Delancey Street Fire Reporting 1842

Using any and all technology at your disposal, your assignment is to copy every word from The New York Herald's, The New York Tribune's, and The New York Aurora's articles on the Delancey Street Fire from their April 1, 1842 editions. (The Article's must appear in separate Google Docs, which you share with me.

Whitman, the Ad Man

Watch the following advertisements using Walt Whitman's words (one, at least, his actual voice) and relate the advertisements back to his poetry and other writings. Do you think Whitman would approve of the advertisements? Why or why not? Do you approve of the advertisers using Whitman's poetry in their ads? Why or why not? Whitman's writing is so old—So, why are these corporations, who are certainly marketing to your generation, using Whitman? What does this say about Whitman and his writing? Please use at least one direct quotation from your readings in your response. Your post should be 6-10 sentences long and should agree or disagree with an earlier post from one of your peers.

Early American Journalism Post

After reading through the journalism readings from "Covering America" write a 6-10 sentence response to how and why you think Franklin's approach to journalism developed from "cautionary" to one that embraces openness and critique. Other things to consider: Why is his emphasis on "fair play" so important to American Journalism? Do you relate to this idea of open, direct communication or do you relate more with the cautiousness of Franklin's earlier approach? Which approach do you see here at Proctor?

Walt Whitman's New York Aurora Post

After reading over one issue of the New York Aurora (Clink the LINK)(from either March 16, March 23, or April 1 1842), I'd like you to reflect in a meaningful and substantial way (20 sentences or so) on what you take away from engaging with a newspaper from the 1840s. (It may take a few minutes to load the link, but it's worth it… Check out one copy of this old newspaper!) What insight(s) does this experience give you into daily life in 1840s New York City? How does reading this newspaper change the way you view the time period? How is this newspaper different from the newspapers of today? How does Whitman's contribution fit into the overall experience of the newspaper? Please use at least two direct quotes (if not five!) in your response. Please, also, response to something said earlier in the comments stream. The purpose of this exercise is to provide you with a window into early American life, and into the early writings of Walt Whitman. The more you engage with the newspaper and with each others' thoughts, the more you will get out of the exercise.

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How to find Whitman's writing:

• March 16th edition:  Page 2, column 2: "Life in a New York Market"
• March 21rd edition: Page 2, column 2: "The Last of Lively Frank"
• April 1st edition: Page 2, column 2: "Scenes of Last Night"

**In addition to Whitman's column, please make sure that you look through the rest of the issue. You do not have to read every word in the edition; however, I'd like you to read through a good portion of the edition. Please get a good feel for the newspaper as a whole, and get a sense of how this newspaper of the 1840s differs from newspapers of today.

More Effective Speeches

Listen to the at least THREE of the four following speeches and, in the comments stream, argue which one you like the best. Discuss all three of the speeches in your comments. Refer also to the "How to Give a Great Speech" article and the Aristotelean Triad - Logos (the argument or ideas presented by the speaker), Pathos (the emotional appeal of the speech), Ethos (the moral fortitude or sense of the speaker's authority on a subject) in your post. To which of these modes of persuasion does your favorite speech to refer most? How does your favorite speech follow (or break) the rules laid out in the "How to Give a Great Speech" article.


"If I Should have a Daughter" by Sarah Kay

"Schools Kill Creativity" by Ken Robinson

"Looks Aren't Everything: Believe me, I'm a Model" by Cameron Russell

JK Rowling's Harvard Commencement in 2008

Speech Topic

Post the topic for your speech in the comments section and write one paragraph (6-10 sentences) describing what you are going to write about.

Past Proctor Speeches

Listen to Helen Denning's Assembly Speech (Check out her current blog, The Buson's Boots), and Slyvie Bertrand and Cortand Begor's Hays Speeches, then write a 6-10 sentence response describing your reaction to either Cortland's, Sylvie's, and or Denning's speeches. Pay attention to what works. What makes the speech you choose to write about a really good speech?



Sylvie Bertrand (now a sophomore ski racer at Brown University):


Cortland Begor (now a freshman at Dartmouth College & founder of TimberStix):

Hays Speech Topic Ideas

Please post TWO topic ideas for your Hays Speech in the comments section below. This is an initial brainstorm for topics and is meant to help everyone see the possible topics that might be available to write about. You are not bound to give your speech on one of these topics.

Hay's Speech Blog Post

After watching the Matt Nathanson, David Foster Wallace, and Steve Jobs commencement speeches, please pick out and respond to one quotation from one of the speeches in 6-10 sentences. When responding, you might choose to answer what makes this such a good line for a speech. (please try to not use quotations already in the comments section).

Study Blog Post

Study for test. Please post one study question on the American Literature Blog AND answer (or add to already posted answer) to one of your classmate's question. (To do so, you will have to REPLY to a COMMENT)

Would Emerson Approve of Proctor Academy?

As pairs, please post your carefully crafted thesis statements on the question, "Would Emerson approve of Proctor Academy?" in the comments section below.

Emerson: "American Scholar" Post

Would Emerson approve? In this blog response, I’d like you to look at Proctor Academy through the eyes of Emerson. How does the school both foster and hinder a Romantic/Transcendental outlook on life – through its classes, experiential programs, schedule, sports offerings, social life, rules, etc.? When writing this response, please pay particular attention to the central aspirations and beliefs that Emerson espouses in his essays “Nature,” “Self-Reliance,” and “The American Scholar.” Specifically, I want to you to describe two or more aspects of Proctor you think Emerson would approve of and at least one aspect that you think he would disapprove of. Overall, do you think Emerson would approve of Proctor Academy? Why or why not. (Please take some time to craft your response. Responses should be 10-20 sentences long, roughly two paragraphs. Please include at least two short quotations in your response to back up your points).

Inequality Extra Credit Assignment

After reading to THIS Washington Post article, please write a 10 sentence response linking the article to the writings of at least one Founding Father (who we've read). There is no specific question that you have to answer for this post, I just want you to respond in some way (for at least 10 sentences). Please use at least one direct quotation in your response and comment on at least one other comment in the comments stream (if you are first in the comments stream, you can skip this step).

Emerson Blog Post

Pick out two important passages from either Emerson's essay "Nature" or from "Self-Reliance" that help you understand American Romanticism and/or Transcendentalism in some way. Write down your quotations in the comments section and write a paragraph (6-10 sentences) explaining how this quotation relates to one of the qualities of American Romanticism and/or Transcendentalism as explained in the "American Romanticism Overview" or the "Transcendentalism Overview" in your American Literature Reader. Do not write about a quotation someone has already written about previously in the comments stream.

American Dream Blog Post

Watch the following video, "Silver and Light," and name two essential aspects of the American Dream. Please give at least one clear example for each of the qualities that you mention. The trick to this assignment is that you will not receive credit for mentioning a quality that has previously been mentioned in the comments stream. Please write using clear, grammatically correct sentences. No shorthand. No lists.

American Dream from Ian Ruhter : Alchemist on Vimeo.

Happiness Post

After reading Franklin's "The Way to Wealth" and Jefferson's "The Declaration of Independence," I'd like you to look at this post, "10 Easy Things That Will Make You Happier, Backed By Science." Next, I'd like you to ruminate in the comments section about whether or not you think contemporary mainstream American culture helps or hinders individuals in their pursuit of happiness. Why or why not? Give some examples to your personal life. Explain whether or not you think the happiness the scientists are talking about is the same or different than the happiness that Franklin and Jefferson describe. Your post should be 6-10 sentences long and should agree or disagree with an earlier post from one of your peers.

Multiple Visions of the New World

After reading this very short packet of New Netherlands readings and a short selection from William Bradford's "Of Plymouth Plantation," I'd like you to describe the different views that you notice between the Pilgrim and Dutch settlers as they come face-to-face with the the New World. Then, after some research and/or reflection, I'd like you to write a thesis statement explaining why you think these differences existed. Please write in the comments section of this post a minimum of   6 sentences, including the thesis statement. (Trouble logging into Blogger? Check out these directions)