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er Williams and William Penn, Cartier, La Salle and Marquette, Washington, Patrick Henry and Benjamin Franklin, Daniel Boone, Daniel Webster and Henry Clay, to Lincoln, Grant, McKinley and Roosevelt, and the host of others prominent in our history, can be drawn endless material so interesting that history can never be dry.

The point desired to be made, then, is this,-for your own growth and that of your pupils, so fill yourself with your subject, latitude and longitude, height and depth, that it will be possible to cut loose at proper times from the text-book, often but a skeleton at best and thus bring into your school the life throb.

FIRST GRADE SPELLING.

MARY D. BRADFORD.

C. O. M.

The question has frequently come to me, "should there be spelling in the first grade and, if so, what?" My answer is that there should be spelling, if of the right sort. The following exercise, described exactly as Miss Bogstad gave it, answers the what and at the same time, gives the how. This sort of spelling is all right for six-year-olds; they enjoy it, and through it are learning not only how to spell words, but are having practice in using the tools of word mastery, which will make them independent readers. (See Manual p. 29, k & l.)

The exercise was observed January 8th, that day closing the fourteenth week of the class as first graders. It lasted for 15 minutes, and was an excellent illustration of the phrase "variety in unity," since, as will be seen, there were three distinct phases of the work shown in that time.

The school is divided into two classes, the A class being the stronger. It is a suggestive fact that the B division consists largely of those who had no kindergarten training. When I entered the room the A class were in place. Before them was a perfectly clean board.

First Phase.

Aim: "Let us see how well we can spell this morning."

1. The teacher wrote ook.

2. Child was called upon to pronounce it. Did so. 3. Teacher: "How can I make it book?"

4. Child: "Use b." Teacher wrote letter.

5. Child glanced at completed word, turned back to board, and spelled the word by letter. With the same order of procedure, the following words were built up and spelled: ball, drink, milk, gray, till,

found, call, bird, round, nest, not and Grace, from the phonograms ail, ink, ilk, ay, ill, ound, all, ird, est, ot and ace, respectively.

The only two hitches in the exercise were at call and Grace, and as these cases illustrate where trouble is apt to arise, a description of the treatment of them may not be amiss. When a child was told to make the word call out of the phonogram all, he said, "put k before it." At this the teacher said, "Yes, that would make a word that sounded the same, but for the word I want, as when I say, "call the dog," I need another letter that sometimes has the same sound as k." The child then gave c. When the word Grace had been built from ace, the child spelled it with an s instead of a c. The trouble here arose from the fact that the child had not learned that another letter besides s, represented the sound found in Grace. Her attention was called to the alphabet at the top of the board, and as she was still unable to name the letter, the teacher said to the class, "Let us sing a song to help her," when they began singing the alphabet to a familiar old tune. Instantly the child caught the name of the letter, turned, and spelled the word as desired.

What has taken me some time to describe, occupied but about six minutes, when the change was made to the

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Teacher: "Now make a word out of it."
Child said: "Write h and make it hand."
Teacher wrote as directed.

In this way ox-fox, ild (long i) child, ound-founi, ood-good, ilk milk, oy-boy, ay-play, ar-far, ook-look, am-Sam, and ill-still were given by successive children, the order of recitation being as given above.

At far, the teacher asked "How could I have made star?" The right answer showed that the child is getting hold of the compound consonant phonograms, (see Manual p. 24, j (4)).

It will be seen that this variation of the exercise imposes something harder upon the child than the first. It is he, not the teacher who proposes the phonogram and the word to be built from it.

Third Phase.

In this part of the exercise the teacher tested further the clearness of the vizual word image, by calling upon pupils to write words. The unskilled

hands moved slowly and awkwardly, and this part of the exercise moved at a slower pace. Not so many words appeared upon the board, as when the teacher did the writing. At the end of the time these words, bell, found, round, ground, Grace, rabbit, boy, drink and child, appeared in various degrees of slant and level, but with correct letter-sequence.

At a signal the children rose and ran lightly on toes to their seats. The time needed to change classes was reduced to a minimum by a bit of management, that in its operation reminded one of the old teeterboard lingo-"You go up while I go down." The signals "one, two, three" that meant "turn, sit, turn" for the A class, meant "turn, rise, turn" to the B class, and in much less time than it has taken to write about it, the B's had filed to class, and seated themselves, while the teacher gave the A's directions for their seat work.

The B class is not so far advanced as the A class, and are allowed to spell the words from the board after they are written, but are working towards the day when they will be able "to spell without looking."

This description is given in detail not with the thought of claiming for it anything exceptional, but to answer the question asked me; and besides giving method, to call attention to certain conditions that characterize a well-ordered school,"trifles" in the day's proceedings, which help to make the sum "perfection," but which young teachers fail to appreciate the importance of.

(1) The clean blackboard. This was kept in a bright, dustless condition, by means of a white cloth upon which some kerosene had been sprinkled. The teacher starts each Monday morning with a fresh cloth, which serves for a week and is then thrown away.

(2) Every body was busy. While the A class were reciting the B's were building sentences out of word cards, the sentences being in large clear writing on the board before them. When they rose to pass to class their work was left on their desks to be inspected later. When the A's had finished their recitation and had passed to their seats, the signal "take boxes" was all that was needed, the sentences to be built up being in their accustomed place before them, and each child having his own box in his desk.

(3) The children were as largely as possible self-directing. During neither recitation was the teacher interrupted by a question from the seats. Each child was responsible for his own word box, hence there was no confusion of collecting and distributing. tributing. This is thought to be the better way; for if a child is careless and loses some of the cards, or is untidy and soils them, he and not another child suffers the consequences. The teacher is also able, upon examining the boxes, to tell who are to be commended for neatness and carefulness, and who need training.

(4) Such smooth running of the school machinery comes not alone from experience but from careful planning of every step of the day's program, and the preparation before hand of everything necessary for the work. No time was wasted, because the teacher knew just what she wanted to do. The children were taught the first day they were in school just how they should pass back and forth from class, and every day since then they have repeated these acts of the school regime, until the habit of quiet, orderly movement is fixed.

(5) Much was accomplished in the time, but there was no feeling of strain. A quiet-voiced teacher with clear purpose in all she did, was guiding the activities of the children, every one of whom was impelled to interested effort.

I shall be glad to answer other questions of this sort, if I can.

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HOW TO MAKE USE OF THIS MONTH'S BLACKBOARD DRAWING.

Our readers have probably noticed that each. month we provide a suggestive blackboard drawing appropriate to the season. The drawings are all of such a simple nature that they may be easily placed by the teacher on the blackboard for the children to copy during the month. Herewith we present a page drawing which has many suggestions in it.

There is the March calendar decorated with rabbits which should be put on the board at the beginning of the month and used with the children to keep track of the days of the week and the monthly dates. As each day passes draw a line through that date the next morning.

March is always a windy month and the subject of windmills is ever interesting. In the blackboard drawing is the picture of an old Holland windmill. which may be copied on the board and the library used for reference in teaching the children how these mills work and what a great factor they are in the life of the Dutch people. The children may also construct a windmill of paper as indicated in the upper left-hand corner. Fold a square of paper on its diagonal and cut half away. Hold in place with a pin and insert the pin on a pencil or small piece of wood. This is very easily accomplished.

This month the pussy willows will be bursting forth and these should be made a part of your nature study work and the children interested in finding them. Note also the pussy willow song in this number.

At the bottom of the drawing are crocuses. These will make a nice border to run along the top of the blackboard and may be drawn at first with white chalk. The first child who sees a yellow crocus and brings it to school may be allowed to color one of these yellow. Then the second child who does the same may color another crocus and Crocuses are also found in white and pur

so on.

ple.

Make use of this blackboard drawing and you will find it very helpful in adding interest to your schoolroom work.

PROGRAM VS. PROGRUM.

MARY D. BRADFORD.

What is the sound of a in at, in man, in pang, in fat? What is the sound of a when it is marked

with a breve? Can every body answer these questions? Can you Madam Secretary of the reading circle or study club? Can you Mr. Minister? Can you Mr. or Miss Teacher? Can you Mr. or Mrs. or Miss Chairman? It is important that you should know the above indicated sound that you may put it in a certain word which you are very liable to use, and which for some unaccountable reason you are pronouncing in such a way as to make sensitive people grum-terribly grum, and nothing short of it!

If you know the sound of a in at please put it in the word program; for the Standard Dictionary says that is right. If you know the sound of a in man, fat, and pang, please put it in the word program; for the Century Dictionary says that the a in program has the same sound. If you know the sound of a marked with a breve, please put it in the word program; for the International Dictionary directs you to do so in its treatment of this word, which you can see by turning to it.

It may seem to you to add to the dignity of the occasion to announce to the waiting audience that the "progrum" will open with a song. If you are a teacher, you may think it gives evidence of especial erudition to discuss the "school progrum," and in such cases, of course, authority doesn't count.

While it is "a consummation devoutly to be wished" that this "program" no longer corrupt the ear of the young, or disturb the equanimity of the old, yet the practice is so strongly entrenched that we may be obliged to compromise with it. I offer the following suggestion as, possibly, a happy solution of the difficulty. Let us turn these two pronounciations to account by using them to discriminate between the sorts of thing designated by the said term, and defined as a "course of proceeding." Let us reserve the word of approved, authoritative pronounciation, program, to name that which deserves attention, is really creditable; and use the name progrum for the thing which might, and often does, very consistently, and by an easily discovered relation of cause and effect, accompany and follow such pronunciation.

HOW TO CONTROL WHISPERING. Awarded Second Prize in the January Device Contest.

My device, if it may be called a device, for the prevention of whispering is a very simple one, and yet one which works almost to perfection for me.

I have used it in different schools and among different nationalities and find it equally effective in all cases.

To begin with, I provide sufficient work for each child to keep him fully occupied during the period. I expect and insist upon this work being well done. The child knows that I do not and shall not accept poorly prepared lessons, and, as a rule, we get from children just what we expect and demand. I might insert right here that it is not my aim to prevent whispering absolutely, but only to control it. Whispering, in itself is not an evil, but becomes such only when its use is abused. There are times, I believe, when a few words between pupils in regard to some phase of the work in hand is of positive good rather than harm, but when I see unnecessary communication between pupils I pass quietly to the side of the offender, and in an undertone ask him if there is any way in which I can be of assistance to him; if he wants something which I can procure for him, or some such question. It isn't often in such cases that he really needs my help and he usually applies himself at once to his work. The pupil does not guess that I know he has been talking of something foreign to his work and I am careful never to mention the subject of whispering to them.

I am now seldom if ever annoyed with whispering in my room. This is the manner in which I have controlled whispering for years. For me it works like a charm.

Beatrice K. Bly,

Prin. State Graded School, Falum, Wis.

"DO"; NOT “DON”T.”

Awarded Third Prize in the January Device Contest.

The whole philosophy of what is often called the New Education is largely summed up in the word "do." The old thought was restraint. The new thought is to guide into right channels the activities of the child. The advantage of the new over the old is in increased interest and better selfcontrol of pupils.

Some years ago upon taking the principalship of a school in a small city, I found the spirit of vandalism seemingly epidemic among the pupils. It amounted almost to a mania, and to make matters worse there was a false code of honor that practically forbid any pupil from testifying or giving evidence against an offender. The building

was about ten years old, built of stone and brick. My first impression was that things had been running loose, and the first month confirmed the impression. The school block was surrounded by a plank fence that had been reasonably neat when new. It was now beginning to decay some and was pretty badly dilapidated. The janitor had this repaired as well as he could but almost daily boards were broken off somewhere and often mysteriously. Out-buildings were marked and defaced and often the walls of the building were mysteriously scratched and marked.

By force and determination, with careful watching, I held such things in check. A few culprits were caught and what followed might seem brutal to a few sentimentalists. Then I began to seek the cause and to find a remedy. In the past pupils had grown to look upon such things as a sure way to get even with the janitor and to annoy the teachers and the principal. I showed as little annoyance as possible, assumed that such offenses were not against me or the janitor, but against the community. The fathers of the pupils had to foot the bills and pay the expenses of the school, regardless of the time squandered by such annoyPunishments were inflicted upon guilty persons caught, in the interest of the community. I took the attitude of the judge or the sheriff,-a protector of public property interested in the community's welfare only. This was a new light to many. They had never looked at it from that view point. It helped me some.

ances.

Next, I set myself the task of uprooting to some extent the false notion of honor that forbid the giving of evidence. Did courts compel a witness to testify? To deny a thing when you knew it, could an honest pupil do this? Was not that lying in its worst form? Was not such denying of the truth caused by cowardice? Was a truly brave man and the patriot afraid to inform on a thief or a murderer? Should I see a man breaking into a bank or burning some one's house could I keep still and be morally honest and a good citizen? I spoke on general grounds and never in any way referred to school offenses. I left that to adjust itself in the mind of the individuals reached. It helped. It served as a moral tonic to a few who had been intimidated by false standards of honor.

Then using my knowledge of boy and girl nature, I began a positive rather than a negative

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