work in history should be enlivened by reading occasionally,
before the class or the school, poems or prose selections which bear
directly upon the general topic under consideration.[1] For instance,
in the appropriate chapters Finch's well-known poem, "Nathan Hale,"
Simms's "Ballad of King's Mountain," and Holmes's "Old Ironsides" may
be read.

[Footnote 1: For a list of books which may be classed as useful under
the preceding paragraphs, see Blaisdell's _Story of American
History_, pp. 431-434.]

A TOPIC BOOK, OR NOTEBOOK

Teacher and pupil should appreciate the scope and the usefulness of a
topic book, or notebook. By this is meant a blank book of a
convenient size, with semiflexible or board covers, and of at least
forty-eight pages. Into this blank book should be written carefully,
with ink, brief notes, as the several chapters of this book are read
or studied. It may well be a kind of enlarged diary of the pupil's
work.

Make brief notes of the various books read in whole or in part; of
topics not treated in this book but discussed in the class, such as
the treason of Benedict Arnold, the battle of Bennington, etc.; of
references to new books to be reserved for future reading; and of
other subjects which will readily suggest themselves.

This notebook should be enlivened with inexpensive photographic
copies (sold for about one cent each) of famous pictures illustrating
important events in American history. Catalogues giving the exact
titles, the cost, and other details are frequently advertised.

The notebook may be illustrated with photographic reproductions of
such works as Stuart's "Washington"; Faed's "Washington at Trenton";
Trumbull's "The Surrender of Cornwallis" and "Signing the Declaration
of Independence"; Benjamin West's "Penn's Treaty"; Leutze's
"Washington crossing the Delaware"; Vanderlyn's "The Landing of
Columbus"; Johnson's "Old Ironsides"; Overend's "An August Morning
with Farragut"; and many other historical subjects.

Portraits, maps, facsimiles of documents and autographs, etc., etc.
are often easily obtained from book catalogues, guide books,
advertising pages, and secondhand text-books.

All this illustrative material should be pasted into the notebook at
the proper place, neatly and with good judgment, with plenty of space
for margins. Such a compilation is, of course, a matter of slow
growth. It should be preserved as a pleasant reminder of school days.

REFERENCE BOOK