and emphasize the idea that every word spoken by the speaker that is quoted, and not one word more, must be inclosed in quotation marks. If this can be done with one set of quotation marks, then only one set should be used; if one set is not sufficient, as many sets must be used as are required.

This illustration may help to make this matter clear to the children, and to fix it in their minds. A farmer whose land is all in one lot can fence all his land with a single fence; but a farmer whose land is in two or more separate lots must put up as many fences as he has separate lots of land.

II (53). Writing the Fable from Dictation

Dictate the fable The Donkey and the Race Horse. Dictate by complete sentences only. Break no sentence in dictation, reading only two or three words at a time; the longer sentences may be repeated before the children write. The exercise is not on the writing of words, but of sentences. Do not be swerved from this plan because some children forget the sentence before they have completed it. Let them do better with the next one.

Continued practice will soon enable children to grasp and to hold in mind complete sentences, even when quite long, while they write them. Fewer mistakes will be made when dictation is taken by sentences, rather than by words, or even by phrases.

MAKING AND TELLING ORIGINAL FABLES 49

If your pupils tend to make many mistakes, try to prevent these by preceding the dictation with a few questions, such as these:

In titles, what words are written with capitals?
Where is the first word of a paragraph written ?
What words are inclosed in quotation marks?
How does every sentence begin ?

III (53). Correcting the Dictation

Have pupils correct their own papers under your direction, always giving reasons for all corrections. (See p. 16.)

IV (53). Making and Telling Original Fables

Too often children are required or permitted to attempt the writing of a story before they have the thoughts they wish to express clearly in mind, and before they have a clear conception of the form in which they are to express their thoughts. No smal! part of the adequate preparation for writing consists in removing such fatal obstacles as these.

This oral exercise in the making and telling of fables should do much to prepare pupils for the written exercise which is to follow. With that written exercise in view, do not hesitate to give all the time necessary to this. Take time to have each fable suggested in the pupils' book worked out in good and brief form.

Do not be concerned if the children's fables show

but little variety in the first paragraphs. The second paragraph, in which excuses for defeat are given, is easily capable of much variation. For example, in the fable of The Snail and the Rabbit, the snail might give any one of such excuses as these:

The ground is so rough.

My shell is so very heavy.

The rabbit started before I was ready.
I hurt one of my feelers a year ago.
A stone was in my way.

The dew wet me.
It was too hot.

In the fable of The the crow might give

excuses:

I have a bad cold.

My throat is very sore.

I am hoarse.

I am out of practice.

Crow and the Nightingale, any one of the following

I cannot sing well when the sun is so bright (or when it is so cloudy) (or when the wind blows so cold).

I am too hungry to sing well.

I have flown so far to get here that I am tired.

After studying thus each fable suggested, to bring out its possibilities, let several different pupils select a title, and, after thinking over the form for a minute, come, one after another, before the class and tell their fables. Correct, and have pupils take part in correcting, mistakes, particularly of form,

errors.

ENLARGING A PARAGRAPH

51

such as the excessive use of and, and grammatical The better form you are able to get now, the fewer will be the mistakes in the pupils' papers when they attempt to write their fables.

V (55). Writing Original Fables

Pass about among the children constantly as they write to give help where needed. See that they are observing the four things that their book cautions them about. Let them correct at once any mistakes

that they are making.

Supplementary Work

I. Select a few of the best fables written, and let the writers copy or paste them into a scrap or blank book which may be entitled Original Fables. Have other fables added, from time to time, as the children write especially good ones. By the end of the year you will have a most interesting book of original fables.

2. Let pupils write one or more additional fables teaching the same lesson as The Donkey and the Race Horse. Each pupil may take from his book a title on which he has not written, or he may "make up" a title.

VI (56). Enlarging a Paragraph

In studying this exercise with the pupils, as it is outlined in their book, have them give a variety of

suitable answers to each question. For example, they may suggest that the horse replies to the boasting of the donkey in some one of the following ways: Let us run from here to the pasture

"How foolish you are!

bars."

"That is easily proved. I will run a race with you." "Come, we will run a race.

The other animals shall be judges."

"Such boasting needs proof. I will race you to the other side of the field."

"Prove your boasting by beating me in a race."

The children may suggest that the onlooking animals speak as follows, at the conclusion of the

race:

"Now do you see how foolish you are, donkey?" "What a fine racer the donkey is!"

"The silly boaster has been defeated."

"Learn your lesson, foolish donkey. Don't boast."

Require the children always to give complete sentences. Either write yourself or have a child write on the board one of the several answers that are proposed to each of the questions in the pupils' book. At the conclusion of the exercise, you will have a connected story somewhat like this:

One day a donkey said to a horse, "Is that as fast as you can run? I can easily beat you."

The horse answered, "That you may prove. with you."

Of course the donkey was defeated. laughed and said, "Served him right! boaster."

I will run a race

Then the other animals

Nobody likes a foolish