The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-03-16
WRITING COMPoSITIoNs.
From Moore's Rural New Yorke!

Every teacher knows just what cook
spreads over the visages of his pupil
when he announces the fact that essay
are tn b. written. The odious compost
ton" In the pupils estimation, seems t.
be Synonymous with torment, the weekly
or frrtnightly exercise IN a thing TO br.
endured, but not to be enjoyed kline
of literary penance, of no particular u-e
to anybody. And it is not much wond,
that writing is distasteful, considerna
that the pupil has been untrained ii1
writing till the age Of tourteen,or perhaps
stills later
The true way is to beg n in the primary
school. Let the tile ones writ shor
sentences at first !; then let them dictat,
tn th ir teAchrr. Such exercises may hc
made very pleasant and profitable. II
children are accustomed ~ the write.
expression of their iittl thoughts, they
Stay tie huobear of the High School de-
partnent " itlOut really cncuunterjng il
A few minutes spent daily IN extempnr
an us composition assists i'll the proper
tr0i Sng writer's These exercis IS may be
III e extrem, ly interesting. Beginning
w.th some common object, call for words
that slIaii scribe it tArp make as-,T
tions respecting i then modify thes'
assertions. These eX rclses occur MT
urI Y, in connection with grammar
lesSots, aud liz parts Ut speech aud dit.
feTritt CLASSES of sentences III the MIND.
Then take the Object aHd let IT,
on ! q 10 m nj SIS be stnie ed con,
versatinnaly next cali FIR written
descri ptlOn II il, Including anything Of
int rest concerning it Two nr tire,
days may often he spent upon Il subj ct.
IL - crrfaiu num1er If minutes b. assign
ed for wrliiag, and al a gwen signal let
the reading begin, each deecri ptI'n criti
ciSed by he cla>s. LIT them describe
houses, with which al are f,mlhar, so
accurately that he houses may be rec
ogulz q ; "r describe members OF the
scioni without Mentioning the came or
substances, Guessing these wi aff)rd
Cunsldera lie amusem"nt s mrtimes
read an anecdute, and let hem ~rne i
from memory ,r, giving an outline. let
thou fl i it ou,. Place a pic'ur where
ali eau STE tt, and ask them to write Il,
stfry about it. Write fur or FIVE W rds
upon the black beard, Ind let the class
conhlr, them n one sentence. But these
methods, AID by others which llv,
teacher can readily originate. The class
Will learn t!le proper u.s.: OF words aud
hoy TO arrange their thoughts The
proper use OF capitals should he taught,
and ctn<iderub!e attention paid to
pu ,tuatioD.
The principal difficulty found in com
position writlng,is lha lacking b before
mentIoncd early trainpg, the pupil ia
utterly at a loss as TO Nhat his su' ject
shall be. Forced by school rui S 10 pro
duct something, he ESSAYS 10 write upon
education, and tells us that " It's very
good thing /, have, because nobody can
get It away from you. If you have monty
you may s lt,nr get it stoen." &C., &c
Perhaps be iabele his Effort " Value OF
Time, and we are treated IT, the refresh
ing Thought that time is passing rapidly
away, and If we do not improve it as we
should in our youth, we shall
regret 1t in . ter year,
W til more oi the same non ense drawn out
t. ill the required space. Such writing is
waste "f time and paper Brake up
h's>tyle by giving subjects. Set time
to observing Let them Write of thei
own town, workshops, farms, post offices,
stores let the girls write about their
and calves. Teach chem to write Of the
things that interest them, leaving them
and education to- take care of themselves |
1t takes some time to put hitherto
neglected class upon the right track !;
there viii be failures at first. To secure
promptness it is best to fix upon a certain
time at which the essays arc to be ready
IT n pupil is behindhand, or has failed in
the length OF his essay let him be reliev
ed from recitatiQns TIL his work is done
a teacher needs to exercise great care
in the correction of first attempts, lest he
discourage the young beginner The
necessity of each change should be ex-
planned, and if the criticisms can be made
before the whole class, the benefit will be
be Obvious.
PEN DENNIS