McGuffey's Fourth Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition · Lesson LXVIII · Part 7: Lost and found

72. Dare to do Right, part 2, by Thomas Hughes

Goal: Your child reads about Tom's struggle and explains the two lessons he learned.

⏱ About 30 minutes · 7 steps

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You'll need

  • The book, open to this lesson
  • A notebook or lined paper and a pencil

What's in the book

The conclusion: Tom Brown lies awake, ashamed that he stopped saying his prayers when he came to school. The next morning he kneels in front of the whole room. Notes about Dr. Arnold of Rugby, Definitions and Exercises follow.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Warm up

    Have your child tell what happened to Arthur on his first night.

  2. Words and meanings

    The new words are at the end of the lesson, under Definitions. The small number in front of each word is the paragraph or verse where it is used. Read them together before the lesson. A few of them:

    Loathed, hated, detested.

    Testimony, open declaration.

    Faltered, hesitated.

    Subtle, artful, cunning.

    The book also has a note: Dr. Thomas Arnold was head master at Rugby nearly fifteen years, and his influence on the character of the boys was very marked.

  3. Read it aloud

    Your child reads it aloud. Read Tom's struggle slowly. Here is what Tom realized about himself:

    He had lied to his mother, to his conscience, to his God.

  4. Talk about it

    SayRelate Tom's early experience at Rugby. Was it courageous in him to stop saying his prayers?

    SayHow did he feel over it? What did he resolve to do?

    SayDid he carry out his resolve? What happened?

    SayWhat two lessons was he taught?

    Let your child look back at the page to find answers.

  5. Tell it back

    For a written narration, your child writes a paragraph: What did Tom learn from little Arthur?

  6. Copywork

    Your child copies this from the book, slowly and neatly, minding every capital letter and mark of punctuation:

    He found, too, how greatly he had exaggerated the effect to be produced by his act.

  7. Words to learn

    Learn: leaven, loathed, braggart, vowing, testimony, faltered, motive, subtle. Spell each aloud, then write it with its meaning.

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