Part 3 (1/2)

Write a biographical note of about two hundred words concerning a citizen who has just come into public notice.

II. Obtaining the Facts

If the subject of the note is already distinguished, the facts can usually be collected from books and periodicals. Poole's _Index of Periodical Literature_ will point the way. Most newspapers keep an indexed ma.s.s of biographical material, which, of course, is at a reporter's disposal. When these sources fail, the man himself must be interviewed, which is a task that requires tact, politeness, persistency, a good memory, and a clear idea of the character and quant.i.ty of the information needed.

III. Models

I

James McHenry was born in Ireland, 1753; came to Philadelphia, 1771; studied medicine under Dr. Benjamin Rush; served in the Revolutionary War as surgeon; became Was.h.i.+ngton's secretary, 1778; sat in Congress, 1783-86; was a member of the Const.i.tutional Convention; was Secretary of War under Was.h.i.+ngton and Adams, 1796-1801; and died in Baltimore, 1816. His most conspicuous public service was rendered in inducing Maryland to ratify the Const.i.tution. Fort McHenry, the bombardment of which in 1814 inspired Francis Scott Key to write the _Star-Spangled Banner_, was named in McHenry's honor.

II

Alexander Hamilton is one of those great Americans of whose services to the nation no American can afford to be ignorant. As a soldier in the Revolution, no man possessed more of Was.h.i.+ngton's confidence. To him as much as to any one man was due the movement that resulted in the formation of the Const.i.tution; he took a leading part in the debates of the Convention; and the ratification of the Const.i.tution was brought about largely by the _Federalist_, a paper in which he so ably interpreted the provisions of that instrument that it has ever since been regarded as one of the world's political cla.s.sics. As Secretary of the Treasury under Was.h.i.+ngton he performed wonders; Daniel Webster said of his work in this office: ”He rent the rock of the national resources, and abundant streams of revenue gushed forth. He touched the dead corpse of Public Credit, and it sprung upon its feet.” He was born in Nevis, one of the West Indies, in 1757, and was mortally wounded by Aaron Burr in a duel, 1804, at Weehawken, New Jersey.

IV. Organization of Material

Models I and II ill.u.s.trate two types of biographical notes. That about James McHenry consists of three sentences, which give: (1) A chronological survey of his life; (2) a statement of his chief public service; (3) the fact by which he is most likely to be remembered by the casual reader. It is a good brief form to use in writing about most men and women. Model II is better if the subject is remarkable for many achievements. Its structure is as follows: (1) A keynote sentence; (2), (3), (4) three ill.u.s.trations of the fact stated in (1); (5) dates. The same principles apply to notices of living people. In writing use one model or the other; do not deviate from them, unless you first find a better model, and can persuade your teacher that it is better.

V. Exercises

1. Reduce some biography which you have read and enjoyed to a biographical note of two hundred words.

2. Write a biographical note of two hundred words about a living person of national reputation.

3. Write a biographical note of two hundred words about a living person of state or city reputation.

4. Write a biographical note about the school janitor, the school engineer, a member of your own family, your hired man, your maid, or any other interesting person from whom you can extract the desired information.

VI. Suggested Reading

Carl Schurz's _Life of Abraham Lincoln_.

VII. Memorize

THE SEVEN AGES OF MAN

All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players.

They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.

And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel And s.h.i.+ning morning face, creeping like snail Unwillingly to school. And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woful ballad Made to his mistress's eyebrow. Then a soldier, Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard; Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice, In fair round belly with good capon lined, With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, Full of wise saws and modern instances; And so he plays his part. The sixth age s.h.i.+fts Into the lean and slippered pantaloon, With spectacles on nose and pouch on side; His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice, Turning again toward childish treble, pipes And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness and mere oblivion, Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

SHAKESPEARE, _As You Like It_, Act II, Scene 7.

CHAPTER IV

REPORTING ACCIDENTS