TO THE TEACHER

The successful study of language is a coöperative enterprise in which pupils and teacher have their appropriate parts. In this coöperative enterprise, books are important, indeed practically indispensable aids.

This is the pupils' book; it is indispensable. There is another book, the teacher's Manual, called the Aldine Language Method, Second Book, which was written, every word of it, for you. Thorough study of this Manual, and constant reference to it, will enable you to use this, the pupils' book, with the greatest success. Every chapter and section in the pupils' book has a corresponding chapter and section in your Manual. Every chapter in the Manual contains directions and suggestions that will aid you in teaching the corresponding chapter in this book. In not a few cases, indeed, material for entire lessons is given in your Manual, and not in the pupils' book. Hence, the Manual is not only useful; it is indispensable.

Examine the last chapter of this book, Chapter Twentyfour. It contains material for reference and review. You will frequently find it useful in a variety of ways.

ALDINE

SECOND LANGUAGE BOOK

CHAPTER ONE

THE SPEECH OF AMERICA; THE AMERICAN SPEECH PLEDGE

Note to the teacher: Read the note on the page opposite, also the Preface in the teachers' Manual. Then be guided by the directions and suggestions in Chapter One of the Manual, section by section, as you take up with the pupils the corresponding sections in this, the pupils' book.

I. A STORY TO READ AND THINK ABOUT

"I Can"

One spring day, a year or two after the World War, a bright-faced boy called at Mr. Carson's office. On being asked his business the boy answered: "I seen yer ad in las' night's News, and I come to see if I c'n git de job."

"No," answered Mr. Carson, " you will not do. I advertised for an all American boy."

"W'at do you mean?" asked the boy.

"Ain't

I an Amurikin? I was born right here in the United States. My father and my mother was born here. Don't that make me a good-enough Amurikin?"

"No; more than that is needed to make you a ' good-enough' American. A boy born in a far-off country may be just as good an American as you, if "Oh, I know w'at yer mean!" interrupted the boy. "Any feller. that lives here and loves our country feller, that and our flag is a reel Amurikin. Well, let me tell yer something! There ain't any boy that loves this country and the Stars and Stripes better than I love them. If I'd been old enough I'd been over in France fightin', with my big brother. Say, doncher believe me?"

Yes," answered Mr. Carson, "I do believe you.' "Then w'at more do yer want? W'ere do I fall down?" cried the boy.

"I will tell you what more I want," said Mr. Carson, " and where I think you' fall down' on the job of being an all American boy.

"When you came into my office I thought you were just the boy I wanted. You look bright, healthy, and strong. I'm sure you are good at all out-of-door games."

The boy nodded and Mr. Carson continued: "But. when you spoke I knew at once that you are not an all American boy because you do not speak the language of America correctly."

W'at do yer mean?" cried the boy in real surprise. "In the few sentences you have spoken to me, you have made several errors in speech. You used words incorrectly; you failed to pronounce letters in a number

A STORY TO READ AND THINK ABOUT

19

of common words; you mispronounced several words. Why, my boy, you even mispronounced the word American! See," continued Mr. Carson, writing the word on his desk pad, "it is spelled A-m-e-r-i-c-a-n, and you pronounced it Amurikin.

"Now I will tell you why the boy I choose must speak the language of America correctly.

"I have adopted a French orphan, a boy about your age, who was saved from death by an American soldier. In France this boy learned to love Americans; he knows the beauty of our flag; he is learning to know and to love the beauties of our country; but he does not yet know our language. I want a boy to play with him, to teach him American boys' games; most of all, I want a boy who will teach him to speak the speech of America correctly, clearly, and sincerely, so that when he goes to school in September he will not feel strange."

Mr. Carson stopped and looked at the boy, who stood staring at the paper on which Mr. Carson had written the word American.

'Well, my boy," said Mr. Carson, "tell me honestly, can you do what I want done?"

The boy was silent for a moment, then he lifted his eyes to Mr. Carson's and answered bravely, "Not now, Mr. Carson, but sometime" He stopped suddenly, and with a forefinger covered the first two syllables of the word American, leaving in sight the last two, ican.

"See what that says," cried the boy. "I can, and I will! I am going to begin today to learn to speak like an all American. Next year I'll come back and show you that I'm a real, all American boy!"

"Good for you!" cried Mr. Carson, grasping the boy's hand warmly. "You have discovered a great truth. In every true American, as in the word itself, there is always an 'I can.' Make your 'I can,' 'I will.' Learn to speak your country's language correctly, clearly, and sincerely. Take for your daily motto these words, 'One country, one language, one flag.' So you will become an all American.”

Was Mr. Carson right in wanting the French orphan to learn to use the speech of America correctly? Why?

If you had answered Mr. Carson's advertisement, wouldn't you have felt proud to have him say, "You are just the boy I want"? Do you try to make your speech beautiful, so that all who hear you will have pleasure?

Remember that in every true American, as in the word American, there is an "I can." Whenever the true American has anything to do, he says first, "I can!" Then he says, "I will!" The task for every young American studying this book, is learning to use the speech of America correctly. This means to speak correctly, to