S

GRACE M. POORBAUGH

INCE it is commonly agreed that reading should be given first place in the first year's work, too much emphasis cannot be placed upon a constant review of words learned. Teachers too often neglect this because they think it tiresome, which indeed it would be if no ingenuity were used. During the first week the lessons are usually about home, mamma, baby, etc. The teacher draws a house on the blackboard, and as she draws she says, "This is where baby lives. Who would like to go to see baby to-day?"

Of course every child is anxious to go. Then she draws steps leading up to the door, and upon these she writes the words which she wishes the children to learn.

When a child has reached the door she says, "I think baby is in this room playing with her blocks."

Quickly she draws blocks and writes the words upon which she wishes to drill. When these have been named correctly, she says, "These are baby's dolls. Can you count them? Can you tell me their names?"

This some child does by again naming the words on them. "I think baby is getting very sleepy. She must have a nap.

Children may sing some lullaby, playing they are putting baby to sleep as a rest exercise.

Then the teacher says, "I think baby is awake now. Who wants to go upstairs and see?"

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Again stairs are drawn on the blackboard and some child 'runs up" quickly by naming the words upon the steps. "Now here are baby's soldiers," she says. 'Baby loves to play with them and hear their names. Show them to her and tell her their names." Again the same words are repeated. So we see that much time may be pleasantly spent with baby and the children are wholly unconscious of the results obtained by the teacher.

It is always well to correlate nature study as far as possible with the reading work. During the second week, seed babies may be studied. The teacher draws some cat-tails on the blackboard and as she does this she says, "Who would like to go for cat-tails to-day?"

Of course every child wants to go. Some child then steps up to the blackboard and naming the words written on the cat-tails, thinks he has gotten them all, and taking his seat, is as well satisfied as though he really possessed a bunch of these velvety things. Quickly drawing a bridge on the blackboard she says, "If we cross this bridge, I'm sure we shall find many more cat-tails."

Upon the board she draws these same "drill words" and some child goes across, sure of finding many cat-tails when

he has reached the other side. "Oh! but they seem to be just beyond the fence. We must climb it, I suppose." So again the words are named as the fence is climbed.

At another time when thistles are being studied, they may be gathered in the same way.

Milkweed pods and goldenrod may also be picked.

The teacher may say to the children, "This is a beautiful day. Would you like to go to the country?"

Of course they all want to go.

Then she draws on the board a long road, placing houses on either side. Upon each house she writes a word. Then she asks, "Who knows who lives in these houses along this read?" Again every child is anxious to tell this.

Pointing to the last house, she says, "This is where we are going to spend the day. Who would like to gather some flowers as we go up the lane?"

Then she draws flowers along the road and some child "picks them" by naming the words written upon them. See the kittens on the fence," she says. "Who would like to call them ?"

Then she draws a fence with kittens sitting upon it and writes words upon the back of each.

Some child steps up and taking the pointer, calls each kitten by name.

"Who would like to go back to the little brook and fish?" she asks.

Again she draws a stream with fish in it. Then some child plays he is fishing by naming the words upon the fish. When the fish have been caught, water-lilies may be drawn. Some child will be delighted to have a beautiful bunch of lilies to take to the house.

"There are some beautiful red apples in the orchard," she says. "Who would like to climb this ladder and pick some ?" This time the words may be used twice, once on the ladder and once on the apples.

"I think we must be going home now,' go a different way this time."

99 she says. "We will

Then the recitation ends and the children, again unconscious of the results obtained by the teacher, take their seats, thinking what a splendid time they have had in the country. The third week of the month may be spent in talking about the fruits. Apples may be picked and put into baskets by naming words.

Pears, grapes, plums, peaches, etc., may be picked in the same way.

During the fourth week Indian life may be studied in a very simple way.

Tents may be drawn on the blackboard with words written on the tents. Children play that they name the Indians by naming the words. Draw trees on the blackboard and write words on them. Play chopping the trees by naming the words,

There is a good deal of significance, if not much wit, in this joke: "Say, father." "What, my son?" "What do you suppose my teacher calls me?" "I do not know, what does she call you?" "She calls me 'Next.' Isn't that a queer name? I am sure I do not like it." It is surely unpardonable in a primary teacher to allow her pupils to long remain merely "nexts" to her. I know, in a way, this learning to know one's pupils - not merely their names, but their personalities and environments-is rather a disheartening business. We have hardly accomplished it before June is here, and we must pass them on to another teacher, only to repeat the process all over again. We often feel that if we could only live with these children three or four years, we could do something for them and we should have the satisfaction of seeing them develop under our hands. But the effort, even if it must be repeated every year, brings large rewards in increased sympathy and insight, and the power to read the hearts and minds of children will prove of more value to the young teacher than all her intellectual attainments combined.

The Inner Man

The subject of health is one that does not, perhaps, present itself so vitally to us in September as it does in June, but nevertheless, September is the time for making some sensible resolutions in regard to the matter. Dr. Balliet has recently been making some investigations to ascertain how long a woman of fairly good health can teach in our public schools, under present conditions, without injury. Of the 157 teachers whom he questioned, 134 replied. Eightyfour per cent said, "From five to ten years.' Fifty per cent said, "From five to seven years." Only twelve said more than ten years, and only eight said more than twenty years. If the majority of women, after laboriously preparing themselves for teaching, can expect only five years of health and vigor, and must find themselves physically more or less incapacitated, just when their experience is beginning to make them valuable, the conditions under which they teach must either be very wrong indeed, or women must be signally lacking in common sense where the rules of health are concerned. Perhaps those of you who have succeeded in being reasonably healthy and happy in spite of your profession will enlighten us in this matter.

A Letter

The editor is always so glad to hear just how you are using the suggestions given in PRIMARY EDUCATION. This is her only means of knowing whether the material is actually of service to you. It is a pleasure, therefore, to receive a letter like the following, and there may be some hint for others in it as well:

In your May issue is a drawing of the nursery rhyme, "Baa, black sheep." I am a primary teacher and I drew this picture on our blackboard to the great delight of the children. Enclosed are two descriptions of the drawing as the children wrote them, without correction.

Here are the children's descriptions. Both are in the second grade: I Here is a little boy and girl.

They live on a farm.

The little girl said to the sheep, "Have you any wool?" "Yes, sir, I have wool."

The stuff is white.

The sheep has three bags full.

The sheep said, "I have one for my master

And one for my dame, and one for the little boy who lives in the lane."

2 On our school board is a picture of a little boy and girl.

ers.

The little boy and girl is by a fence.

By the fence is a little sheep.

The little girl gave the sheep some grass.

The little girl's name is Viola.

And the boy's name is Charles.
The little boy said to the sheep.

"Baa, baa, baa, black sheep, have you any wool?" "Yes sir, yes sir,

Three bags full.

One for my master,
One for my dame,
One for the little boy
That lives in the lane."

The Outer Man

Since we primary teachers are most of us women, it is not surprising that the question of dress is vitally 'nteresting to us, and it is rightly so too, for, quite apart from other considerations, the question of being suitably and attractively gowned on the income of the ordinary teacher is a harder one to answer than many more professional matters. I do not mean, however, to discuss the question, but only to plead for a little more variety in the costumes of primary teachWe can all sympathize with the little girl who was happy for a whole day because her teacher wore orange ribbons for apron strings. I can still remember a certain teacher who, to my childish fancy, at least, possessed but two costumes, one for summer and one for winter. I suppose of course she did change them occasionally, but if so, all were of the same fashion and color, and the result was really depressing. It is not a difficult matter for a woman to vary her neckties or her belts a little from time to time, or introduce a little bit of color somewhere to relieve the monotony of a dark gown. If feminine instinct does not teach her these things her love for little children ought to do so. I am old-fashioned enough to believe that neither fine pictures. nor books will for a moment compensate the lack of a cheerful, attractive teacher.

The More Important

For one teacher who begins work this September in a wellfurnished and equipped school-house, there are dozens who find themselves lacking to a greater or less extent the apparatus which they have been taught is necessary to a teacher. But is this condition of affairs so unfortunate, after all? This is the country teacher's golden opportunity to show the stuff of which she is made. If she can teach and interest her children with only such helps as her own ingenuity can supply, she will gain a sense of power and mastery that the city teacher, part of an elaborate graded system, can never know. "Pile buildings, apparatus, methods, psychological subtleties, high as Pelion on Ossa," says a well-known teacher, "and there will result no better education than was given in the ancient district school, unless behind this complexity of educational machinery are real teachers knowing how to teach and with time to do true, individual teaching. The more we elaborate education, the more we spend on peda(Continued on page 357)

SEPTEMBER

SUN MON TUES WED THUR FRI SAT

The autumn dandelion

Beside the road-ide burns; Above the lichened boulders Quiver the plumed ferns.

Across the fields of ether

Flit butterflies at play;

And cones of garnet sumach
Glow down the country way.

- Mary Clemmer Ames

Twenty Minute Plays I

ALICE E. ALLEN

The County Fair

NOTE TO TEACHERS The directions accompanying the Twenty Minute Plays, in each instance show how the Play may be, not how it must be given. Get thoroughly into its spirit, use your own discretion and ingenuity in the arrangements, take from, or add to, the dialogue -in short, give the Plays in your own way.

DIRECTIONS

The school-room represents a Fair Ground. Where real fruits, flowers, and vegetables cannot be obtained, use pictures cut from seedannuals for the exhibits. Fancywork may consist of dolls' finery, bed-quilts, etc. Real or imitation baked stuff, and canned fruits, jellies, etc., may be shown.

Choose boys for the Ticket Seller, the Taffy Man, the Balloon Man, and as many other venders, as desired. Balloons may be paper-bags blown up and tied with cord. A little colored balloon may be sent up, if desired. A number of children form a "Merry-go-Round." Each stands with hands on shoulders of child ahead. They go round and round if a music-box can be had, so much the better. The littlest boys are the Big Brass Band. They carry drums and horns. There must be three Judges to award premiums. Besides these are the people who attend the Fair: Mr. and Mrs. Brown and the little Browns Billy, Bobby, Esmeralda, Bettina, and the Brown Twins (large dolls dressed as babies); Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Emmeline, and Baby (doll); Mr. and Mrs. Jones - Matilda Jane and Baby (doll); other Little Mothers, each with baby (doll); and any others. All the children who have no other part are the fowls and animals. They are arranged in groups across back of room. At intervals, they crow, cluck, bark, neigh, etc.

As will be readily seen, the success of this play depends upon the way in which the little "actors" go on with their different occupatons, independently of each other -some examining articles, looking at livestock, with appropriate remarks, while others cry their wares, play in the Band, ride on the Merry-go-Round, etc.

THE PLAY

(Venders cry their wares, each roasting peanuts, stretching taffy, or popping corn, as case may be. Smith and Jones jamilies examine exhibits, talk together. At intervals here, and throughout play, fowls and animals chorus shrilly. Browns are seen coming up to ticket office.)

Mrs. Smith (to Mrs. Jones while Browns buy tickets) Well, if here aren't the Browns all of them, even to the Twins. Mr. Brown (loudly, as he and his family enter) I'll go right down and take a look at the horses want to come along?

Mrs. Brown No, I'll go over to Fancywork Hall. I want

Mrs. Jones (as sound of drum is heard) Hark there's the Band.

Children (here and there) The Band's coming! (Run to meet it.)

(Band marches by, playing, followed by children. Everybody looks and listens.)

Mrs. Jones (as Matilda Jane rushes by) Here, Matilda, you take Baby for awhile. Be careful of him. Mrs. Smith (calling Emmeline) Emmie, Emmie - take your little sister.

(Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Smith hand over their babies to Matilda Jane and Emmeline. They run after other children.)

Mrs. Brown I can't trust the Twins to Esmeralda. She's so careless, she'd lose cne. Let's all go see the fancywork. (They go, talking, Band takes seats, Esmeralda, Bettina, Emmeline, and Matilda Jane run to Merry-go-Round.)

Esmeralda Let's ride-I'm 'most sure the Babies want to. Matilda Jane All right. (They mount-Jones' Baby falls is caught by Billy and handed back. Matilda Jane feeds it with taffy, and soothes it, still riding.)

Billy (to Jones boy standing near) Come on, let's go see the chickens. (They start others go here and there, all talking, laughing, eating, etc.)

Bobby Brown (pointing) Hi-the big balloon's going up! (All rush toward balloon. After it goes up, resume previous occupations. Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Jones, and other Little Mothers arrange themselves and Babies for the Baby Show. Three Judges with red and blue ribbons come up.) First Judge (to Mrs. Jones) This is a fine boy, madam, but he has no teeth.

Mrs. Jones (indignantly) Well, just give him time, sir. Second Judge (to Mrs. Smith) A beautiful girl, Mrs. Smith, but she doesn't talk

Mrs. Smith (eagerly) She can say Mamma! (Baby is made to say word.)

Third Judge (to Mrs. Brown) Twins? What are theit names?

Mrs. Brown (proudly) This one is G. Washington Brown, sir, and this C. Christopher Brown.

(Judges look at other babies, with suible remarks, then talk together)

First Judge (tying red ribbon on Jones Boy) This is the biggest boy

This is the

Second Judge (tying red ribbon on Smith Girl) prettiest girlThird Judge (tying red and bine ribbons on each Twin) And these are the only Twins!

(Judges award second prizes to other Babies, then go on awarding premiums to other exhibits. Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Jones, and other Little Mothers come forward, hold Babies proudly, and sing all joining in chorus.) (Music on page 350)

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Miss Myra King's little book cf Language Games seems to me to be an admirable means to the end of forming correct habits of speech. The words of a game which one has played repeatedly in his youth are not apt to slip away from him. Just so the habitual mistakes are by means of these games repeated and repeated in correct form so successfully in the heat and enthusiasm of the game that the correct form will keep coming up as long as one lives. I know of no better way to impress these necessary lessons than this.

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Superintendent of Schools

Los Angeles, Cal.

(Continued from page 328)

she was not white by any means. Instead, the cloth was an ugly dull yellow.

She saw some cloth that was white as snow, and she wished that she could be white, too.

So the sunbeams said, "We can make you white. We have heard people say that there was nothing like the sunshine for bleaching cloth." The cloth was put in the sunshine and the sunbeams were given plenty of time to do their work. When the men looked at the cloth again, they said, "The sunbeams told us the truth, their work has been good," for the cotton cloth was as pure a white as heart could wish.

She was then dipped into a colorless liquid, after which she was put into an immense machine where there was coloring matter in little grooves on a copper plate. This large machine changed her color from white to a brilliant plaid of fifteen hues. She was beautiful then, and felt paid for all the tedious hours she had spent in the fac

tories.

She wondered why she had been plunged into the watery liquid. The real reason was that the liquid prevented her pretty colors from fading.

She was colored evenly and perfectly. But some other pieces of cloth had white spots that did not take the color. This was because some of the cotton in them had been picked before it was ripe; such cotton cannot be dyed.

Most of the material used to color this goods was made from plants.

After the cloth had been colored it was ready to be sold. So the manufacturers found a dry goods firm in Indianapolis who wanted the pretty plaid gingham for their

stores.

The goods was cut into pieces eighteen yards in length, and each piece was wrapped around a stick. Each piece was called a bolt.

The piece of cloth that belongs especially to this story was in one of the bolts that went to Indianapolis. It was packed in a large dry goods box with other goods. It was very dark in the box and the cotton goods could not see where she was going; but she could hear a loud thumping and feel a great jar as the box was hauled to the freight depot in a wagon, and there loaded on a

car.

A train carried the cloth to Indianapolis and once more the box was hauled in a wagon, this time to a large store. There the gingham was placed upon a shelf with other ginghams of different colors.

One day a little girl and her mother came into the store to buy a dress for the child. The clerk showed her a good many pieces of gingham. She saw our piece right away and would have nothing else. She said, "Oh, if I could have that it would be the prettiest dress I ever had!" So her mother bought it and made the dress for her, and the pretty little girl wore it to school the First Day.

The cotton dress was very proud because she belonged to such a sweet little girl. The child wore the dress until it was worn out.

One day her mother tore the dress into strips, telling the little girl to sew them together and wind them into balls.

And, wonder of wonders! The cotton cloth went to a loom a second time. Here she was woven into a rag carpet, then put upon the floor of the little girl's bedroom.

So the piece of cotton that commenced her life in a field, lived to a ripe old age, and a happy one, for she knew she had done a great deal of good in her corner of the world.

JOSEPH DIXON CRUCIBLE CO. JERSEY CITY, N. J.