Chapter I: Preface

The following plans of study for the English texts commonly used in secondary schools are presented in the hope that they may be suggestive to teachers of English who are struggling with the various problems which confront them. Each teacher, of course, must work out his own plan in accordance with the needs of his pupils and the conditions under which he works; but, as it is helpful to observe the class-room work of other teachers, so it may be helpful to see a fellow teacher's plans of work. I wish to disclaim any desire to dogmatize about the methods or the details of teaching. If I have anywhere assumed a tone of authority, it has been merely for the sake of brevity in stating my opinions.

Three books on the teaching of English have recently appeared: _The Teaching of English_ by Percival Chubb, _The Teaching of English_ by Professors Carpenter, Baker, and Scott, and _Talks on Teaching Literature_ by Arlo Bates. All of these are full of inspiration and suggestion for me as they doubtless are for hundreds of others; they ought to be within reach of every progressive teacher of English. The present volume is essentially different from these in purpose. It aims, not at a discussion of the principles of teaching, but at the application of certain principles to the teaching of some of the books required for admission to college.

References by page or line to the book under discussion are to the texts of the Gateway Series.

For suggestions concerning the plan of the book and certain of its details, I am under obligations to Dr. Henry van Dyke. I desire also to express my thanks for helpful criticism to several of my fellow teachers in the Morris High School, especially to Mr. Harold E. Foster who has kindly read most of the manuscript.

G. S. BLAKELY. THE MORRIS HIGH SCHOOL.

CONTENTS

PAGE

THE TEACHING OF THE NOVEL 7

Outline for the Study of _Ivanhoe_ 10

" " " " " _The Vicar of Wakefield_ 16

" " " " " _Cranford_ 20

" " " " " _Silas Marner_ 24

THE TEACHING OF NARRATIVE POETRY 30

Outline for the Study of _The Lady of the Lake_ 33

" " " " " _The Ancient Mariner_ 40

" " " " " _The Idylls of the King_ 44

THE TEACHING OF LYRIC POETRY 54

Outline for the Study of _L'Allegro_ and _Il Penseroso_ 55

" " " " " _Lycidas_ 57

" " " " " _The Deserted Village_ 60

THE TEACHING OF THE DRAMA 63

Outline for the Study of _The Merchant of Venice_ 67

" " " " " _As You Like It_ 72

" " " " " _Julius Caesar_ 75

" " " " " _Macbeth_ 79

" " " " " _Comus_ 83

THE TEACHING OF THE ESSAY 86

Outline for the Study of the _Sir Roger de Coverley Papers_ 88

" " " " " Irving's _Sketch-Book_ 93

" " " " " Franklin's _Autobiography_ 99

Outline for the Study of Carlyle's _Essay on Burns_ 101

" " " " " Macaulay's _Life of Johnson_ 104

" " " " " Burke's _Speech on Conciliation_ 107

" " " " " Emerson's _Essays_ 114

" " " " " Webster's _First Bunker Hill Oration_ 123

" " " " " Washington's _Farewell Address_ 127