Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1914-11-12
ALMA HIGH SCHOOL.
English Course Discussed for
Benefit of General Public
ESSAYS AND CLASSICS READ
Outside Reading-Literary Work
Defamation and Oratory

This is the first of series of arti-
cles written for the purpose of in
forming the public what the Alma
High school is doing in its various
courses Of study. They are intended
to give a general outline of all the
work covered in a year, and will be
compiled for future use in the school.
English seems the most logical
course with which to begin this out
line. The course in first year Eng
lish is essentially a course in Eng
lish Composition,-a course in writ
ing.
The pupil learns more thoroughly
the fundamentals of theme-writing
what constitutes good and bad Eng
lish, what elements and factors are
necessary for the proper construction
of sentences and paragraphs. AS these
can be learned only through prac-
tice, at least two themes a week are
assigned, written, discussed, and criti-
cized. Each boy and girl, in this way,
has the advantage not only of actual
writing, but also of having his work
criticised by his classmates, and Of
picking out the good and bad points
of other compositions besides his own.
In addition to the two themes a week,
the work consists of examining and
discussing standard specimens of good
and bad English, considering careful
ly every point that makes for force
and interest, or lack of it, discussing
the various devices authors use to hold
the attention of the reader to the last.
In this connection, an occasional mag
azine story is read and reproduced, or
reported upon orally.
The work of the course includes a
study of Narration, Description, Expo
sition, Argument, Letter Writing, and
Spelling. The number of themes is
about equally divided between those
of the students own choice, and those
directly assigned by the teacher. At
the end of the semester, each student
must have completed a short story of
at least twenty-five hundred words. In
preparation for this, plot-making, and
climax are carefully studied.
A great deal of emphasis is laid
on the practical forms of composition,
such as letter writing and exposi-
ton.
During the year, five book reports
are required. They are made on stan
dard authors, such as Dickens, Scott,
Elliot, Cooper, Shakespeare, and 9TH
ers. The books are selected, with es-
pecial reference to the age of the pu-
pills.
At the very beginning a few weeks
are given up to vocational study, in
the form OF series of essays, design
ed to make the boys and girls appre-
ciate the practical value of High
school education. The following themes
are assigned "My Three Wishes;
"My Ancestry; "My Church";- "The
Part I'd Like to Play in High School,;
"My Best Friend;" "The Work of Ny
Early School Days" Each pupil is
then required to prepare class list of
professions, semi-professions, and
trades, list which is checked with
the permanent list kept by the teach
er. Then the student writes an es-
say on his vocation, showing first,
what kind of activity, and what re-
sponsibilities the vocation involves;
second, it's social, intellectual and fin
ancial advantages; third, the CORES
ponding disadvantages; fourth, the
qualifications and traits necessary to
success in the vocation; and fifth, the
reasons for choosing the. vocation.
Such exercises enable the teacher to
study the pupils under him, and also
start the pupils on the road to little
serious thinking in regard to their
life work.
Sometime during each semester, a
standard classic is read and discussed
in class. This year, "Marmion" will
be used the first semester, and "The
Tale of Two Cities" the second.
The English work of the second
year classes is divided about equally
between the study Of standard speci-
mems Of literature and composition.
In the former, few classics are care
fully studied to familiarize the stu
dents with the particular one in hand
and, in general way, with others of
the same class. Thus at present,
Hamlet" is being studied and acted in
class, and in this way the students
will receive an idea of the technique
of the drama. In the same way, "The
Rhine of the Ancient Mariner" is
studied 10 acquaint the students with
the beauties Of the ballad. All of the
other classics are treated in this man.
ner.
In composition, more advanced writ
ing is done than in the previous year,