h, the pupil should know what he is to include in it, and in
what order; otherwise the paragraph will fail in unity and effective
massing. Paragraphs are made by forethought, not by inspiration.

Following the writing of isolated paragraphs is the composition of the
long essay. The first thing is a study of outlines. This will take up
six or eight weeks. To secure the view of the whole in different
arrangements, use the cards.

When the class has gained some grasp of outlines, the writing of
essays should be begun. At the option of the pupils, they may write
some of the essays already outlined, or study new themes. Two or three
paragraphs are all that can be well done for a lesson. Good, not much,
should be the ideal. In this way a single essay may occupy a class
from three to six weeks.

It should be remembered that these exercises are written consciously
for practice. They are exercises--no more. Their purpose is to give
skill and judgment in composition. It is because they are exercises
that they may be somewhat stereotyped and artificial in form, just as
exercises in music may be artificially constructed to meet the
difficulties the young musician will have to confront.

During the writing of these essays special attention should be given
to sentence construction. The inclusion of just the ideas needed in
the sentence and no more; the massing that makes prominent the thought
that deserves prominence; and the nice adjustment of one sentence to
the next: these objects should be striven for during this semester.

1, 2. Write definitions of such common terms as jingoism, civil
service, gold standard, the submerged tenth, sweat shop, internal
revenue, cyclonic area, foreign policy, imperialism, free silver,
mugwump, political pull, Monroe doctrine, etc. Five or six terms which
are not found in a dictionary will make a hard exercise; and two or
three lessons in definitions will set the pupils in the direction of
accurate and adequate statements.

For isolated paragraphs write upon the following subjects:--

3. Novel reading gives one a knowledge of the world not to be gained
in any other way. Particulars.

4. Novel reading unfits people for the actualities of life. Specific
instances.

5. Among the numerous uses of biography three stand forth
preeminent,--it furnishes the material of history, it lets us into the
secrets of the good and great, and it sets before us attainable ideals
of noble humanity. Repetition