St. Landry democrat., 1884-04-12
Writing Compositions.

words by the use of the pen, Tor the IN
spection Of the teacher Were it only
to say, for private satisfaction, assured
that it would meet no other eye, the
very things they think and feel, it were
not so difficult. 1t is the frightful spec
ter of an audience, the haunting pres
ence of critical mind, that stands be.
tween the pupil and his task, and robs
him of the power Of expression. Were
it your good fortune to listen, unob-
served, to the talk of children, when
they suppose they have only themselves
for audience, you would find them pos
sessed of volublity that might shame
their elders. and ID power of graphic de-
scription not little surprising after the
pitiful cry: ~ can't say anything; /
don t know how to describe anything; I
shouldn't know what to writer H.a
We know a youth--noW, alas, onlore
ca youthD-who sat alone in dusty
attic. when other boys were at play or
asleep, weaving in words such dreams
as thronged through his young brain,
and carefully locking the results away
in q rude, homemade desk, scarcely
daring to trust the sacred secret TO one
sympathetic soul. When the exigences
Of the school made it necessary to write
composition he was helpless. { A
composition! Horrid! What a thing
that is for a boy! And | must choose a
subject; what's that? never heard of
any subjects but the subjects of King
George, and they are dead and gone;
and I'm glad of it, and that all could
say about them! I don't know how to
write a composition!a And this. sin
cefely felt, and uttered in way that
would make composition of itself, were
il only written as It was spoken, is the
attitude of every child who has not been
trained to social expression. What did
/ do with that boYp / encouraged him
to take one of those sacred writings
hieroglyphs in more senses than one
from that mysterious desk, copy it into
something like English script, and de-
liver it to the .master.''
What? will tbGt be a composition"
Yes, and the very best you can offer,
for it is free from the Consciousness of an
audience; it is simply thought and feel
ing yerbalized, untainted by fear, or
shame, or vanity. The haunting specter
that looks over our shoulders when we
know we are writing for other eyes,
and so vitiates our best expression, win
not be discernable here
With some trepidation, some sneak
ing desire to put a few phrases into
starched linen and patent leather, but
bravely subdued, the advice was taken,
and with the marked success OF the ez-
w. taa ,f
laid. Henceforth the way was clear of
all goblins-he was only to think
through his pen, Just as before. and do
his selecting when called for. And
herein we touch the key to the first
secret of success. By such easy and
natural exchange of thoughts and feel
ings with the boy as to win his con-
fidence; 50 come into unity with him
that he can as readily think into your
mind as into his lookup, and the
thought of your presence viii not dis
turb his privacy. To do this you will
need much reticence. The prudent do
not pour their best wine into leaky
jugs. "A secret judiciously shared may
be kept even better than when at
tempted alone The two bottles OF an
hour-giass, communicating only tip TO
tip, are really closer than if separately
corked They have mutual inlets which
are their only outlets. The child's con-
fdenee must be respected, or it will be
lost he must feel that with you he is
alone. with the advantage of q larger
experience included with his, to give,
10 and correct without exposure.
sympathetic criticism becomes a kind
If wider self-examination, it comes not
rom the judgment-seat, but from the
mercy seat. With this sympathy estab-
ished, his freedom OF expression is
gained; he thinks through the pen, as
'eadily as through the tongue, and for
gets that he is not recluse. A motor
nerve runs from the brain to the finger-
Ups, and carries the motions of the |
mind to the paper, that holds the idea
ts.a phonograph holds talk. Writing
$ only thinking through a conductor,
md use makes it Just as simple as think
ny into the air. --qeo. S. B0rtetgh, In
Iom27saL of Education.