the best letter to send, so the children themselves counted out to see who should be the fortunate person. Then every child in the room signed his letter.

The envelope, too, was addressed by a child, and I am very sure that the receivers got no more joy out of the

simple toy than the givers did. Perhaps, though of little consequence to the children themselves, the teacher too experienced joy that so much had been gained, and would stay with the children since it was learned with such intense interest.

E shall all agree that the oral work in Language is of the most importance to the children in their adult life. How to train pupils to think upon a given or selected subject, and state their thoughts in fairly good English is the "bug-bear" of the majority of teachers.

We must compete with the "street," and the illiterate home, and to do this with any degree of success, we must enlist as our ally, the most fascinating factor of child life, "interest."

There are three methods by which this may be secured; by competition, by games, and by action, and we will consider each in its place.

Since the oral work comes first, let us devote one day a week to it, say Monday, or Friday. Call it our "good time" class. Allow pupils to sit together, well toward the front. Choose an interesting topic, and let those who wish, do the talking. This work must be spontaneous. We must be patient with the shy, and wait until they want to come forward and talk. Very few pupils can resist the lure of such topics as these:

And so on. Any teacher can think of many others that perhaps will appeal more to her particular pupils. Children are egoists, and the normal child is ever eager to talk about any experience that concerns himself. The shy will come forward in time, voluntarily, if not pressed. Have each child, as he recites, come to the front of the room, and stand in front of your desk, so that he cannot see you. As he makes grammatical errors, you note same on scratch tablet, and when he finishes, you ask him to correct each one, as he does so, placing correct form on the board. If the pupil sees you write these errors he will become self-conscious, and this we must avoid.

The follow-up lesson occurs the next day, and here we make use of the "game" or "play" instinct. We place on the board all the correct forms of the errors made in our "Conversation" lesson the day before. Our list might read:

I saw
You were
They were
He came

It was I

Any teacher can make up games to fit each error, and apply to her particular class. Our game for, "Grace and I" is as follows:

I choose, Earl perhaps, to come to the front of the room. The pupils sit together occupying just so many seats. Earl addresses a couple, "What do you and Janet like best to do, Mary?" Mary answers, "Janet and I like best to sew. Earl answers, "All right," and asks another couple. When several couples have been asked, teacher taps on desk. Everybody changes seats, Earl taking a seat with the others. The one left without a seat is "it."

Myra King has published a delightful book on "Language Games," which I purchased from the Educational Publishing Company, some years ago, and have found of inestimable value.

We have now planned for Monday and Tuesday. Let us devote the remaining three days to oral and written composition, with occasionally a theft of one or two days every two weeks for technical or book work.

Take the presentation of the story first, on Wednesday, perhaps. Select a story such as children like, full of action and with a moral. The best book I know for this purpose is Baldwin's "Fifty Famous Stories" and his "Thirty Famous Stories" for upper grades. Any one of these stories is delightful, and children love them all. We will select the story of the "Blind Men and the Elephant," page 130, for our type lesson.

Pupils close eyes, teacher reads the first sentence and says, "What do you see, Mabel?" Mabel stands and says, "I see six blind men standing by the roadside, begging from the people who pass by." And so on until each picture has been given and regiven.

Now, the teacher steps to the board and says, "Give me the word that suggests the first picture of our story, the next, the next, until the story is complete. The list for this particular story would read:

Combining the study and recitation period will give ample time for this lesson, and a period for reproduction. So we print the title of our story on cardboard and call on volunteers to tell the story, each one who recites holding the cardboard high before the class. Correct errors as on "Conversation" day, and make note of same for 'Game" day.

Thursday's lesson will be dramatization of the story. Unless there is much talent of extraordinary ability, teacher must write the parts out, and give to those who need this exercise, and the play is on. How they love this part of the language work, and how they will repay you for the extra time it has taken to write the parts! A little costuming, of course, adds to the interest.

In the story given, a yard of gray outing flannel thrown over two tall boys, makes a very good elephant, and perhaps you can persuade the "bad boy" to whittle two tusks, which with a rope for a tail, and a folded strip of cloth for a trunk, will make a most satisfactory elephant

The papers may be finished before the period is up, giving time to read several. After all have been corrected,

Description and picture study might be taken up the third week, and take the place of the "Conversation and Game" lesson.

And remember, the only lasting benefit of the language work, to the pupil, is the result of his own correction of his mistakes, and his desire to improve. Any method we may use to this end is so much pure gold, for we are all looking forward to the time when these boys and girls of ours will be out in the world, using the weapons we have furnished them with to fight the battles of life.

E's first, G's next, F's last and the others, not worthy to be put up, must be rewritten, until neat, if it takes several periods. There are usually four or five of these untidy, poor spelling pupils in each room, and special attention and time must be given them in the beginning, until they learn that no slip-shod work will be accepted.

We have now outlined the week's work, and omitted poetry and technical work. So the second week, following game day, we will combine study and recitation periods for "Poems," which we have learned in the reading study period. We will have a race between the boys and girls, keeping score to see which side recites the most verses. Of course, we must take a few minutes to talk of meanings, and bring out the beauty of certain passages. Above all, we must select poems that children like. We might give a prize to the boy and girl giving the most verses in the best manner. This will stimulate home study as well as make use of idle moments in school.

Thursday of this second week, we will devote to the technical work. Outline the term's work, and determine what must be taught in this period. We will take the subject of "contractions" for illustration. Write on the board every contraction. Line pupils up, as for spelldown. Explain formation of contraction and its meaning. Call it a battle, if you like, and give each pupil a shot. The recitation must proceed as follows: "Isn't is a contraction for is not. The o has been omitted, and the apostrophe takes its place." The side throwing the most correct shots wins. If pupils cannot remember the order of recitation place these questions on the board to guide.

A Monthly Contest Conducted by Laura F. Kready

CONTEST LETTERS

PRIMARY EDUCATION offers a prize of $2 each month for the best illustration sent in upon a specified fairy tale drama. SUBJECT FOR MAY-"The Happy Hunter and the Lucky Fisherman," a fairy tale drama published in PRIMARY EDUCATION, December, 1918. Letter due by February 15.

SUBJECT FOR JUNE - "Surya Bai," a fairy tale drama published in PRIMARY EDUCATION, January, 1919. Letter due by March 15.

and must be an example of one of the forms of creative All letters competing must be in the form of illustration reaction to a tale described in "A Study of Fairy Tales,” by Laura F. Kready, pp. 119-154. The illustration must be the work of a grade child using the drama and bear the name, age, and school address of the child It must be sent by the teacher.

Teachers of training schools and model schools especially of class work. are urged to direct grade pupils to participate as the result Illustrations be any may of the four forms of creative reaction described in p. 125 of "A Study of Fairy Tales," but illustrations of work in construction, drawing, painting, paper-cutting, or sketching might be the best to attempt, and all work sent in for publication must be done with jet black ink or wash on white paper, and the same color scheme must be observed in the cuttings.

Address contest letters to

LAURA F KREADY

Care of PRIMARY EDUCATION

50 Bromfield Street, Boston

These helps are useful during rainy day noonings, especially in rural schools.

The children sit in a circle.
Teacher starts by saying this:

"Father is going to take a trip to New York, and we will help him pack his trunk. I will put in an umbrella." The child next to teacher says: "I will put in an umbrella and a collar."

Then the second child says: "I will put in an umbrella, a collar, and a neck-tie."

And so on around the circle. The point of the game. is for each one to name in the correct order, all the objects which each preceding child has put in, and add one more. This is a good memory test. If any child fails to name each object, or to name each one in its own position, or place, he must step out of the game.

The one remaining at the last wins the game. Another diversion which the children enjoy is a book game or trick.

Place three books on the table, in a pile, each one projecting just a little beyond the others.

Teacher must have one older child in the secret with her. This child goes out, and then any child points to any one of the three books. The child is called back, and points to the correct book.

There are two ways of doing this.

One is by means of the words used in calling the child back.

The signal for the top book is the word "Ready!" for the second book the word "Come" and for the third or lowest book the words, "Come on," the teacher always calling the child back.

Another way is for the child to be called back by any words, or by any other child. But the child should know the correct book by watching the teacher's movements with her hands. If the top book is the correct one, the teacher apparently, in a casual way, places her hand to her forehead.

If the second book is the correct one, she places her finger on or beside her nose, and for the third or lowest book, she places her hand against her chin.

As soon as a child thinks that he has discovered the secret, let him try to do it.

If the children are quick about this, arrange with the child helper to mix the calling and the motions signals; that is, use first one and then the other.

Still another book number game is to first place five books in a row, and to number them one, two, etc. One child must know the secret, as in the preceding game. This child passes out, while any one child points to any one of the five books. He is called back, but does not determine the right book by calls or movements.

The secret here is this. The number of the book must be the same. An illustration will be the clearest explana

tion.

Suppose the third book has been pointed at.

The teacher points to the fourth book and asks: "Is it that one?"

The child answers "no."

(Because it is the first point, and the fourth "book.) Teacher, while she points to the fifth book, asks: "Is it that one. The child answers "no." ("It is the second point and fifth book.)

Now teacher points to the third book and asks: "Is

it

that one?" And the child answers, "Yes, it is that one."

(Because it is both the third point and the third book.) This is especially good for the larger boys and girls.

A

A Time-telling Device

Bess Dixon

FTER the telling of time has been developed. we shall be glad to have you try our device. It is a review of time-telling through language work. We shall give you the ideas embodied in our method of procedure.

As we possessed no clock dial, a big clock face was drawn on the front board. The teacher introduced the work the first day in this manner. "Boys and girls, we know how to tell time now and we like to hear stories. So I shall tell you a story and I want some little boy or girl to make the hands of our make-believe clock point just as my story says they should. A new game! Interest was keen. Volunteers were in the majority. One of these volunteers was chosen and the story began. The name of one of our little girls who wanted a wrist watch was chosen to make the hands of the clock point as the story indicated they should.

The Story

Mary wanted a wrist watch. Papa said he did not. believe she was old enough to tell time. Mary said, "Oh, papa! We have learned to tell time at school. Papa said, "Let me see if you can make these clocks tell me what I want them to tell." So papa made five clock faces. Then he gave Mary the pencil.

"Make this clock say six o'clock," he said. How surprised he was when Mary drew both hands on the clock face and made them point just where they should!

He wanted the next clock to say half past nine and Mary's busy fingers made the hands point just as they should when the clock strikes half past nine.

"Now, make this clock say ten minutes after five," said papa. Mary did so. Papa was proud of her.

And this clock must say twenty minutes until one," papa said. And it did when Mary's pencil had finished its work. Mary had not been caught once.

"Now, I'll catch you," thought papa to himself. "This clock must say three minutes after eight," he said. But the joke was on papa, for Mary's clock face told him what he wished to know.

The next day, when papa came home, he brought Mary the tiniest little wrist watch. It was not a make-believe wrist watch, for it ticked like papa's watch. How glad Mary was that she learned to tell time!

Volunteer story tellers were called for and volunteer clock makers were chosen to move the hands of the clock as the stories progressed. Some of the stories were very clever and showed much talent.

Another day found the hands of the clock as poetry suggested. We had read "A Tick-Tock Story" in our Baldwin and Bender Readers. One child volunteered to read this poem at our Number Work hour. Mother Goose Rhymes were recited by the children. They had searched diligently for poems and rhymes for our clock game. How delighted they were to find Mother Goose Rhymes which helped them carry on a number work game in the second grade! How much more the rhymes "Hickory, dickory, dock," "Hickory, dickory, dock," "Bell horses, bell horses, what time of day?" and "A diller, a dollar, A ten o'clock scholar" meant to them after that recitation!

Poetry, which had been set to music, was given a place

in our number game. One child sang "Wee Willie Winkie" for our clock maker.

Thus we found that stories, poems and songs were valuable in number work. This particular number work game furnished a motive for research work. Readers, story books, Mother Goose rhymes and song books were searched in order to find materials for our game.

Rainy Day Booklets

Ella Stratton Colbo

My pupils always enjoy making booklets of any sort, but the Rainy Day booklets which we made last year, gave them more pleasure than any of the others.

Before starting new work of this kind, I make a sample booklet myself. This enables me to know what difficulties they will encounter and to give my directions accordingly. Careful directions and the use of good materials will result in booklets so attractive that it is hard to choose the "best" for exhibit purposes. Impressing the children with the importance of doing all construction work with clean hands will make the spoiled booklets few and far between.

One rainy day I interested them in the new idea by giving them a glimpse of the pretty booklet which I had completed and saying that we would all make one, but that they were to be kept at my desk and only taken out to work with on days when the raindrops chased each other down the window panes.

The work was done during a language, drawing, or construction period. The covers were made of gray construction paper size 6 x 9. The inside pages were white paper of the same size. For cover decorations we used borders of umbrellas cut from black paper and pasted across the top.

On the first page they drew pictures of a little lady strolling along in the rain, almost covered by a large black umbrella. Underneath we copied this verse which we had learned and often recited on rainy days:

"Taint no sort of use to grumble and complain,
Might just as well rejoice!

When God sorts out the weather and sends rain,
Why, rain's my choice!"

and dry, so they dig down into the ground till they come to where it is cool and moist, and stay until the rain calls them out in such numbers that some people think they rain down from the sky. How the wise little robins know this and hop around on the ground and make a tapping noise with their bills. When the earth-worms hear this they think it is the tap-tap of the raindrops they love, and out they come only to be seized and carried off to the nest for the baby robins to eat. When I had finished they reproduced orally what I had told them, and later wrote it as a language exercise. This was corrected carefully and saved to be copied on a page of our booklet on the next rainy day.

Several poems were learned, copied and illustrated, and made truly beautiful pages. The one beginning: It isn't raining rain to me, It's raining daffodils,

was especially pretty. A written language lesson on "What I Like to Do Best on a Rainy Day," was carefully copied in and illustrated.

Some of the pages of leach booklet were entirely original. These contained paper cuttings, drawings, appropriate clippings and pictures from magazines, and one even contained a little original poem. We spent an interesting half-hour one day looking at these pages in each other's booklets. There was simply no end to suitable material and their interest was held during the entire year. Toward the end they were so anxious to get them completed that the continued fair weather made them quite peevish, and many a sunny day was greeted dolefully with "It doesn't look even the least little bit like rain."

A Letter to the Editor

EDITOR PRIMARY EDUCATION:

In the October number of PRIMARY EDUCATION I read a suggestion under the head of "Try This," which moves me to write to you in protest. The scheme was for the purpose of awakening two boys: a lazy one and a slow one. Reminders were pasted on the desk of the boy in large type or writing; the word move for the slow boy and work for the lazy one. What could have been the immediate

"I," cried the dandelion, "I,”

"My roots are thirsty, my buds are dry." And she lifted a tousled yellow head

Out of her green and grassy bed.

As we were working one day a pupil said, "Sometimes when it rains at night it rains angle-worms." So I promptly told them all I could about earth-worms-how ages and ages ago their great-great-great-grandfathers were water animals, and now they cannot stand it to be hot

In the first place, anyone who knows children can picture the ridicule poked at these boys when the teacher is not looking. Most boys are very sensitive until they become hardened by those who do not understand what their gruff exterior is meant to hide. In the second place, the boy has always before him the negative suggestion, "I am slow," or "I am lazy," and will be very apt to follow out this suggestion, becoming more slow or more lazy. Or he may improve through fear of the ridicule imposed on him.

The final result (which is the only one the real teacher will consider all-important) will be one of three developments in the character of the boy: a careless, "it's no use, anyway," attitude toward everything, a stubborn "I don't care" manner seen among some so-called "bad" boys in the upper grades, or a sneaking tendency to act for the sake of policy. Which of these does the teacher desire to happen as the result of this punishment?

Laziness and slowness are the outward manifestations of some cause, known or hidden.

1 The child may have some physical obstacle such as poor eyes, bad teeth, adenoids, undernourishment, etc. 2 There may be disturbing home influences; poor ventilation at night, late hours, mistaken methods of training. The parent should be consulted concerning the child's condition.