Do you know how to study in a way that will bring the best results with the minimum expenditure of time and nerve energy? Are you teaching your pupils how to study? Are you sure that you know just how to do it? Never before in the history of education did this problem of "how to study," and teaching children "how to study" receive the amount of thoughtful consideration of educators that it is receiving at the present time. Formerly interest was centered on "how to teach;" now we are coming to believe that if schools can put children in the position of being able to teach themselves they are rendering the best possible service. You can not afford to be without the book "How to Study" by Dr. F. M. McMurry, Professor of Elementary Education, Teachers' College, Columbia University, and published by Houghton, Mifflin Co. In the first part of the book, Dr. McMurry discusses present methods of study and the nature of study with its principal factors. He notes the fact that young people, not only those in the elementary schools, but also those entering secondary and college courses do not know how to study properly. He discusses the seriousness of the evil. In the second part of the book, he discusses at length the principal factors in study and the relation to children under the following heads: specific purposes in study; supplementing of thought; the organization of ideas; the judging of the soundness and general worth of statements; memorizing; using of ideas; importance of a tentative rather than a fixed attitude toward knowledge; and the importance of planning for development of initiative in children through encouragement of individuality. In the third part of the book he presents generalizations and conclusions based upon the previous discussions. The book is full of apt and concrete illustrations of the theories presented. Teachers in every department may find helpful and practical suggestions in "How to Study." THE RURAL SCHOOL LIBRARY. Quite often children read books hurriedly one after another without much thought and make not notes. In time they forget about them altogether. How would this plan work? Encourage each Have you started that collection of scraps? (It doesn't make any difference whether you keep it in a scrap-book, in labeled envelopes, or in boxes. I find the labeled envelopes the most convenient plan. Large manilla envelopes 11 x 13 inches may be bought at three cents apiece.) In your "collection" are you placing games, pictures, devices, rhymes, poems, memory-gems, songs, and bits of thought clipped from educational journals that will make work of future years mean less drudgery? Such a collection is invaluable. You may not and you may teach in those uncertain future years. If you do not continue teaching, your book will make a welcome donation to some other struggling teacher. GEOGRAPHY EXAMINATION ANSWERS. Teacher-Make a statement about the following: Cape, Sandy Hook, sound. Pupils My sister wears a cape. Sandyhook is a hook buried in the sand. A sound is the noise a cat makes when the dog runs after her. DICTIONARY WORK. Teacher-"Use in sentences 'defense' and 'to ward,." Pupil-"I climbed de fence and toward my pants." A FROWN AND A SMILE. Such a silly little, foolish little, naughty little frown Too small to do the slightest harm, you'd think, Yet the naughty little frown frowned the schoolroom pleasure down, And made a pleasant room as black as ink. Such a pleasant little, happy little, jolly little smile Too small to do the slightest good, you'd say, Yet that happy little smile kept the schoolroom all the while As cheerful as the sunshine and as gay. Selected. SEATWORK FOR SPRING. 1. Draw or cut free hand all the tools used by a gardener. 2. Draw or cut free hand rubbers, rubber boots, umbrellas, and raincoats. 3. Draw or cut free hand birds singing, flying, eating, sleeping, and sitting on a nest. 4. Draw or cut a tree; a group of trees; a tree in winter; a tree in summer. SUGGESTIONS FOR GEOGRAPHY REVIEW. 1. Fix mathematical, physical, political, commercial, and industrial facts by having children take imaginary journeys to the places studied, describing what they see and do. 2. Let them plan the trips by using timetables, guide books and maps just as if they were really going to take the trips. 3. Let them estimate the time, length and cost of the journeys from their prospecti. 4. Let them describe their journeys in the form of letters or diaries. Get coherence by following a geographical order. Describe in detail or emphasize only places of special interest. This will keep facts grouped in a unity. 5. In the note book or diary plan the use of maps and pictures will be effective. 6. Children should gather their own material and make their own plans if the work is to have much value. PROBLEMS FOR THE ARITHEMETIC CLASS. (3rd or 4th Grade.) How much money do I need to pay my bills? The Grocer's Bill. 11⁄2 lb. butter @ 28c 16 lb. sugar @ 6c 4 loaves bread @ 5c 25 lb. flour @3c 4 lb. rice @ 8c 2 lb. prunes @ 15c Dry-goods Merchant's Bill. 10 yd. gingham @ 18c 12 yd. muslin @7c 9 doz. buttons @ 12c 8yd. lining @ 62c Fuel-man's Bill. 3 cords hardwood @ $4.25 2 tons hard coal @ $8.25 HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. Where was he born? What did he do? What do you know about the "Ugly Duckling?" Do you know "What the Moon Saw?" What did the boys say to the "Storks." "Man is to be valued by what he unfolds from himself, more than by what he receives." Froebel. "The child is educated only through his own activities. He must make. He must create. He must externalize himself." Froebel. BETWEEN US What shall we do to differentiate the work in drawing and make it progressive from grade to grade? First grade-Cut freehand, color and mount single objects. Second grade:-Cut, color and mount two objects on same sheet to give feeling of perspective. Third grade:-Three objects treated as above. Fourth grade:-Brush massing. Fifth grade:-Brush work with outlines. Sixth grade:-Pencil outlines. Seventh grade:-Light and shade. Eighth grade:-Pencil. Light and shade. FOR DANCING AND DELIGHT. Recently, before a large audience at the child "Welfare Exhibit" in New York City, Miss Jane Addams, founder of Hull House in Chicago, made a strong argument and an earnest appeal for the establishment in large cities of a "Department of Recreation" to see that the young are provided with the proper opportunities for healthful amusement. As Miss Addams put it, the boys and girls of the factories should not be compelled to seek enjoyment after supper in dance halls and other places where the surroundings are bad and temptations to vice are incessant. We make public provision for those that wish to read, or to look at pictures or to listen to lectures, or to work in gymnasiums, but nothing is done for those whose limbs are supple and strong and who long for the joy of the dance. Why not? Perhaps no municipal department of the kind is needed but we may be sure that where youth has no recreation it will fall into dissipation. SIMPLE GAMES. 1. Visualization. Colored balls in center circle. One pupil closes eyes or turns about. A ball is removed. Pupil looks and tells what one is missing. Same plan can be followed but instead of removing a ball or balls, their position may be changed and the pupil asked to tell what change was made. 2. Hearing. Children form a circle. Give a thimble to someone in the circle while one child is blindfold ed. All children in circle place hands behind backs. Play some music softly when he is far away and loud when he is near it. Have him see how quickly he can find it. 3. Muscular Control and Observation. Pupils sit in a circle. One in the center. Roll a ball from one to another, being careful that the one in the center does not get it. If he does get it, he exchanges places with one who rolled the ball. DOLL HOUSE FURNITURE NUMBER ONE. SOFA OR SETTEE. Take a square of paper the size depending upon what is desired in the completed object. Fold so that surface shows sixteen small squares. Fold right and left sides to center crease. This gives an oblong with opening in the middle of top surface. See Fig. I. Take hold of upper corners of the small squares of the top surface at the point they touch the middle crease. Fold them to the center of the paper forming two triangles. Treat the squares at opposite end of oblong in same way. The result should be as in Fig. II. Cut along the crease at each end from A to B and from A' to B'. See Fig. II. Turn paper so that right side becomes front side, and turn upper surface under. Bring down front under edge for a support. Slip the front half of the triangle which you cut into the back half for the arms of the sofa. Paste the triangles that are left sticking out at the sides against the flat back. Result should look like Fig. III. SUGGESTIONS FOR A "GRANT DAY," APRIL 27 Ulysses Simpson Grant, the eighteenth President of the United States was born at Point Pleasant, Clermont County, Ohio, on April 27, 1822. When he was seventeen years old, he entered the Military Academy at West Point and remained until he graduated. He was in active service in the Army during the Mexican War. He farmed in Missouri for a time and later entered the leather trade in Galena, Ill. He served in the Army in several capacities during the Civil War. His remarkable series of successes led to his appointment as leader of the National Armies, and in March 1864 under the title of Lieutenant General he assumed command. The close of the greatest civil war in history, and the assassination of Lincoln found U. S. Grant the "most conspicuous figure in the public life of the country." In 1868 he was elected President of the United States. He was re-elected in 1872. After leaving the presidential chair, he made a tour around the world. He contributed a series of papers on campaigns of the civil war to "The Century." He also wrote two remarkable volumes known as "Personal Memoirs." He died in July 1885. His remains lie in a magnificent tomb in Riverside Park, New York City. To the Boys and Girls. A little more than twenty-five years ago, Ulysses S. Grant died. He is an American whose name will always find an honored place in our histories' pages. It is fitting, in this month of his birth, that we should use an hour or two to discover for ourselves why he should be revered. It has been our good fortune during the past few months, to enjoy many of the scenes he lovel so dearly, to visit old West Point where his education was received, and to stand in the shadow of the beautiful memorial erected in his honor on the banks of the beautiful and historic Hudson River. This monument is a thing of beauty and we wish all the Wisconsin boys and girls might see it. Since that cannot be, we offer the next best thing a picture of it. May it prove an inspiration and make us want to say with Longfellow,Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time." Characterization of a Contemporary. In a letter written on Nov. 18, 1879, by William T. Sherman, and published on p. 317 of Vol. 48, (June 1905) of the Century, he says of U. S. Grant: "He was simple and awkward; but all he did and all he said had good sense and modesty as the basis. No man in America has held higher office, or been more instrumental in guiding great events; and without elaborating I'll give you what I construe to be the philosophy of his life. A simple faith that our country must go on, and by keeping up with the events of the day he will be always right-for 'whatever is, is right.' He don't lead in one sense and don't attempt to change natural results. Thus the world accounts him the typical man and, therefore, adores him. Our people want success, progress, and unity and in these Grant has been, is, and will be accepted as the type." "Grant was the most conspicuous example of the kind of men the American commonwealths in the Union are able to evolve when there is need." "March winds And April showers May flowers." |