This letter is written in only one paragraph. Why is it not written in several paragraphs? Write a topic for General Pershing's letter.

Why should the various thoughts in a letter be paragraphed? Before you begin the writing of your next letter, think over carefully the points you intend to write and make an outline of them. Then follow your outline in writing the letter.

Written work.

If you are a Boy Scout, write to a friend telling him about some of your Scout activities. If you are not a Boy Scout, perhaps you are interested in some activity such as the following:

1. The Junior Red Cross

2. A Settlement House

3. A Neighborhood Club for Boys
4. A Neighborhood Club for Girls
5. A Public Playground

6. A Student's Aid Club in School

7. A Social Workers' Club

8. The Camp-fire Girls of America
9. An Athletic Team

Write a letter to a friend who is interested in your work, telling what you are doing to help in this club work.

Read your letter to the class. will tell you:

Your classmates

1. Whether the letter is cordial. Whether it is the kind of letter they should like to receive.

2. What expressions in the letter make it sound friendly.

PART TWO

86. A TALE OF THE YUKON COUNTRY A group of heroic dog-team drivers and their huskies have added another great story to the tales of America's Northland. Through an Arctic blizzard that screamed by at the rate of eighty miles an hour, driving before it great clouds of cutting, blinding snow, these "mushers" stuck to the trail to save the lives of their fellow men.

The inhabitants of Nome were stricken with malignant diphtheria, known in Alaska as the "Black Death," and there was but one doctor and no medicine. Thousands of lives were in danger, and their only hope was in a twentypound package containing the life-saving anti-toxin serum, which was being relayed from the railroad by dog team.

The snow, driven by the fury of the storm, cruelly scourged the brave men and their plucky man-serving dogs as they fought their way in 50-below-zero weather, over a trail that led across torturous crags of ice pack and through snowdrifts waist deep.

The last lap of this dangerous journey was made by Gunnar Kassan with his crack dog team, led by the beautiful, big Balto, conceded to be one of the cleverest and pluckiest lead dogs of the Yukon.

When the driver could not see even the nearest dog, somehow Balto kept to the trail; when the way led over the clear, pathless ice of the frozen lagoons, Balto know the direction and kept the course.

At last, after five and a half days of suffering so cruel that no pen can describe it, Kassan, with his face frozen, and his

weary dogs with their feet torn and bleeding, staggered into Nome and delivered the life-saving serum. As a great shout of joy and thanksgiving went up from the stricken city, Gunnar Kassan slumped down beside Balto and, half-crying, began to pick the slivers of ice from the dog's torn feet, "Balto brought us through; Balto is a fine dog," he murmured.

By radio, by telegraph, by air-mail, the glorious news of that brave deed was sent throughout the world, and wherever the account was read, men and women, girls and boys were made just a little better. Everybody honors Gunnar Kassan and big, black Balto.

Oral discussion. Wouldn't you like to know more about the daring Gunnar Kassan and his crack lead dog, Balto? You can find a full report in the Literary Digest dated February 21, 1925, and in many other papers and magazines of about that date. If you are near a good library, read the entire story.

People felt so grateful to Balto that they erected a bronze statue to his memory, and placed it in Central Park, New York. Perhaps you can bring to class a picture of the statue.

Study the picture of Gunnar Kassan and Balto. Give an oral description of Balto. Tell what kind of man you think Gunnar Kassan must be.

Written assignment. Make a written report on some current event which shows sacrifice for others, or on some other great achievement which will make the world a safer, better place for all of us.

After you have written your report, read it over carefully to see if you can improve it. Self-correction is worth much more than correction by others.

87. DESCRIPTION

I

OUR STAGE AT COMMENCEMENT TIME

As you enter our assembly room in its commencement togs you are thrilled with the glory of the flag. On the wall behind the chairs for the graduates and the dignitaries is an enormous flag. Down the sides of the stage are more flags. Most beautiful of all are the two silk flags, one at either end of the platform, with rich gold fringe and a golden cord with large tassels hanging from the golden eagle at the top of the staff.

The front of the stage is green with a row of low palms and ferns not high enough to obscure the view of the happy graduates, the principal of the school, the members of the Board of Education, the speaker, and the other dignitaries essential to this great event of our school life. And in front of the palms, hiding the front elevation of the stage are more flags. Beautiful they are as decorations, but more beautiful still in the symbolism of the young America which can add so much to the nation that cherishes "The Star-Spangled Banner."

This is a word picture of a scene familiar to American boys and girls. We call such a picture a description. Make a list of the items in this description.

Where was the writer standing when he took this word photograph?

What did he mention first, second, third?

Why do you think he first mentioned the flag on the back wall and then followed down the sides and across the front of the stage?

Would the description be as good if he had followed a less orderly arrangement? Give reasons for your

answer.