Part One

Lesson 1 - Selection for study

The Finding of Moses

Many hundred years ago, in the land of Egypt, a Hebrew mother placed her baby boy in a tiny boat made of bulrushes and hid him among the reeds by the riverside. She did this because Pharaoh, the king of the country, had ordered that all the Hebrew baby boys should be killed. The mother left the child hidden there, while his sister Miriam stood far-off to watch.

At about noon the daughter of Pharaoh went down to the river to bathe. As she and her maids walked slowly along the bank, they saw the boat among the rushes. Wondering what it could be, the princess bade one of her maids to bring it to her.

There in the boat of bulrushes they found the baby boy. When he cried, the king's daughter had compassion on him and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children."

Then said his sister Miriam to the princess, "Shall I go and call a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?"

And the king's daughter said to her, "Go."

The sister ran quickly and called the baby's mother.

Pharaoh's daughter said to the mother, "Take the child and nurse it for me, and I will pay thee thy wages."

After the child had grown larger, he went to live with the king's daughter as her son. She called his name Moses, for she said, "I drew him out of the water."

1. Read the story and tell it.

2. Describe the picture.

LESSON 2 - NAMES OF PERSONS AND PLACES

1. From the story, "The Finding of Moses," copy:

A. The name of the baby

B. The name of the baby's sister

C. The name of the king

2. With what kind of letter does the name of a person or place begin?

3. Make a rule for this use of the capital letter.

4. Write the names of -

A. two countries D. four cities

B. five boys E. two states

C. two celebrated men F. five girls

LESSON 3 - SELECTION FOR STUDY

The Stone in the Road

There was once a king who lived in a beautiful palace near a little village. He loved the people in the village and tried in many ways to help them.

But the people were selfish and did not try to help one another. The good king wished to teach them a lesson, so he arose early one morning and placed a large stone in the road which led past his palace. Then, hiding himself nearby, he watched to see what would happen.

Soon a woman came along driving some goats to pasture. She scolded because the stone was in the way, and stepping over it she went on up the road.

By and by a man came, riding a donkey. He complained about the stone but drove around it and went on his way.

Other people came and went. Each remarked about the stone, but no one tried to move it.

At last, when the day was almost ended, the miller's boy came down the road. Seeing the stone he halted and put down the bundle he was carrying.

"This stone should not be here," he said. "Someone might fall over it. I will move it out of the way."

The stone was heavy, and the boy could scarcely lift it. But by repeated efforts he at last pushed it from its place and rolled it to one side. As he turned to continue on his way, he saw that in the place where the stone had been there was a bag upon which something was written. Bending closer he read these words: "This bag of gold belongs to the one who helps others by removing the stone from the road."

The miller's boy carried his treasure homeward with a happy heart, and as the king returned to his palace he said, "I am glad that I have found someone who is unselfish enough to think of the comfort of others."

1. Tell the story, from the following outline:

A. The king

B. The people

C. The stone in the road

D. The people who passed

E. The miller's boy

F. The bag of gold

2. Read, in the last part of the story, what the king said.

3. With what kind of letter is the word I always written?

4. Make a rule for this use of the capital letter.

LESSON 4 - SELECTION TO BE MEMORIZED

True worth is in being, not seeming;

In doing each day that goes by

Some little good; not in the dreaming

Of great things to do by and by.

For whatever men say in their blindness,

And spite of the fancies of youth,

There's nothing so kingly as kindness,

And nothing so royal as truth.

- Alice Cary

1. Copy the quotation and memorize it.

LESSON 5 - Composition - A Prince Story

1. Read the story, "The Stone in the Road," then make a similar story about a prince and a beautiful jewel. The prince places the jewel in a bucket far down in a deep well, then he dresses himself up as a poor old man and asks all who pass to draw water for him to drink.

2. Make an outline of your story.

3. Tell the story from the outline.

4. Begin your story in this way: Once upon a time, a prince ____________________. . .