PART III THE GREAT AMERICAN EXPERIMENT AN INTRODUCTION (page 253) To give the pupils an idea of what to expect in Part III and to help put them in a receptive mood the teacher may read the Introduction to the class. Ask the pupils to listen carefully and to select from the reading one sentence that seems particularly expressive of a worth-while idea. Each pupil may record his particular sentence in his notebook. From the Contents, pages 8 and 9, the pupils may read the titles that belong under each one of these headings: Passionate desire for liberty, American idea of free government, Spirit of service. The following questions may be used in discussing informally the authors represented in Part III: Which authors are familiar to you? What have you read by them? Which authors are British? Which American? Which ones are living today? Have you or members of your family heard or seen any of them? THE ETERNAL SPIRIT OF FREEDOM THE ISLES OF GREECE (page 261) This poem may be studied out of class, the pupils getting all the help possible from the Notes and Questions, pages 263 to 265. If the study is directed the pupils will be able to derive much benefit even though they work independently. In assigning the poem, therefore, ask the pupils to read in order: 1. To find out why Byron recalled the glory of ancient Greece to the Greeks in 1820 and why this poem is included in the group entitled "The Eternal Spirit of Freedom." 2. To learn one or more facts concerning the history of Greece. 3. To try to appreciate the musical quality of the poem. (See Question 10, page 264). 4. To learn two or more important facts regarding Byron's life or works. During the class period the pupils may pool the results of their study into a common fund, thus extending their individual knowledge and perhaps correcting and fixing the results of their own study. The poem may be read by the teacher and by volunteer readers from the class. PAUL REVERE'S RIDE (page 265) CONCORD HYMN (page 270) The pupils' study of the Revolutionary War may be enriched by the reading of these two poems-one a ballad, the other a lyric, both of which have taken on a new significance by the sesquicentennial celebration, April 1925. Suggest to the boys that they study for class presentation the ballad "Paul Revere's Ride," using in preparation the study helps on page 269. Preceding the final class reading one boy may tell the story of the ride from a map sketched on the blackboard, using the outline on page 269. Another boy may tell the class about the many-sided life of Paul Revere, the dentist, blacksmith, silversmith, statesman, and patriot, calling attention to the exhibition of beautiful silver-tea-sets, trays, chalices, etc.—by Paul Revere in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. (See Paul Revere, The Torch Bearer of the Revolution, Moses.) Still another boy may tell the class about the setting of the poem, which is taken from "Tales of a Wayside Inn," with a description of the old inn "in Sudbury town," the landlord, and the guests as told in the "Prelude," and possibly something of how the inn is being used by the present owner, Henry Ford. The girls, on the other hand, may enjoy preparing a class presentation of the "Concord Hymn." They may find a familiar tune for the poem ("Oh, God beneath thy guiding hand," Tune: Duke Street) and choose a group to sing the hymn to the class as they imagine it might have been sung at the celebration in 1836. One girl may like to show the class a picture of the "votive stone," perhaps a larger copy than the one on page One or more girls may like to report on magazine accounts of the celebration in April, 1925. 252. I HAVE A RENDEZVOUS WITH DEATH (page 271) ROUGE BOUQUET (page 273) These two poems representing the work of two American soldier-poets may be assigned for study in order to give an effective reading before the class. One, perhaps preferably "Rouge Bouquet," may be studied by the boys and the other by the girls. Each group may include in their class presentation: showing a picture of the poet; telling interesting facts from his biography; having the best reader in the group read the poem; relating interesting facts from the Discussion; reading other poems by the same author as suggested on pages 272 and 275. AMERICA'S EXPERIMENT IN FREE GOVERNMENT A GROUP OF FAMOUS ORATIONS LIBERTY AND UNION (page 279) The extract "Liberty and Union," from "Washington's Farewell Address," presents technical difficulties with its succession of words unfamiliar to the average pupil and with its long periodic sentences, and yet the ideas involved are not beyond the intelligence of the average eighthgrade pupil. However, it is best to have the teacher read the selection to the class in connection with their study of American history. Because Washington in this address expresses his ideas on the most fundamental points in American government, points that seem to have a new significance with each generation, it would be unfortunate indeed not to give every boy and girl an opportunity to become acquainted with this address even though they are too immature to grasp the truths in their fulness. After the teacher's reading the pupils will be able to select from the text sentences in which Washington expresses his ideas on such important subjects as: Union Obedience to Law Amending the Constitution Importance of Education in a Democracy GETTYSBURG ADDRESS (page 289) The teacher in all probability will ask the pupils to learn by heart the "Gettysburg Address." Much interest will be added to the study of the address if a copy of The Century, for February, 1894, is used as suggested on page 291. One of America's foremost historians recently said, "The best way to teach Americanism in the schools is by teaching the heroism of our own countrymen. Heroism displayed at Gettysburg was declared to be equal to that shown at Thermopylae or by the Light Brigade at Balaklava." SPARTACUS TO THE GLADIATORS (page 257) THE AMERICAN EXPERIMENT (page 284) ABRAHAM LINCOLN (page 291) HOME AND COUNTRY (page 296) |