is decided to effect an organization, a temporary chairman and a secretary should be elected. Any one who is interested may take charge and conduct the meeting until this is accomplished. Then the chairman may appoint a committee to draw up a set of rules or a constitution for the govern¬ ment of the class. These are read to the class, corrected by the class, and then adopted. The constitution will state the purpose of the organization and will name the offices to be filled. It should also provide a name in keeping with the pur¬ poses which led to the organization. It should make use of parliamentary rules, so that order and fair play may be maintained. Your teacher will ex¬ plain the more useful of these rules to you from day to day.

The president of the class, who is elected as soon as the constitution is adopted, will appoint a program committee. The committee will make a program assigning pupils to do certain work.

The class organization may discuss the topic, What can I do to help my school ?

The president of the class should also appoint vari¬ ous activities committees as the need for them arises. The first member appointed will be chairman of his committee. Judges of speech errors should also be appointed or elected.

Talk to the Class. Be prepared to talk to the class on the following questions :

1. What is the most desirable name for the class organization?

2. What should be the purpose of the organization ?

Planning the Work. The president of the class should appoint a chairman to investigate and re¬ port on each of the following topics, and he will select the members of his committees :

1. Subjects based on experience

2. Subjects suggested by civics

3. Subjects suggested by the vocations

4. Imaginative subjects

The chairmen should instruct their committees to prepare a list of subjects after consulting books and magazines and after having talked the matter over with their parents and friends. Decide on a time for the reports of the chairmen.

Conversation. How should a notebook be kept? What should be put in it? How should it be ar¬ ranged ?

Reports of Committees. With the class as a club, each chairman of a committee should read his list of subjects and comment on them whenever necessary. The president will ask the class to dis¬ cuss the subjects. When there is doubt as to the value of any subject, they should vote to accept or reject it. Finally, the class should vote on the list as a whole.

Written Work. Carefully write the entire list of subjects in your notebook for future reference. Be careful to arrange each group under the headings already used in committee assignments. Leave some space for additions to your list.

Narrowing General Subjects. The following sub¬ jects are entirely too general. Put in your note¬ books the steps by which you arrive at a suitable title :

1. Motoring 3. Vacation 5. Hunting

2. Fishing 4. Football 6. Playing

Talk to the Class. Choose one of the titles from your permanent list and prepare a talk for the class. The president will preside. When he calls on you, rise and say, “Mr. Chairman, I wish to tell the class about an interesting incident.” There should be two judges of correct English appointed to report on errors at the close of the exercise.

Written English. Choose one of the subjects suitable for imaginative writing and write a theme. If time permits, some of the themes should be read to the class.

II. SENTENCE-MAKING

Think of the name of some person or thing. State or ask something about the person or thing.

1. The farmer works.

2. Does the farmer work?

The foregoing expressions are sentences. All sentences are made by selecting a subject, and then by adding words that say something about the sub¬ ject. A sentence is the expression of a thought in words.

The word that names something about which we make an assertion is called a noun. Certain words, called pronouns, may be used instead of nouns.

1. John works in the office.

2. He works in the office.

The word that names the person or thing about which an assertion is made is called the subject of the sentence. The word or group of words that as¬ serts something of the subject is called the predicate.

Find the words that say something about the sub¬ ject in the following sentences :

1. George plays ball.

2. Arthur drove the horses.

4. The house was destroyed.

The words plays, drove, chased, and was destroyed assert something about the subject. A word that asserts is a verb.

Not every group of words is a sentence. Some groups merely assume. To assume means to take for granted.

The brook running through the field.

The expression above is not a sentence, because there is no word that asserts. Running merely assumes and tells the kind of brook. It may be made a sentence, however, by using a word that asserts.

The brook runs through the field.

Which of the following are sentences? Find the expressions that are not sentences and change them to the form of sentences.

1. The dog took hold of the boy’s slipper.

2. A little curly-headed boy, followed by a huge St. Bernard

dog.

3. After breakfast we put our rooms in order.

4. At last, to the joy of everyone, dinner was announced.

5. After our journey which required two hours’ time.

6. In the middle of the lake we passed a very large lighthouse.

7. We could see nothing at night but the moon.

8. The flag floating over the fort.

9. After we had finished the game.

10. Every one of us enjoyed the trip.

11. My sister and I spent the day in Forest Park.

12. The child crying for its mother.

13. Through the long nights of December.

14. It was late in July when we started for Cleveland.

15. During my vacation I spent two weeks in camp on the

Meramec.

16. We spent the next day in playing tennis and swimming.

17. Although it was cool and cloudy.

18. Father told me to find some wood for the fire.

19. One Sunday in July we left in an automobile for Spanish

Lake.

20. Virginia spent a week with the Camp Fire Girls in camp on

the Meramec.

21. There were many automobiles standing in the grove.

22. After a meal very hastily prepared.

23. Everybody went to his own tent.

24. The pegs that held the tent were driven down farther.

25. A boy seldom forgets a camping trip.

Kinds of Sentence. Observe the following sen¬ tences and note any differences in them :

1. In winter wild geese fly to the south.

2. Has the snow melted?

The first sentence states, or declares, a fact ; the second asks a question. These are types of the two leading kinds of the sentence — namely, the de¬ clarative and the interrogative.

A declarative sentence is one that states a fact or expresses the will or wish of the speaker.

1. The birds flew to the trees. (Fact)

2. Bring me the book. (Will)

3. May success attend your efforts. (Wish)

An interrogative sentence is one that asks a question.

1. Who has done this deed ?

2. What did the child do?

3. How old are you?

Exclamatory and Non-exclamatory Sentences.

Every sentence is either exclamatory or non-exclamatory. If it expresses sudden or strong feel¬ ing, it is called an exclamatory sentence. All sen-* tences that are not exclamatory should be classed as non-exclamatory .

An exclamatory sentence may take the form of a statement or question.

1. You are a thief ! (Statement)

2. What do we care for a lunch ! (Question)

3. Leave my house ! (Statement of the speaker’s will)

Classify each sentence as declarative or interroga¬ tive, exclamatory or non-exclamatory :

1. The boys gave a minstrel show.

2. How the children did enjoy their day’s outing !

3. A week later my brother and I went to the Orphans’ Home

to live.

4. When was Virginia settled?

5. Do not waste your time.

6. As we were near the Mississippi River, we saw many fisher¬

men’s tents.

7. John looked at his watch and was surprised to find that it

was twelve o’clock.

8. Did you not notice the great change in temperature near the

lake?

9. Have you a savings account?

10. Oh ! I would rather part with my ring !

11. The journey was long and difficult.

12. It took us a good hour to reach the cave.

13. Give every one a chance.

14. At noon John and I ate a very refreshing lunch.

Writing the Sentence. Every sentence should begin with a capital letter.

A declarative sentence should be followed by a period.

1. James bought a new book.

2. Leave your hat here.

An interrogative sentence should be followed by an interrogation point.

1. How old are you?

2. When did Washington die?

An exclamatory sentence should be followed by an exclamation point. Sometimes the depth of the feeling centers in a certain word. In this case the particular word should be followed by the mark.

1. How nobly he acted !

2. Alas ! We shall see him no more.

3. Hurrah ! Hurrah ! Our team has won !

The following is a pupil’s theme entitled A Climb up Pilot Knob. Periods, question marks, and ex¬ clamation points have purposely been omitted. Copy it and put after each sentence the mark that should be used.

“ Are you ready If so, put on your stoutest pair of shoes, for we are going to climb up Pilot Knob We will follow the old tramway down which cars of ore were transported when the iron mines were in operation We are now at the Cave of the Winds Do you not notice the great change in temperature when you come close to it Oh, the air is so cold that I wish I had a coat Come, let us continue our climb Here it is very steep Do be careful that you do not make a misstep, for it would send you down a drop of a hundred feet or more We have at last reached the summit and are rewarded with a mag¬ nificent scene that spreads out before us Here in every direction are the hills in steady succession There, nestled in the valley, lies a little village And so on every hand we are surrounded by these natural beauties We descend at last, tired but thoroughly appreciative of our trip” — L. S.

Write a short theme like the one in Exercise 3. Select a subject that will be suggested by an out¬ ing, a vacation, or some interesting phase of your experience.

Chapter Two

I. SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY MOTIVES FOR COMPOSITION

Up to this time you have been working to find interesting subjects and material for themes. Now you are to learn that you should always have a pur¬ pose in mind or a motive for each oral and written theme. Indeed it is quite as necessary to have a purpose as a title. You will be asked to look again into school and community interests for such pur¬ poses or motives. Here you may find a reason for each piece of written or oral work. When you write a theme for the school paper, you have a definite pur¬ pose. You must also adapt the article to the needs of the paper. When you write to tell how you can help your school, you have a real motive, a civic motive. When you write a letter to a classmate who is absent on account of sickness or to one who is away on a vacation, you have a real reason for do¬ ing the particular piece of work. You may belong to a club or society. Write its minutes, or write an account of something that has happened in con¬ nection with its work. These few examples of the way that you may obtain motives will serve to make clear our point.

Projects for School and Community Motives.

Interesting projects may be drawn from the following to motivate almost every type of your English work :

1. School activities

2. Pupil government

3. The motion-picture drama

4. Needs of the school

5. The school paper

School Activities. The term school activities refers to all literary, athletic, and social clubs. Some of our largest high schools have a great vari¬ ety of them. We have in mind one such school that has besides its regular literary and athletic clubs a German club, a French club, a college club, a chess club, a stamp club, a glee club, a mandolin club, and a botany club. If you do not have your literary societies, it is well to set about organizing them. They offer opportunities for speaking and writing. The various athletic clubs — football, base¬ ball, basketball, and track organizations — offer many interesting experiences suitable for oral and written themes.