5. Write a letter to a friend from whom you have not heard for a year.

6. Your grandfather has always been fond of you. Write him a letter on the occasion of his seventieth birthday.

7. A boy who has just entered college writes to his twin sister.

8. A boy (or girl) has spent two weeks in the country with a friend. After returning home he writes a letter in which he shows his appreciation of the pleasure his visit afforded him.

9. Write a letter to a school companion who has been away from school a month on account of illness.

IO.

A letter accompanying a book on the occasion of the birthday of an intimate friend.

II. An answer to the above.

12.

Write a letter inviting to spend the Holidays with you a friend who is not acquainted with the members of your family. What should you tell him about them, and about your plans for entertaining him?

13. You have been out rowing on a lake, and when several miles from shore, broke an oar. Write a letter in which you describe entertainingly the results of your mishap.

14. Wamba writes to Gurth an account of his experiences with the Black Knight in the forest.

15. A boy writes to his chum of meeting a person whom he took to be the Ancient Mariner.

16. A girl of sixteen by her kind acts has often carried sunshine into the home of an invalid neighbor, who is motherly and appreciative. The girl, now away at school, writes her an entertaining letter.

17. While away from home you have had the pleasure of speaking personally with some person of note; write to your mother or father telling how he looked and how he impressed

you.

18. Isaac of York writes to a kinsman, giving an account of the trial and rescue of Rebecca.

19. Rebecca writes a letter of gratitude to the Disinherited Knight.

20.

Answer the following:Dear Miss Browne:

This morning I learned through a letter from Mother that you are only a few miles away; and I have been thinking all day of the mud pies we used to make together, of the wild strawberries and the blackberries we used to gather; and how, while fishing, I very unromantically fell into the creek and you pulled me out.

Won't you write me a good long letter, telling me about yourself. It will be like a spring in the desert.

Most sincerely,

Robert White.

CHAPTER V

THEME CORRECTING

134. The Aim of Composition Work. The particular aim we should have before us in our special work in English composition, is the increasing of the ability to use the English language effectively, to express thought correctly and intelligently. There are several important elements entering into this increase of ability. In the first place, new material with which to work must be acquired: there must be a larger vocabulary, greater variety of expression, and a greater fund of material for thought. Next, there must come an appreciation of one's faults,— faults of punctuation, faults of grammar, faults in the use of words, faults in rhetorical construction. This recognition of his faults should not mean merely that the pupil comprehend the fact that he is continually committing errors of various kinds and in various degrees; it should mean that he actually acquire the ability to detect a large number of his mistakes for himself, and that he be able to discover the mistakes of his neighbor. The discovery of errors naturally suggests the question of correction. This is in reality one of the objective points; for as soon as the pupil has acquired the ability to correct a certain kind of error, he has the ability to avoid it in the future.

135. The Need of Theme Correcting. It is probable that, if the pupil had time and opportunity to write carefully a theme every day, making use of a wide range of subjects, he would, by the process of natural development, overcome many of the faults common to young pupils, without stopping to consider the particular errors of each composition. In most cases this plan is impracticable, and the only alternative thus far discovered, is the laborious correction of the few themes written. This, however, is not without its value to both teacher and pupil, aside from the particular benefit to the pupil in the direction of increased power of expression. It puts the teacher in closer touch with the individuality of the pupil,— with his particular needs; and is a continual reminder of what may, and what may not, reasonably be expected of pupils. On the other hand, if properly done, the work is of great value in developing the judgment and the power of self-examination, and in increasing the carefulness and self-reliance of the pupil.

136. Correction by the Teacher. It has long been the custom of a large proportion of the conscientious teachers of English to read a large number of compositions each month or each week even, and to spend hours and hours of painstaking care in pointing out to individual pupils, in this way, their shortcomings. Experience, however, seems to teach that a large, a very large amount of the time and energy spent in this religious reading and marking of compositions, is wasted. The result too often is that the pupil, when the theme is returned to him for correction, instead

of studying to understand just what is wrong, says to himself: This won't go, I'll try it some other way." That other way is usually the quickest way. The outcome is not infrequently that one mistake is substituted for another, or that another has been made, and two appear where there was originally but one.

The discouragements following such results are sometimes counterbalanced by the attainments of the brighter and more ambitious pupils under the guidance of the teacher. The advantages of correction by the teacher as has already been pointed out, are unquestionable; but it is also obvious that the profit to the average pupil is not in proportion to the labor expended by the teacher.

137. Correction by Pupils.- In some schools the plan of having papers marked for correction by the pupils themselves, has been tried with a considerable degree of success. Pupils exchange papers with their neighbors; and after careful examination, write their criticisms. Papers are then returned to the writers, who are given an opportunity to appeal to the teacher on any disputed point. The compositions are afterwards rewritten and returned to the teacher. When this plan is tried, there will, of course, be many crudities that will not be discovered; but the number should be an ever decreasing one from month to

month.

138. The Combination Method. The plan, which for want of a better name is here called the Combination Method, attempts to join the advantages of both the methods mentioned, and to do away with some of