Essayer = to try

I already knew the part about the origin of the word "essay," thanks to three and a half years at the Alliance Française, but the rest of the historical information in this essay on essays was new to me.

Although I found the whole thing fascinating, and I don't disagree with Graham in the main, I do think there is value in teaching the rhetorical process to high school students. The average person is woefully lacking in ability to construct a cohesive argument in support of a point, too often resorting in frustration to name-calling or simply giving up. Political issues are great fodder for trying this out, but I suspect schools, particularly public schools, are terrified of anything political in the classroom.

Make your case for or against or write your exploratory essay in the comments section. Don't worry, nobody's grading them.