Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1894-02-22

II is usually better for the teacher to
assign the subject to the pupil, You can
oftentimes better adapt it to the taste and
capacity of the pupil than the pupil can
himself, but In so doing the utmost care
should be used that the subject Is both In
teresting and familiar TO the pupil. For
| instance. to assign to the ordinary boy Of
fourteen such a subject as The Tariff or
Labor Difficulties or The Brazilian Rev
olu,ion," would ensure a complete failure.
when If the subject employed had been
Fishing" Skating" or "Coasting." the
production would have been bright and
sparkling with freshness and originality
Older pupils should write upon subjects
requiring more maturity of thought and
experience. In all cases let the subject be
adapted to the writer aud one upon which
he may express what he believes
After the SUBJECT has been selected
teach the pupil to make an exhaustive anu
| systematic search for the material for the
production, Some hold that invention i
not thing to tie tlught, that it Is a part
! Of ones native endowment, an originsl
talent and not power 70 be- acquired ;
| however, We may aid pupil 10 this dircc-
| tlon by teaching him that the source Of all
our thoughts aud ideas are Observation.
Judgment, Reading. Imagination aud Re
! aection.
| Many OF our ideas come from the ohs,r.
walton Of objects In the material world
| Pupils should therefore be taught 10
| observe closely aud accurately. They
/ should be- required not only 10 observe the
/ principal features. hut also to notice the
NEST minute details Trained IN this way
pupil will acquire accurate ideas, and b.
/ able to describe what he has seen with
I ease and accuracy
/ Pupsls can also obtain ideas and thong hts
/ by reading. la books they had facts.
/ sentiments, opinions. figures of speech.
I etc. which may be u4ed to their original
| form, or become types for creations Of
their own. For this purpose pupils should
be encouraged To resd only such produc-
/ tions as tend 10 enrich the mind, and give
/ wisdom % their thoughts and grace TO their
/ uiterances. Teach the beauty aud enchani-
| meut that Imagination may give @ 3 pru-
| duction. also that Judgment and rchec-
tion are necessary adjuncts 10 -Ive a full
ne~s and originality - the production,
! la The choice OF words, Young pupils
/ should be careful not 10 select merely the
/ large words. The large words attract
/ their attention and are the most liable to
/ be remembered
/ /, is the small words, however. That are
the most expressive, This caution is al
4 ways necessary a. young pupils have an
I idea that large words indicate learning and
| pTofuudly ~ thought. Goethe refers %
/ this error when h- says
! For that which will uo, 20 lnto the head.
1 pompou- worl Will stand you IN II. stead.
Thts i, quite general opinion among
/ the uncultured The man who came To
/ the minister, frightened st the strange al.
/ peAranc- Of the sun, was entirely satisfied
/ when told It was only phsntasmagoria." f"
Teach the pupil. therefore. not To select
/ the large words. but learn to use the little
/ words, the language OF the heart aud home
| with skill and artistic effect
( The formation of The framework. the
analysis and arrangement ~ the mareral
/ obtained, aud its division into sentences
and paragraphs may be made IF interest
and profit to the pupil by working for him
I aud with him Assist the pupil as though
/ you We're party 10 The effort, rather than
stern judge waiting and anxious 10 e
| yerrly crticise his able>t efforts
| The introduction should BE- mo lest. ap.
I propriste. lively and interesting. It should
/ not promise too much. or the expectations
1 1t raises may be disappointed II should
{ grow naturally out Of the subject. and be
I a natural Introduction of what Is to follow
I In the body Of the essay. the subject
/ should be formally developed. The lead
I In idea should be Kept constantly iu MIND.
| There should be 40 orgaoized growth Of
/ expression and thought, in which all the
4 subordinate idea, age gathered arouud the
/ principal ones. \ thread If related thought
/ should run unbrokrn through the entire
/ exposition. binding all parts together ID
/ symmetry and unity.
/ The conclusion Ike the introduced ~
requires r-pvciai care The object is "a
! leave deep aud lasting impression Of
what we wish 70 convey 10 the mind Of
/ tn, listener or reader. There is no better
/ way than for the writer to give = brief
ami striking summary OF the whole dis
| course, bringing it all IN rapid succession
again brfore the mind. In this way the
I conclusion becomes a kind Of burning
/ glass which gathers into a focal point all
the separate rays Of the production.
/ Compositions should be handed in
f, promptly a. the appointed tim, aud the
corrections should be made By the teacher
( only. Corrections may include errors in
orthography, punctuation, use Of capitals,
construction OF sentences, fgures OF rhet-
oric, style Of expression and general de-
yelopment Of the subject The clo>eness
of the corrections should, Of course, be
adapted to the age and ability Of the pu-
pill. Severe criticism will tend to discour-
age pupils, who, as rule. are especially
sensitive in respect to their own com
positions.
While trying TO instill into the minds OF
the pupils Of our town, the knowledge
that is to be of the most practical use tC
them in after years We have. In great
degree, overlooked the necessity Of teach
ing them to express and make the best USE
OF the knowledge that we have been in
strumental in giving. To teach a chile
what TO use and not teach him how to ust
it. is fault which We, as teachers, should
begin to remedy.
In conclusion we again remark that th,
teacher should spare no pains to create al
interest in literary training. No greater
intellectual benefit can be conferred upol
pupil than to cultivate In him a literar,
taste, and train him to the appreciation o
literary productions.
The teacher achieves great success ant
accomplishes valuable work, who make.
composition work a pleasant task, ant
Composition Day regarded with interes
and delight.