a GIRL LEARNS ENGLISH 1 AND WRITES Among the bright compositions collected from the various public schools of theclty and filed by the Board ot Education Is one written by Jennie Grossman, a 13-year-old pupil of the Shields School, who a year and a half ago was unable to speak a. single word of English. Jennie Is in the first quarter of the third grade. She has accomplished In a year and a half what is not expected of an ordinary child In less than three years. Until last week, when she was promoted, her teacher was Miss Mabel A. Coan. This pupil was born In Russia and lived there until she was 8 years old. For several years after her parents came to this city she did not attend any school, as they did not speak .the English language and did not know of the provisions for children's schooling. By chance they happened to learn that their home. So. 701 Bldd:e street, was in the district of the Shields School, and a year and a half ago the child was enrolled as a pupil there. It Is not an Uncommon thing in the Shields School to receive children in the primary department of the language, and the teachers regard Instruction in that line as a part of the regular routine. From the first Jennie Grossman showed an aptitude to learn and was promoted from grade to grade as she deserved. Miss Coan, who was the child's teacher when the essay was written, teaches her children ethics In a simple manner, and without their discovering that they are in the least dealing with life lessons. It is her custom to read some simple story wltS a strong moral and require strict attention from her pupils. Afterwards they are required to reproduce It In their own language and point out the lesson which they think is taught STORT OF THE SUNBEAM. The particular story that gave rise to the omposltlon was a translation from the French, entitled 'The Sunbeam." Tho pupils were not required to write It until two days after it had been read. It was done then without aid or assistance from the teacher, and without suggestion as to the choice of words or phrases. Extracts from the composition that attracted the attention of an official of the Board of Education is here given exactly as It was written by Jennie Grossman. It Is morning- and tho ran "l shlnlnc and little Helen is atlll asleep. No one ha entered her chamber and little Helen seems to be dreaming. IN 18 MONTHS t AN ATTRACTIVE ESSAY. W0TPT& niTi .-"-' BBIBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBIBBBBBBBBB JENNIE GROSSMAN. Thirteen-year-old pupil of the ShleliH School, -who was unable to speak English eighteen months ago, hut who has written recently a bright composition In that language. To' eh Is smiling. The ftrt thine he tccIvm 1 a klu from who? Can you ruessf Is It fron a bird 7 The shutters are closed and the door K too. It Is ths sunbeam who has planted a. Mrt on her lips. Little Helen wakes up; he rut- her eyes and looks all around. She saw ttv? sun creeptnr tn through a crack of ths shutter Then she said to the sunbeam "I think yo't have been np a Ions; time and worked hard. Tell mo of some things you have sen this momlnit. Did you ses any children?" '1 think I did; I saw Lizzie- In the yard feeding the chickens and little Annie had milked th cows and went to-fbrins milk to everybody, ami I saw John driving the goats to ths meadow, and I think,, now. It Is time- for you to get up. "Tea," answered little Helen. "J will get np and start to work, and to-morrow when yuu come attthls time you will not find me here." And so little Helen got up and made her toilet and ate her breakfast tfnd started to work, ami from that tlms on she became a hard little worker.
