Composition-Rhetoric Part 61

I. There is no necessity for such examinations.

1. The teacher knows the pupil's standing from his daily recitations.

2. Monthly reviews or tests may be subst.i.tuted if desirable.

II. The evils arising from examinations more than offset any advantages that may be derived from them.

1. The best pupils are likely to work hardest, and to overtax their strength.

2. Pupils often aim to pa.s.s rather than to know their subject.

3. A temptation to cheat is placed before them.

III. Examinations are not a fair test of a pupil's ability.

1. A pupil may know his subject as a whole and yet not be able to answer one or two of the questions given him.

2. A pupil who has done poor work during the term may cram for an examination and pa.s.s very creditably.

3. Pupils are likely to be tired out at the end of the term and often are not able to do themselves justice.

NEGATIVE

If the writer should choose to defend the negative of the above proposition, the brief might be as follows:--

I. Examinations are indispensable to school work.

1. In no other way can teachers find out so well what their pupils know about their subjects, especially in large cla.s.ses.

2. They are essential as an incentive to pupils who are inclined to let their work lag.

II. As a rule they are fair tests of a pupil's ability.

1. Pupils who prepare the daily recitations well are almost sure to pa.s.s a good examination.

2. Pupils who cram are likely to write a hurried, faulty examination.

3. It seldom happens that many in a cla.s.s are too worn out to take a term examination.

III. They prepare the pupils for later examinations.

(1) For college entrance examinations.

(2) For examinations at college.

(3) For civil service examinations.

(4) For examinations for teachers' certificates.

EXERCISES

_A._ Write out subordinate propositions proving the main subdivisions.

Also change the arrangement when you think it desirable to do so.

1. Two sessions are preferable to one in a high school.

(1) One long session is too fatiguing to both teachers and pupils.

(2) Boys and girls as a rule study better at school than they do at home.

(3) The time after school is long enough for recreation.

2. The pupils of this high school should be granted a holiday during the street (county or state) fair.

(1) They will all go at least one day.

(2) It will cause less interruption in the school work if they all go the same day.

3. Women should be allowed to vote.

(1) They are now taxed without representation.

(2) Whenever they have been allowed to take part in the affairs of the government, it has been an advantage to that government.

(3) Many of them are much more intelligent than some men who vote.

_B._ Write out briefs for the following propositions (affirmative or negative):--

1. High school studies should be made elective in the last two years of the course.

2. The government should own and control the railroads of our country.

3. The old building on the corner of ---- Street ought to be removed.

4. Latin should not be made a compulsory study.

5. Reading newspapers is unprofitable.

6. Laws should be made to prohibit all adulteration of foods.

7. We are all selfish.

8. A system of self-government should be introduced into our school.

+Theme CIV.+--_Write out the argument for one of the preceding propositions._

(Examine the brief carefully before beginning to write.

Can you improve it? )

+Theme CV.+--_Write a theme proving one of the following propositions:_--

1. Immigration is detrimental to the United States.

2. The descriptions in _Ivanhoe_ are better than those in the _House of the Seven Gables_.