be present in any dramatic excerpt. Later, less inherently correct portions should be chosen and rewritten to conform to the canons of play structure. It is not unfair to expect pupils to attempt original exercises in play form. There is no reason why they should not build a plot, arrange the parts, provide he action, write the speeches, memorize the lines, and present the play. Teachers who have introduced these enlivening methods of composition practice into their classes report that the old apathy vanishes, that the dullest glow with the fire of their puny originality, that effort has to be suppressed, and embryonic dramatists forced to attend to other less fascinating but more enduring results in the study of English. Exercises. See page 349. CHAPTER VI ESSAYS AND SPEECHES ESSAYS Essays distributed throughout the years.-When teachers of English admitted that it was unnatural to separate composition into four forms of discourse for specialized practice, they claimed that logically, specimens of general writing should be read or studied in every grade in order to familiarize the pupil with the multiform aspect of produced literature. The rearrangement of courses of study to include specimens of drama at various places, instead of concentrating all in the senior year, has already been considered. Likewise, no one term is now given over to poetry alone, or to fiction, or to orations. Literature is always a combination of many styles and kinds of writing. The simplest book for boys and girls exhibits various types of discourse. Any one who writes is likely to introduce more than mere narration or description. The significance of this for the study of essays is quite plain. An entire term spent upon no other form would prove extremely monotonous to both teacher and pupils, no matter how much variety within the form could be secured. Interesting appeals made by imaginative fiction and beautiful poetry would be lacking. Second, as essays are comparatively short, pupils would receive an impression of miscellaneousness, which is not the best impression to bear away from a half-year's study. Larger units are better for growing minds. The shortness of an essay contributes to the impression a pupil forms naturally of its lack of importance. Essays have never bulked very large in amount in any period of history when compared with other forms of literary production. In compliance with the proportion to be observed, they must not abrogate to themselves too great importance. The mind which is held by essays and influenced by their instructions is likely to be the mature mind. Even their brevity is in the opinion of youth not an inducement for reading them. Approaches to the essay.-As a means of preparation for mature reading and thought, as well as of instruction and pleasure now, some essays should be included in practically every term of high school English. Because the sources of pleasure are not apparent to the pupils, because pupils are not avid for reading the prime purpose of which is instruction, and because the perusal of this form requires thought and reflection, essays present delicate problems for the teacher who hopes and intends to make them of value to his pupils. The results are so surprisingly good in many instances that there is solace for those who see now only the annoyances and prejudices. With most high school pupils the approach and the testing will make this study either the comforting success it deserves to be, or the mediocre accomplishment which barely escapes dismal failure. At one time the approach to the essay as a form of discourse was through emphasis upon exposition. The pedagogical method is still to regard all essays as examples of expository writing, in spite of the disturbing number of unplaced exceptions to this general rule. In all periods of English literary history, fascinating and famous essays were produced which elude the restricting confines of the definition of exposition. No reader in his right mind will declare that the De Coverley papers are expository; of course, they are narrative. Much of Macaulay's vaunted writing is only incidentally exposi tory; in the main it is biographical and historical narration. Beginners will be less abashed if they are not required to formulate distinctions first, but are shown how to put themselves under the influence of the author, how to retain what he says, how to judge what he tells, and how to describe his manner of writing. These aims may be applied to any essay ever published, from Bacon's Of Studies, through Lamb's Dream Children, to Mr. Heywood Broun's The Fifty-first Dragon. Coöperation with other departments.-The much-desired coöperation of other departments will also provide methods of approach and testing, for essays dealing with scientific, industrial, historical, biographical, and current information should have been made familiar to the pupils in classes in which such material is used to supplement the regular textbooks. The comprehensiveness of essay material spreads before the teacher of English an embarrassment of riches from which his care for literary excellence should enable him to choose only those which reach a literary standard. Accuracy and definiteness of information are not the only standards of judgment, for these two qualities are most marked in patent descriptions and contract specifications. The warning implied in this sentence should be emphasized, for in their endeavor to enliven and modernize reading for English classes some not too well read or literary-trained teachers would like to include productions not much higher in treatment and style than those just cited. Another warning may not be out of place here. One of the worst ways to "teach essays" is to hand pupils copies of Bacon's Essays or the Essays of Elia or Sesame and Lilies with the direction, "Read this through during next week; then be prepared to report in class on the contents." The teacher who does such a thing has no reason to complain of unappreciative readers. He has made no attempt to do any teaching. He is able after such reading merely to test pupils' reaction to strange books. He has provided no educating process; he has offered no directions for study; he should expect no development. Volumes of essays by a single author are not often arranged in the best order for pupils. Select suitable essays.-Unless the pupils are using a book in which the essays have been carefully selected to suit their age and previous training, the teacher must select what will best serve as a beginning. To produce results he had better not say, "Read any essay in this volume which strikes your fancy." This direction should be the assignment to conclude the study and reading of essays. Every pupil in the class should begin by reading the same essay. In The Essays of Elia it may well be A Dissertation on Roast Pig. Skilful questioning to produce comments by the readers will show them how to retain and judge, what to think, what to enjoy. The phrase "what to think" is used advisedly; there are many "thoughts" offered by pupils in such exercises over which no time should be wasted in discussion. For instance, the child who has not seen that Lamb is delightfully fooling should not be allowed to argue for his astonishing error-he should be set right in a single statement. To enforce this with another example: the child who does not see the point of the joke in "there is much to be said on both sides" in the De Coverley papers, and the pupil who wrongly believes that Sir Roger did make love speeches to the widow should not be encouraged to explain their misreading. They are wrong; their errors should be explained in a few sentences. Building on the delight the pupils find in their first acquaintance with Elia, the teacher may assign two other essays-shall we say April Fool's Day and Dream Children? Will these not make a good pair-one continuing the whimsical humor of A Dissertation, yet refining it, the other introducing a different feeling, one of pathos? A third |