being in the eighteenth century, it often sprawled its slow and placid course thru three volumes. The short story in its best form is now a work of art, as regards plot, incident, situation (or setting), characterization, and climax.

The best magazines of the day contain suitable and abundant illustrations of the modern story. This usually (1) begins with a situation, (2) passes into the narrative proper, (3) develops the complication and leads up to the climax thru incidents and their attendant circumstances, (4) satisfies the interest and ends the suspense by the climax, which is emphasized, (5) concludes in brief form so as to include a satisfactory outcome.

The character sketch is a popular development of the short story, and is one of its most charming and wholesome forms. This deals chiefly with situation and incident, which together develop the character portrayed.

CHAPTER XX Page 174 Description and definition are two different things. In defining, we limit in such a way as to exclude other ideas; but in describing, we make no attempt at defining. The mere definition of the word table gives no idea of a particular table. So, the definition of a chalk box is merely, A box for holding chalk; but its description must include its rectangular form, its dovetailed corners, its thumbnotch, the one beveled edge of its cover, the slot or groove in which the cover moves, and its dimensions.

Robert Louis Stevenson says that no piece of purely descriptive writing should occupy over two minutes (in oral reading?). This surely is even more than the young writer need attempt. When he does, however, try his hand at description, (1) he should keep to one point of view, unless changing for obvious reasons; (2) he should appeal to as many of the bodily senses as possible these one after the other, so as not to confuse impressions; (3) he should write only after close study of the thing to be described, and should remember that mere enumeration of details will sound like a bill of sale; (4) he must not multiply details, but should select the few striking features which most strongly impress the bodily eye; (5) he should make use of comparisons or at least employ figurative words to help out the picture he wishes to make; (6) he must,

above all, be honest, striving to show precisely how he himself is impressed by the original of his pen-picture.

The teacher should not fail to read aloud to her class (after briefly sketching the plot of the story) that thrilling description in Chapter ix of Rudyard Kipling's "Captains Courageous," which pictures the flying trip of the "special" across the continent. This is one of the great books for all boys, and for girls, too; and it is no less enjoyable for adults.

In grammar grades the work under the head of description must look chiefly toward the mastery of the terms which describe; for tho one can draw a perfect picture of a leaf, and may know the name and habit of the tree on which it grew, yet he can never describe the leaf unless he gains the needful terminology. Exercises in describing leaves are of great

value.

There is no reason why children should not comprehend and use freely many terms applying to the description of buildings as architecture. The terms column, fluted, capital, cornice, buttress, flying buttress, tower, turret, mansard, veranda, colonnade, and scores more should be taught in connection with illustrative pictures, which can be had at one cent each.

When one's pupils have not had ample kindergarten experience with standard colors, tints, shades, and complementary colors, the following experiment will be helpful and will incidentally teach where the most striking contrast for any shade or tint may be found: Place a small square, circle, or oblong of colored paper in the centre of a large sheet-of white paper and hold it in a strong light directly before the pupils, letting them gaze intently at the sheet for two or three minutes. Then quickly cover this with a blank white sheet. The form first seen will present itself in the color complementary to that used. There is a hint here which may be turned to account in seeking the strong contrast often desired in the practical selection of dress trimmings, house furnishings and decoration, wall paper, and so on. Children will unconsciously learn what colors blend, or harmonize, and which give strongest contrasts.

A few minutes given before or between the school sessions to occasional handling of samples of textile fabrics upon which the names have been sewed will serve to image for life most of the materials handled. It

would be well to keep a box or basket of many kinds of materials thus labeled. With eyes closed, by touch alone, one can often tell all about a fabric except its color; and a little practice of this sort will quickly enable children to distinguish silk, wool, and cotton fabrics by touch alone. There is a value in knowing textile fabrics, because literature of every sort abounds in description of dress. Moreover, to gain the information desired need take no time from class if pupils be but allowed to handle freely the labelled samples outside of lesson periods. If this suggestion is followed, one should of course classify to the extent of sewing or pinning materials of one kind into a bunch, taking care to include only a few samples of each sort, these as varied as possible, and writing both specific and general name upon the slip, as, China silk, taffeta silk, gros grain silk, satin; cotton, calico; cotton, gingham; linen, crash; and

so on.

If pupils have had an opportunity to see weaving done, either by hand or machine, let them explain how the threads are managed in order to give a twilled or diagonal appearance to the goods. (See dictionary under twill.) If a child's hand loom is available, it will be found interesting to see by actual trial how twilled fabrics are made.

Description may be in the form of narration or it may be mingled with narrative. It would be well to study a number of descriptive passages found in the school reading books, and to note in what order diferent features are described; for example, dress, form, face, expression, and so on; also to decide whether it is better to separate the physical and the spiritual; further, to list all descriptive terms found in one's reading for a week, classifying as to what features they are ascribed to, whether to form, head, face, manners, mental characteristics, or what not.

An excellent study suggested for descriptive passages is Lowell's "Vision of Sir Launfal," which should be looked at as a poem of contrasts. Note this as to the descriptions

2

of Sir Launfal (a) as he starts forth, (b) as he returns;

3 (a) of the castle as an outpost of winter, (b) of the surrounding

summer which besieges it;

4 of Sir Launfal's spirit (a) at the first, (b) at the last.

The teacher who teaches language well will often read to her pupils bits of beautiful description which she has herself found in her general reading, or which the best textbooks upon composition offer ready for use, selected by able scholars. The selections and discussions in Chapter vi of Professor J. M. Hart's "Essentials of Prose Composition,” will be found exceedingly helpful. In teaching pupils to work out the details of daily exercises the teacher will find useful hints also in "Elements of English Composition" by Scott and Denny (published by Allyn & Bacon). "A First Manual of Composition" by Edwin H. Lewis (The Macmillan Company) and scores of others are also of great value.

CHAPTER XXI Page 188 The only history which children should attempt to write is that of their own experiences. As an oral class exercise any historical sketch may be considered as to the following points:

(1) Is the subject clearly stated? (2) Is the cause or the purpose made clear which led to the events narrated? (3) Are the time and the place definitely given? (4) Is the relation of the principal actors to the events made clear? (5) Are attendant circumstances well given? (6) What was the immediate result, or effect, of the events narrated? (7) What general or final results were involved?

Some story writers use a thread of history upon which to run the course of an entire novel. This has been done to excess in recent years. Probably the best historical novel ever written is Dickens' "Tale of Two Cities," and pupils will surely enjoy this. It is certainly one of his greatest works, and perhaps the greatest.

Lowell's "Fable for Critics" affords many fine characterizations of American men of letters. Several of the simpler of these, as that on Irving, should be familiar to grammar grade pupils.

CHAPTER XXII Page 197 Sarcasm, satire, and irony are often used interchangeably, but are tending to become more and more specialized. Wit is keenly intellectual, swift, brilliant, and flashing. It has been defined as "quick wisdom: " it is this and more. Humor is of the the heart as well as of the head, and warms while it shines. Thackeray defined humor as "love plus wit." Sarcasm is called wit, but it is more often ill-temper, dealing in sneers, ridicule, jokes, flings, and invective. The cheapest and most vulgar method of scolding employs a silly sarcasm, withering alike to the soul of him who uses it and him who is its object.

Satire is ironical wit, with a covert intention to reform something or somebody. The name is given in particular to verse which is intended to expose the follies and vices of society. Irony is a figure of speech, in which the opposite in meaning is said of what is really meant; as in Job's "No doubt but ye are the people and wisdom shall die with you." Irony does not necessarily involve either wit or humor.

The written productions of wit whose names imply their witty character are the burlesque, the mock-heroic piece, the parody, and the pun. The parody copies the style and form and part of the words of a composition usually verse- but changes the subject and degrades it. A good parody is a very unusual thing.

An interesting bulletin of suggestions as to school work from the educational department of the Woman's Club of Denver says:

The capacity to be merry needs development and training, like any other capacity. The atmosphere of the schoolroom is often too grave; a spirit of mirth should be latent in all schoolrooms and should be encouraged to break forth upon all legitimate occasions. Laughing exercises of the right sort are wholesome to the whole being of the child, for they expand the lungs, deepen and sweeten the voice, teach control of the breath, quicken the circulation and gladden the heart. Stories that are funny without being cruel or coarse, incidents about town, experiences among the children- these should be used to train the child to a discriminating sense of humor, accustom him to take the laugh on himself, and teach him the art of being happy as the first step toward making others so.

A sense of humor is a gift of incalculable value to its owner and to all who come within the sphere of its influence. A determined effort should be made by every human being to coax both face and voice into an habitually pleasant expression and the spirit into a state of harmony with both.

Children will find a wholesome delight in the nonsense verses by Edwin Lear, "The Jumblies," and "The Owl and the Pussy-Cat"; also in "Jabberwocky," and "The Hunting of the Snark," by Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson); also in "Topsy Turvy World" by William Brighty Rands: all in the Stedman "Victorian Anthology."

Those two warm friends, Leigh Hunt and Charles Lamb, alike critics and essayists, stand out in the history of humorous literature as two of the gentlest and most lovable spirits known to earth. America