help the pupils by diminishing their exhausting effort and
leading them on gradually to composition. Composition (we must pass
over the contradiction in terms for the moment) is "taught." The
teacher gives collective lessons in composition, just as she would
explain arithmetic: this is called "collective oral composition."

We will allow specialists in this method to speak, giving a passage
containing a preparation of teachers for such lessons:

METHOD TO BE FOLLOWED IN THE MANNER OF INDICATING THE THEME

"Let us take, by way of illustration, the following brief
narrative, which consists of three phases: 1. Ernesto did not
know his lesson; 2. The teacher scolded the child severely;
3. Ernesto wept and promised to do better. If we indicate the
narrative by the words: 'Ernesto did not know his lesson'
(first fact, cause), the pupil will go on easily to the
effect, consisting of the two other phases which, logically
and in chronological order, follow the cause. If, on the
other hand, we give as the theme the indication corresponding
to the second phase: 'The teacher scolded the child,' we
oblige the pupil to go back to the cause and to make the
third phase follow upon the second. We place the pupil in a
more difficult position if we give as the theme: 'Ernesto
wept and promised to do better,' since he will then be
obliged to go back to the second and thence to the first
phase.

"Hence the first phase in every brief narrative ought to
serve to indicate the theme.

"_Method_. The teacher should write the theme on the
blackboard, and invite the pupils to think of (not to say) a
possible consequence of the fact indicated in the theme. The
teacher must let it be understood that the pupils are to work
independently, without the help of suggestion. Let us see:

"_Luisa threw a piece of wool into the fire_ (theme). Think
of a possible consequence, say what happened in consequence.

"_The wool caused a bad smell_. Very good. You repeat the
narrative:

"_Luisa threw a piece of wool into the fire. The wool caused
a bad smell_. Can any one add another little thought, another
possible consequence?

"_The teacher reproved Luisa. A pupil opened the window_. The
teacher repeats the exercise using the themes A. B. C. and
causing the result arrived at with the collaboration of the
scholars