14. Composition.

Subject.-An Account of Myself.

1. Begin every sentence with a capital.

Directions. 2. Begin with a capital each word of the subject, except of. 3. Do not string sentences together with ands.

Subjects. {

15. Composition.

1. How to set the table. [For girls.]

2. How to behave at the table. [For boys.]

16. Composition.

Write from memory a short sketch of any one of the following stories, selecting the one you like best. Teachers will pass the compositions to a higher grade to be corrected.

1. Tom Thumb.

2. Children in the Wood.

3. Robinson Crusoe.

4. Sindbad the Sailor.

5. Any one of Hans Andersen's Tales.

17. Composition.

Write a description of the school that you attend. Fill out the following outlines, making a paragraph out of each heading:

My School.-Outlines.

In what city or town, on what street, or in what part of the town or village.

Large or small; of what material; color; number of
rooms, etc.

Number of classes or grades; number of scholars;
names of teachers; in what class you are, etc.
State what you study; what studies you like best;
and anything else of interest.

18. Observation and Memory.

I. Write an interesting anecdote or story about any one of the following:

1. Dogs. 2. Bears.

3. Elephants. 4. Wolves.

II. Write what you know about how or where any of the following birds build their nests:

1. Swallows. 2. Crows. 3. Woodpeckers. 4. Orioles. III. Write what you know about how or where any of the following wild animals live.

1. Foxes.

2. Rabbits.

3. Squirrels. 4. Deer.

IV. State where each of the following species of fish is found and

how caught:

Write a composition by answering the following questions about such of the following wild animals as live in your part of the country:

1. In what places are they found?

2. What do they eat, and how do they obtain their food?

About the following animals write whatever you have observed that would lead you to think they know any,

thing:

Select one of the most interesting of the following sub

jects, and write about it the best story that you ever heard.

Write something that you yourself have observed about the actions or habits of any of the following animals :

1. Dogs. 3. Mice. 5. Crows.

7. Bees.

9. Squirrels. 2. Cats. 4. Rats. 6. Robins. 8. Swallows. 10. Foxes.

23. Composition.

Write all you know about how or where the following birds build their nests:

I. Write a letter to your father or mother, and then compare it

with the first one you wrote.

II. Commit to memory, and then write, two stanzas of poetry, assigned by your teacher.

III. Write a letter to anybody you choose.

IV. Write the story of Jack the Giant-killer.

V. Write the story of Cinderella.

VI. Write all you can remember about the "house that Jack built."

VII. Write all you know about the trade or occupation of your father or mother.

VIII. Write about a visit to any of your friends or relatives.

IX. Write a letter to your teacher telling what you intend to do during your next vacation.

X. Write a letter to your doll, telling her how to write a letter to you. [For girls.]

CHAPTER V.

PRACTICAL COMPOSITION IN GRAMMAR GRADES.

1. Special Directions.

I. Avoid "fine writing."

II. Never use two words where one will fully express your meaning.

III. Avoid long and complicated sentences.

IV. Divide into paragraphs and punctuate as you write.

V. In correcting your first rough draft, observe the following or-
der:

(a.) Cross out any adjectives, or other words, that can be spared.
(b.) Interline any omitted words, or transpose any words,
phrases, or clauses to a better position in the sentence.
(c.) Substitute more exact words whenever, by so doing, you
can make the sentence clearer.

(d.) Go over your composition very carefully, with reference
to-1. Spelling; 2. Capitals; 3. Punctuation; 4. Grammat-
ical correctness; 5. Dot your i's and cross your t's.

VI. Copy in legible hand-writing.

2. General Principles of Sentence-making.

1. Every sentence must be complete. It must contain at least one principal subject and one principal predicate, each of which must either be expressed or clearly implied.

2. Explanatory words, phrases, or clauses must be connected as closely as possible to the words which they explain or modify.

3. In simple sentences, be careful about the position of words and phrases; in complex sentences, about the position of clauses and the use of connectives; and in compound sentences, about the use of conjunctions of the and type.

4. When there are several adverbial phrases or clauses in a sentence, they should be distributed over the sentence, instead of being crowded together near the close.

5. Avoid writing long complex or compound sentences. It is better for beginners to write short sentences.

6. Use only words whose meaning you fully comprehend. 7. Express simple ideas in plain words.

8. Avoid the use of high-sounding adjectives and high-flown lan

guage.

9. Use only words enough clearly to express your meaning.

3. The Paragraph.

I. A paragraph is a closely connected series of sentences relating to the same subject, or to some particular part of a subject. Sentences are built up of words, phrases, and clauses; paragraphs are made up of simple, complex, or compound sentences. Composition consists of a succession of connected paragraphs.

II. The art of dividing a piece of composition into paragraphs is best learned by noticing carefully the paragraphing in your

readers, histories, or other books; but the following directions may be of use to beginners:

1. In general, make a new paragraph whenever you make a new turn of thought.

2. Denote a new paragraph by beginning the sentence a short space to the right of the left-hand margin.

3. The sentences included in one paragraph should all relate to the same division of the subject.

4. The line of thought should be continued between paragraphs, if necessary, by some such connectives as and, but, moreover, however, thus, at the same time, etc.

I. NARRATION AND DESCRIPTION.

Select one of the following subjects, and write an account of where you went, what you did, and what you