The junior highway to English

Front matter

Class.

Booker

III!

Preface

Frequently during the year when we compiled the Junior Highway we breathed a thanksgiving of this sort: "Now we have something to work with in our own classes/' If two men of such different temperaments, with such different experiences, in such different schools, were so agreed about their needs, there must be at least a few hundred teachers in the country w T ho will feel as we do about "having something to work with." We believe that our unfailing agreement is a proof that the book will be serviceable in many places.

One of us gained his experience in the public school system of Iowa, acquiring a knowledge of junior high school conditions by laboring in the junior high; the other learned his trade in Connecticut, where he taught eighth-year boys from nearly every state in the Union and from all sorts of schools. We prepared ourselves for text-making by trying to earn salaries in the seventh and eighth years.

Since the two schools in which we worked were so widely separated and had such different forms, we might have been expected to find our methods widely variant. Collaboration, always a process of reconciling differences, might have seemed hopeless. Yet from inception to conclusion of our joint labor there has been no disagreement. There have been differences of opinion about some emphases or devices, but "It works in my classes" has settled every query. The fact is that there is no ground for divergence in practice. American pupils twelve or thirteen years of age are American pupils, whether they live amidst factories or cornfields, whether their clocks are set by Atlantic or Pacific time. Earnest teachers of seventh and eighth-year composition always discover the same fundamental facts about young minds. On these fundamentals this text is based.

Certain unusual features of the book demand a few paragraphs of comment.

"Sentence Work." Ever since English composition has been taught, teachers have known that the basic necessity is a knowledge of when one sentence ends and the next one begins — the "sentence sense," which is, as Superintendent Bernard M. Sheridan says in his Speaking and Writing English, "the element upon which all other details of composition depend and upon which the whole superstructure is built." Must sentence sense be considered a mystical instinct, not to be acquired by average pupils through the means of specific practical work? The authors of this textbook believe that there is nothing mysterious about this knowledge, nor about the form of exercise that will convey it. If any normal child is shown how to find the units in an easy series of simple sentences, is required to separate another similar passage into units, is shown bit by bit how sentences begin, is led step by step through slightly harder sentences, is instructed point by point in the verbs and substantives and prepositions that make sentences, is carefully prepared for every advance in complexity by obvious and full illustration, he will master a sentence sense. The lessons in so-called "sentence work" teach the foundations of grammar, making a direct application of each subject to extending tht pupil's sentence sense.

Spelling. Ever since 1914* it has been known that most of our spelling troubles center in a few hundred common words that are misspelled in precisely the same way by a large proportion of the pupils of every school in the country. Successful Teachers have known this ; ninth-year teachers have everywhere exclaimed, "If only pupils knew these few hundred words when they come to us, we should have no spelling problem." Yet heretofore there has been little recognition of the difference between the making of spelling-lists and the actual teaching cf spelling. V\~e have tried to develop the only method of teach-

*Cf. the English Journal articles: "Intensive Spelling" (Oct., 1914), "Report of the Committee on Economy of' Time" -Feb., 1919 , "The New Knowledge of Spelling" [Feb., 19*2). Cf. "Concrete Investigation of the Material of English Spelling," by W. Franklin Jones.

ing spelling that secures results. An eighth-year pupil who has not been trained intensively in the words displayed so emphatically in the Junior Highway will be a poor speller, no matter how many thousands of other words he has spelled in lists; and any pupil who has attained a habitual mastery of the three hundred will not be a poor speller. That statement will sound incredible only to those who are not familiar with the new knowledge. Nor is it sufficient merely to present the three hundred with emphasis; they must be handled by a certain technique that is not yet widely known: (1) Only a few words must be presented at a time; (2) there must be frequent review, graded with increasing severity; (3) attention must be directed to the particular letters that cause the errors — e. g., the i in business, the e in doesn't, the o in lose ; (4) the image of the correct form must be intensified by grouping similar forms together; (5) tests must be by means of dictated sentences; (6) spelling is not taught until the pupil has a fixed, invariable habit of using the correct form in his own writing. Any teacher who follows the spelling exercises provided in the various lessons will be applying this technique that is not even hinted at in previous texts.

Grammar. After the basis of grammatical knowledge has been laid in Part I by sentence work, Part II extends the knowledge. The steps are carefully planned, not by academic considerations, but by classroom experience; each step is taken for a purpose, for application to composition. We have not been interested in theories of how glorious or how bad a subject grammar may be; but have cared only to develop such understanding of language elements as we know is useful. The grammatical items developed are, therefore, selected on the basis of "Minimum Essentials," but we have provided in the Grammar Appendix a considerable body for further study that may be used at the discretion of the teacher.

Punctuation. Punctuation in the seventh year is confined almost entirely to the separation of sentences, because experience shows that no other need is so great at that time. In the eighth year the simpler and more necessary uses of the comma are exemplified; full exercises are furnished in the "Comma Book," a pamphlet of unpunctuated sentences . We know that many successful teachers have yearned for material like that in the "Comma Book"; we believe that no form of work will produce such lasting results in improved sentence structure.

Oral Composition. It is very easy to manufacture pages of oral projects which purport to be "constructive" and which look perfectly charming; it is difficult to select such topics and to present them in such a way as will insure a response from flesh-and-blood pupils and will result in well constructed talks before a class. It is easy to provide the motions for using up a recitation period, but hard to compel young people to work with their intellects for the careful composing of thoughts into an orderly whole. We have aimed to present essentials, to insist upon elements, to enforce by repetition, to present a few simple means for securing tangible results. We hope that our treatment of Oral Composition will stimulate effort by its concreteness. For one illustration, we have shown picturesquely the "and" and "so" habits, which sometimes dominate even the oral efforts of university instructors. For another illustration, we have made oral compositions permanent by stenographic records, so that they may be subjected to the same kind of searching examination that written compositions receive; for we know that such specific study causes progress. Throughout our treatment we have aimed at gradual and definite improvement in the pupil's confidence, coherence, and effectiveness.

Written Composition. The subjects for written composition, like those for oral, are very simple — prevailingly narration and explanation. We hope that we have insured constant attention to structure, to the contrivance of episodes and facts to an effective conclusion.

General Arrangement. The purpose of our general arrangement ought to be obvious. Part I is for the seventh year, Part II for the eighth. The material is not grouped in bulky chapters, which a teacher must unpack and sort out for use;

it is assorted in lesson units. Each lesson is a real task for one day. In each Part there are 66 lessons, designed to afford the best material for a class that can use the book only two days a week. These are of prime importance, and should all be included in a year's course. Teachers who use more than this minimum of 66 lessons a year should estimate how many additional assignments they can make, and should choose these from the lessons marked "A" or "B" or "C" or "X." The lessons are planned to give that proper variety of topics which is so important if fresh and dynamic interest is to be maintained. Spelling comes frequently and is frequently reviewed; about every other lesson is in sentence work or practical grammar; oral work alternates with written; letter- writing is not bunched in one chapter, but is extended throughout the book. A teacher who has not yet formed a settled program can confidently teach the lessons in the order in which the book presents them. A teacher who has such a program can easily vary the order to suit her own method. Teachers with a minimum of time can see just what material they are to use; and teachers with much more time can readily tell what "A" or "B" lessons are suitable for their needs.

. Differentiated Courses. The previous paragraph speaks of the adjustment of the lessons to the needs of different schools. The flexible plan that we have designed may well serve for a more difficult and more important adjustment — for differentiation of courses within any particular class. Progressive organizers of junior high schools are everywhere striving to overcome the waste of mass instruction and to arrange for efficiency in homogeneous groups. We have faith that our book will be of service in connection with this most significant of recent pedagogic advances. In Part I, for example, the 66 numbered lessons represent a minimum of achievement for the group cf less able pupils. Such supplementary lessons as furnish the extra drill or review of fundamentals needed by the more backward may be assigned only to them. Pupils in the middle group may use supplementary lessons which call for constructive work of a more advanced nature. Pupils in the superior group, well-grounded in the fundamentals, and able to master their work more rapidly, may be permitted to win a higher grade by undertaking certain of the more difficult extra lessons or individual projects in composition.

A Road to Results. While the authors were planning each detail of a lesson, or of the order of topics, their constant challenge to themselves was, "How does this work in the classroom?" They have tried to furnish for the most intricate subject in the curriculum a text that will open a straight, plain road to results.

C. H. Ward

H. Y. MOFFETT

PART ONE— SEVENTH YEAR Lesson Page

1. Oral 1 : "An Accident" — using "rest periods" 17

2. Oral 2: "A Bit of an Adventure" — starting promptly and

speaking distinctly 19

Right Forms 1 — see 21

2 A. Oral 3 22

3. Spelling 1 — the a words 22

4. Sentence Work 1 — "The Grizzly"; easy verbs 25

5. Sentence Work 2 — separated parts of verbs 27

6. Oral 4: "A Heroic American" — good ways to begin sentences. 28

Right Forms 2— go 29

6 A. Dictionary Work 1 — indicating sounds 29

6 B. Dictionary Work 2 — arranging words alphabetical!}' 30

6 C. Dictionary Work 3 — looking up and pronouncing 31

7. Spelling 2 — words like know, perhaps, across 31

Sentence Work 3— "The Water Fight" . 32

8. Oral 5: "An Animal That Seemed to Think" — without hurrying 32 8 A. Dictionary Work 4 — marking the accent 34

9. Sentence Work 4 — nouns 35

Right Forms 3— do 36

10. Written 1 : learning the forms for themes 36

11. Written 2: a three-paragraph story 39

11 A. Sentence Work 5 — finding verbs 41

12. Spelling 3 — words like speak, shone, led, rough 41

Sentence Work 6 — personal pronouns 42

13. Written 3 : "When I Was in Trouble" — the three parts of a story 42 Right Forms 4 — lie 44

14. Sentence Work 7 — subjects of verbs 45

15. Spelling 4 — some really hard words like sure and their 47

Sentence Work 8— "Cotton at the Movies" '. 48

16. Written 4: "A Pioneer" 49

Right Forms 5 — sit 51

17. Oral 6: "Improving a Treasure Island Composition" 52

18. Sentence Work 9— "The Sea-serpent" and "Was It a Joke?" ... 53

19. Oral 7 — learning to do without and 54

19 A. Sentence Work 10 — "Jazz in the Menagerie" and "A

Naval Battle on a Table" 56

20. Sentence Work 11— verbs of two and three parts 57

20 A. Sentence Work 12— "How Indians Make Fire" 58

Right Forms 6 — know 59

21. Oral 8— "A Fable" 59

22. Written 5 — writing out the legend 60

23. Sentence Work 13 — prepositions 63

24. Spelling 7 — adding s; two separate words 65

Sentence Work 14 — beginning with prepositions 66

25. Oral 9: "How I Made My First Money" — showing periods with

the voice 66

26. Written 6: "Hallowe'en" — beginning and ending promptly. ... 67

27. Letters 1 — learning exactly the right forms 68

Right Forms 7 — write 70

28. Spelling 8 — putting similar forms together 70

Sentence Work 15 — where the new sentence begins 71

28 A. Sentence Work 16 — not beginning monotonously 72

29. Letters 2: "When I Shall Arrive" 73

30. Spelling 9 — putting similar forms together 73

Sentence Work 17 — "The Hog and the Cocoanut" 74

31. Letters 3 — to a person w^e don't know well 75

32. Letters 4 — addresses and salutations 76

32 A. Letters 5 — more addresses and salutations 77

32 B. Letters 6 — drill with dates and addresses 77

33. Written 7: "The Trouble That Seemed Big"— opening and clos-

ing promptly 78

Right Forms 8— eat 79

Summary of Knowledge for Mid-year Promotion 80

34. Sentence Work 18 — finding verbs 82

35. Spelling 10 — putting similar forms together 83

Sentence Work 19— "The Pup and the Game-cock" 84

Right Forms 9— take 84

36. Letters 7: "To a Friend Who Has Been 111" 85

37. Letters 8 — paragraphing; giving careful directions 85

37 A. Letters 9 — headings and signatures 86

38. Sentence Work 20 — sentences with two verbs 86

Spelling 1 1— ies • 87

Right Forms 10—rlraw 88

39. Oral 10: "A Conversation" . .' 88

40. Sentence Work 21 — clauses that are not sentences 89

41. Written 8: "The Live Words of Real People" 90

41 A. Written 9: Said words 93

41 B. Written 10: Synonyms 93

42. Oral 11 : "The Interview with a Real Live Person" 93

43. Sentence Work 22 — clauses that are not sentences 95

Right Forms 11 — ought 97

44. Letters 10 — the envelope 97

45. Sentence Work 23 — "The Mountain Climb" and "The Medicine

Man" 99

Spelling 12 — singular possessive 99

46. Letters 11 : "Plans for a Class Party" -, 101

48. Written 11 — direct quotations 103

Right Forms 12 — give 105

48 A. Sentence Work 24— "Dr. Heidegger's Study" and "Rip

Helps the Stranger" 106

Sentence Work 25 — verbs of three and four parts 107

50. Oral 12: "Should We Have a Summer Term?" 108

50 A. Sentence Work 26— "The Power of Water" and "Lin-

coln's Troubles with Spelling" 109

51. Written 12 — paragraphing dialog 110

51 A. Written 13: "The Center of the United States" 110

52. Spelling 15 — dropping e 112

Sentence Work 27 — the difference between sentences and clauses 113

Right Forms 13 — ring 114

53. Written 14: "A Moment of Life" 115

Letters 12 — a friendly letter 116

54 A. Written 15: "The Eagle and the Camera Man" . . . 116

55. Written 16 — divided quotations 118

55 A. Oral 13: "What I Used to Play" 120

56. Written 17 — changing to direct quotations. 121

Right Forms 14 — sing 122

Written 18: "My Pet" 123

57 A. Sentence Work 28 — questions that are not sentences ... . 123

5S. Spelling 19 — review 125

12 CONTEXTS

Letters 13: "Subscribing for a Magazine" 125

Right Forms 15 — break 125

58 A. Spelling 20 — review 126

Sentence Work 29 — verbals that do not make sentences 126

59. Oral 14: 'Two Birds Compared" 128

59 A. Written 19: "The Bird Newspaper" 128

59 B. Letters 14: "Which Kind of Skates?" 130

60. Written 20 — changing to direct quotations 130

60 A. Spelling 21 — review 131

Sentence Work 30 — "zero groups," which are not sentences. . . . 131

Right Forms 16 — come 133

Oral 15: "Explaining a Task" 134

62. Oral 16: "Old School or New School?" 134

62 A. Written 21 — paragraphs of direct quotation 136

Written 22: "How Did You Make It?" '. . . 137

63 A. Oral 17: "A Trick" 138

64. Letters 15: "Answering an Advertisement" 139

Right Forms 17 — throw 140

64 A. Letters 16: "Inquiring About a Camp" 140

65. Written 23: "The Atmosphere of a Place" 141

Written 24: "My Town Fifty Years Ago" 141

66 A. Oral 18: "The Smallest Church in the Country" 142

66 B. Oral 19: "A Dialog" 144

Oral 20: "A Toast" 145

Summary of Knowledge for End-of-the-year Promotion 147

Part Two— Eighth Year

67. Written 25: "It Happened to Me" 149

68. Grammar 1 — nouns 150

69. Written 26: "An Explanation" 151

70. Spelling 26 — review; changing y to i 153

Grammar 2 — subjects of verbs. 153

71. Oral 21 : "How to Find a Place" 155

Right Forms 18 — run 155

72. Punctuation 2 — comma in series 156

73. Spelling 27 — review; ies; ea words 157

Grammar 3 — objects of prepositions 158

74. Oral 22: "First Aid" 158

Sentence Work 31 — "Four Miles in a Parachute" 160

76. Written 27: "Improving Our Community" 161

Grammar 4 — finding verbs 162

77 A. Spelling 30 — a spelling-match 163

77 B, Written 28: "Contriving Something Practical" 164

7S. Spelling 31 — contractions 165

Sentence Work 32 — "Barnum's Advertising" 166

Right Forms 19— doesn't 167

Grammar 5 — subjects of verbs 168

80. Written 29: "An Embarrassing Moment" . 169

80 A. Oral 23: "Just How It Is Done" 170

Punctuation 3 — dates 171

82. Spelling 34 — solid words; February, Wednesday 171

Sentence Work 33 — "Lincoln at the Fair Grounds" 172

83. Written 30: "Describing Your Book" 173

Right Forms 20— bring 173

84. Spelling 35 — some e words 174

Grammar 6 — subjects of verbs 175

85. Written 31 : "What My Friend Looks Like" 176

85 A. Written 32: "As the Crowd Saw Them for a Minute" . . 178

Sentence Work 34— "All Polite in Chicago" and "The Misfit

87. Oral 24: "Our Family Is Proud of It" 180

87 A. Spelling 37— a spelling-match 181

87 B. Written 33: "Why Is She There?" 181

88. Grammar 7 — demonstrative and indefinite pronouns 183

88 A. Written 34: "From My Window" . 184

89. Spelling 38 — doubling a final consonant 185

Grammar 8 — singular verb with singular pronoun 185

Right Forms 21 — his and their 186

90. Written 35: "The Surprise at the End" . . 187

91. Spelling 39 — review; two i words; ly 188

Punctuation 4 — addresses 190

Right Forms 22— drive 190

91 A. Oral 25: "A Paragraph Using a Topic Sentence" 191

Grammar 9 — two pronouns after a preposition", subjects of verbs 192

93. Written 36: "What Sort of Person Lives Here?" 194

94 A. Oral 26: "A Home of Poverty" 195

95. Grammar 10 — verbals that are not verbs. . 196

96. Oral 27: "How to Perform a Feat" 198

Right Forms 23 — drink 199

97. Spelling 42 — review; ied; el; o'clock 200

Punctuation 6 — appositives 200

98. Letters 17 — how to place an order 201

98 A. Letters 18 — how to apply for a position 202

98 B. Letters 19 — how to answer an advertisement 205

Summary of Knowledge for Mid-year Promotion 206

98 C. Written 37: "An Account of the Armenian Star" 209

99. Spelling 43 — the ie words; two e words 209

Grammar 11 — predicate nominative 210

Right Forms 24,-^ride 211

100. Written 38: "Fireside in Winter" 211

101. Spelling 44 — review; contractions, three hard words 212

102. Grammar 12 — adjectives 213

103. Written 39: "Odors and Memories" 215

104. Spelling 45 — review; more ie words; four hard words 216

104 A. Letters 20 — applying for an advertised position 217

Right Forms 25 — isn't and hasn't 217

106. Oral 28— a character sketch of an interesting person 219

107. Spelling 46 — doubling the final consonant 220

107 A. Oral 29 — a character sketch of a peculiar person 221

108. Spelling 47 — changing y to i 221

Grammar 13 — which part of speech? 223

109 A. Written 40: "A Battle" 225

110. Spelling 48— a words, etc 225

Punctuation 11 — comma after an introductory clause 226

Right Forms 26— grow 227

110 A. Written 41— another battle 228

111. Grammar 14 — kinds of adjectives 228

111 A. Written 42— "As the Race Horse Felt It" 230

CONTEXTS 15

112. Dictionary 5 — defining the commonest objects 232

113. Punctuation 12 — comma before but 233

113 A. Dictionary 6 — defining some verbs 234

Right Forms 27— tear 234

113 B. Dictionary 7 — defining adjectives 235

Punctuation 13 — punctuating so 235

114 A. Oral 31 — explaining by an outline 236

115. Dictionary 8 — avoiding is when and is where 237

116. Spelling 50 — review; Jul; ying 238

Grammar 15 — adverbs 239

117. Oral 32: "How to Prove It" 240

117 A. Oral 33: more proofs 242:

118. Written 43— a ghost story 243

Punctuation 14 — comma with for 245

120. Written 44: "A Scene in Egypt" 246

120 A. Oral 34 — proving by observation 246

Right Forms 28— begin 248

Punctuation 15 — comma with and 249

121 A. Punctuation 16 — undivided quotations 250

121 B. Punctuation 17 — divided quotations of one sentence. . 251

122. Oral 35 — proving by opinion or experience 251

122 A. Punctuation 18 — divided quotations of two sentences . 254 122 B. Punctuation 19 — setting off participle groups 255

123. Spelling 53— review; e before ly 256

Letters 21 — basketball series no. 1 257

124. Spelling 54 — review; ed; athletics, article; address 257

Grammar 16 — adverbs and adjectives 258

Right Forms 29 — he, she, I, vs. him, her, me 260

125. Spelling 55 — review; plural possessive; straight, course, corner. . 261 Letters 22 — basketball series no. 2 262

Grammar 17 — adverbs and prepositions 263

127. Spelling 57 — review; the ei words 264

Letters 23 — basketball series no. 3 , 265

127 A. Grammar 18 — adverbs of degree 265

128. Spelling 58 — review; the ai and dis words 267

Letters 24 — basketball series no. 4 268

129. Grammar 19 — phrases. as adjective and adverb 269

130. Written 45 — persuading someone 270

130 A. Oral 36: "Tents or Cottages?" 271

131. Grammar 20 — objects of verbs 271

131 A. Grammar 21 — indirect object 273

131 B. Grammar 22 — adjective clauses 275

131 C. 'Grammar 23 — adverb clauses 276

131 D. Grammar 24 — noun clauses 278

132. Oral 37: "Shall We Protect the Squirrels?" 279

132 A. Oral 38: "The Trial of Mr. Sparrow" 282

132 B. Oral 39 — an incident from the life of an author 284

132 C. Oral 40— a debate 284

132 D. Written 46 — a class book project 285

X 133. Grammar 25 — who, which, and that 287

X 134. Grammar 26 — relative clauses 288

X 135. Grammar 27 — adjective clauses 289

X 136. Grammar 28 — principal and subordinate clauses 290

X 137. Grammar 29 — transitive verbs 292

X 138. Grammar 30 — intransitive verbs 293

X 139. Grammar 31 — more about verbs 294

X 140. Grammar 32 — verbals as adjectives 295

X 141. Grammar 33 — verbals as nouns 297

X 142. Grammar 34— the to verbals . 298

Summary of Knowledge for Promotion to the Ninth Year 300

Appendix. Useful items of grammar supplementary to the material

covered 302

Index 317'