In reviewing the several types of beginnings to determine which would best suit the presentation of these remarkable results, he found two possibilities:  first, the summary lead with a striking statement for the first sentence; and second, a concrete example of the results as shown by one of the pupils.  He found, however, that he did not have sufficient data concerning any one girl to enable him to tell the story of her transformation as an effective concrete case.  He determined, therefore, to use a striking statement as the feature of a summary lead.

From his interview with the head of the firm, and from a formal statement of the purpose of the school printed on the commencement program, he obtained the reasons why the school had been established.  These he decided to give verbatim in direct quotation form.

To show most interestingly the results of the teaching, he picked out four of the six written exercises that he had copied from those exhibited on the walls of the schoolroom.  The first of these dealt with American history, the second with thrift and business methods, and the third with personal hygiene.  For the fourth he selected the work of a woman of forty whose struggles to get into the school and to learn to write the teacher had described to him.

Figures on the cost of the school he had secured from the head of the firm according to his preliminary plan.  These covered the expense both to the employers and to the city.

His description of the schoolroom he could base on his own observation, supplemented by the teacher’s explanations.

For his conclusion he determined to summarize the results of this experiment in education as the firm stated them on the commencement program, and to give his own impression of the success of the school.  Thus he sought to give final reinforcement to the favorable impression of the school that he wished his article to create, with the aim of leading readers to reach the conclusion that such schools should be encouraged as invaluable aids to the Americanization of alien girls.

OUTLINING THE ARTICLE.  Having selected the main topics and having decided in a general way how he intended to develop each one, he then fixed upon the best order in which to present them.

After his introduction giving the striking results of the school in a summary lead, it seemed logical to explain the firm’s purpose in undertaking this unusual enterprise.  He accordingly jotted down for his second topic, “Purpose in establishing the school,” with the two sub-topics, “Firm’s statement on program” and “Head of firm’s statement in interview.”

The methods of-instruction by which the remarkable success was attained, impressed him as the next important point.  His readers, having learned the results and the purpose of the school, would naturally want to know by what methods these girls had been transformed in so short a time.  As his third topic, therefore, he put down, “Methods of instruction.”