2. Essential purpose of the book: Recreative? Instructive? Moral? Is the recreation afforded wholesome? The instruction reliable? The moral lessons sound?
3. Style: Is it clear? Correct? Beautiful? Suitable?
4. If a story, What is the strongest character in it? The most effective passage? Give reasons for thinking so. Is it true to life?
5. Is the book a creator of ideals? How so? Along what lines?
An effort was made that there should be no formal adherence to this outline. Papers on the books read were required in which the outline could not be used. For example, after reading "Men of iron" the students were required to write, in class, a paper on "The education of a boy in chivalry" based on the story of Myles Falworth.
The oral discussions of these books were often very animated.
Each student was also required to hand in an annotated list of at least 20 books actually read by the student and judged by her suitable for the grade in which she is to train. An oral discussion of these lists took place, and the student in many cases was required to justify her judgment, and to answer questions in regard to the books read.
Some of these lists were very cheering. One excellent list for the sixth grade, with very original annotations contained 60 instead of 20 books actually read, and 30 more which the student had listed to be read at her convenience.
Not all of the lists were of that character. A list for the third grade recommended "Gulliver's travels, by Gulliver" as a valuable aid in geography.
The instance is eloquent of the value of a course of study which results in the illumination or the elimination of such a student.