HISTORY IN GRAMMAR GRADES 30 1 



sideration for several days and give the most prominent 

 headings, so leading out towards a larger, more complete 

 view of a subject. This means that two kinds of outlines 

 are being carried on in the sixth grade; or, more properly, 

 that the new step added to the fifth grade outline seems 

 temporarily like a new kind of outline. These can seldom 

 be worked out satisfactorily on the same day. If the larger 

 headings for a complete story have been developed, the 

 teacher will find that the minds are tired by this stretching 

 process, as it really is to the children, and that the hour would 

 better be filled out with some interesting narrative. The fol- 

 lowing day one of the headings from this complete outline. 

 can be treated in detailed, or paragraph outline. This will 

 be far easier work than that of the preceding day. In de- 

 veloping the outline the reading from various books should 

 be put together ; this will have its special difficulties of amal- 

 gamation, usually confusing to children, who do not compre- 

 hend at first how to combine thoughts from several authors. 

 The minds are still young. 



It is good practice occasionally to write an outline on the 

 board just as it is given by the class, and then to rearrange it 

 for continuity of thought. In an outline of any length there 

 will be much to do, and a great deal of guidance will be 

 necessary. There are two reasons why continuous thought 

 comes slowly : we are all prone to forgetfulness, leaving out 

 something that we know full well belongs in the develop- 

 ment, and putting it in when we think of it, out of its place, 

 of course; continuity of thought is a power of maturity, 

 whose fullness can not be expected from these children. It 

 is being cultivated, but its growth can not be forced, it 

 must be developed through careful, intelligent use. 



