certain number of times in a four or an eight-inch, or is one-half or one-fourth of the four or eight-inch. The four fundamental operations are thus learned and the pupil's interest is constantly awakened. The use of figures and mental work are practiced at another period, so as to make the pupil familiar with combinations.

The use of blocks is a continuation of the process to enable the pupil to make more problems and to learn the idea of volume. The surface of the block will render it possible to make numerous problems and to increase the knowledge of the class in the handling of number. The basis of the work is comparison and relation. Another device in the second year is to draw an oblong as

B is one-half of A; C is one-half of B or one-fourth of A. If A is four, what is B or C? If C is two, what is A or B? and so on.

It has been demonstrated by the method described that pupils have become really interested in number work as number; that they are accurate in their calculations; that number has become a reality because they can do something, and that it means something to them.

The third year finds them ready to take up number in the various combinations, computing and comparing and calculating with much greater accuracy than before. Counting by 2's, 3's, 4's, 5's, and 10's is practiced, to give children the ability to add and to multiply rapidly. This, however, is based upon measurements. By 2's to 42, by 3's to 42, by 4's to 40, by 5's to 40, and by 10's to 40. The process of abstract adding, etc., is simply to render the pupils independent of the measuring. The use of the measures gives to them a foundation and teaches them that number is based upon a reality; that they always have at hand a means of proof, if they choose to use it, to test the accuracy of their results. It is a concrete form that appeals to the child as no other does, and his number becomes a pleasureable exercise. The abstract work as before stated is daily practice within the scope of the child's development; he is never kept upon useless childish measurements which he knows by instinct.

Number work in the higher grades depends upon the interest and clearness with which it is taught in the first or lower grades. The measurements extended may be easily applied to the development of higher forms of mathematical work-fractions, percentage, and the like-to advantage, and make these processes much more interesting and better understood. Measurements as a basis have been successfully used in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades by Miss Sarah Walters of the Willimantic Normal School. Many suggestions have been obtained from the work at Willimantic, yet the methods used at Northampton are preferred. Not so much are made of the solids, and more is made of the ratio and comparison. The special aim is to get pupils to think clearly and accurately and yet not go beyond their stage of development.

A Hint for the Teacher

A little child in a New Hampshire town was lost. The parents were overcome with fear. Friends assisted in the search. Church bells were rung, and the town crier announced the sad news from street to street. Hours passed by but the child was not found. At length the town fool was seen approaching with the missing treasure safe and asleep in his arms. When asked how he knew where to look for the child, the fool replied, "I asked myself if I were a little boy and ran away from home what would I want to do and where would I go first, and then I went there and found him,"

Little Betty Blew and the Indian Baby

E. D. K.

(This story is adapted from Little Betty Blew [Lee and Shepard, Publishers]. A delightful book to read to the children.).

Ο

NE cold winter day, about two hundred years ago, some people from Dorchester, in Massachusetts, set sail in the good ship Friendship for a voyage down. the Atlantic Coast. They were bound for the colony of Charles Town in Carolina. There were two children on board a boy and girl, named Dinks and Betty Blew, and their little dog Winks, besides the dog with the white stockinged feet.

Now these children were not used to sea voyages, and they were very much excited and talked a great deal about the things they wanted to see most. Captain Kidd, a great pirate, was on the sea about that time stealing vessels, and the children told a great deal that they would do if the pirates really caught them. But they thought they wanted most of all to see the Indians in the country where they were going.

"But I want to see an Indian baby!" said Betty, more than anything else. How beautiful the babies must be with feathers in their hair and beads all over them. "I do believe," continued Betty, "I would steal an Indian baby if I could get one."

"O, Me! My!" said her brother Dinky, "such taste as you have Betty Blew. I would never have thought that of you, if you hadn't told me so yourself," and he looked very much ashamed of his sister. By and by they reached Charles Town. They were all surprised to see such a fine city, with strong walls all around it to protect it from attacks of the Spanish. There were only about five thousand people there, but it was a large city for those days, for our country was very new two hundred years ago.

Some of the people who had come in the ship stayed there, and others went on journeys away from the coast to find a place to make a new home, which they wanted to call Dorchester after the old one in Massachusetts.

So Betty's father said one day, "Children, we leave Charles Town to-morrow. If there is anything you want very much to see here you must see it to-day."

"Yes, father, I want to go to the market square where the Indians bring their things to sell, and I may see an Indian baby, you know."

"Why, you saw Indians before you left home, Betty."

"Yes, but I never saw but one papoose and he was dressed in clothes such as Dinky wears. I want to see an Indian baby in Indian clothes, and I want to hold it in my arms, and have it for my very own just a teenty while."

They went to the market square, where there were plenty of Indians, but not one Indian baby. Poor Betty, she was so disappointed!

Next day they sailed away on the Ashley river, and found a place where they wanted to live. Indians came to welcome them, for an Indian chief they had once made friends with had sent word to these Indians to be kind to the white men who would come to them in a ship. They gave them wild turkeys, Indian yams, dried peas, and pouches of Indian corn,

Here were Indian women, too, and yes! here was a a real Indian baby at last at last! Betty could hardly keep from screaming when she saw one. She wanted to take it in her arms and squeeze it, for that was the way Betty showed her love for her friends. She called these squeezes "hug-a-bears."

Now, what do you think Betty did? She flew straight to the woman who carried the baby.

She wasn't a very nice looking mother. She had fierce black eyes and a grim expression. Her name was Dombi-e-ty. She carried her baby in a board cradle on her back and the ends of the cradle stuck out like horns. The baby was in a buckskin pouch, shaped like the toe of a slipper; it was fastened across these boards, and the baby lay inside as snug as a bug in a rug.

Betty began to talk to the mother and to say sweet things, but the Indian woman didn't understand a word. But she knew by Betty's eyes that she felt kindly towards her and that she wanted to touch her baby, yet she didn't trust white people, and how did she know but Betty wanted to pinch her baby or to poke her finger in its eyes?

Every time Betty went near her she drew away, and Betty was afraid she would have to give it up and not touch the the baby at all.

At last the Indian woman seemed to lose her fear of Betty. She suddenly knelt before her so she could reach the baby and said, "Yi! Yi!" Betty thought this meant "Come! Come!" So with a cry of delight she patted the baby's cheeks and played with the little scalp-lock that had fallen down on the baby's forehead. She rubbed her fingers across the wee, pudgy nose. She didn't dare to kiss the baby because her father had told her that the Indians would think that she was trying to breathe a bad spirit on the baby

if she tried to kiss her.

"Pretty baby! Pretty baby!" said Betty, and the mother said, "pretty, pretty," too, for that was one English word she could understand. She meant that Betty was pretty, for she had never seen anything so pretty in her life as Betty was now with her delight and dancing eyes. "Dom-bi-e-ty grew more and more friendly, and finally squatted before an old oak tree so she could rest against it, and began to unlace the strings that held the baby in the buckskin pouch, that was shaped like the toe of a slipper. As soon as the baby's fists were free, it began to tug hard at Betty's soft hair, just as white babies do. This delighted Betty and the harder the baby pulled, the better Betty liked it.

When the mother Dom-bi e-ty turned away to speak to another Indian woman, a sudden idea popped into Betty's head. How she would like to show that baby to her mother! Why couldn't she? She knew just where her mother was. She was sitting by the big oak tree by the shore, for they had left the ship and had come ashore in the long boats. Without waiting a second, Betty turned and unlaced the buckskin thongs that had held the baby in the pouch and lo! the little legs were free at last. The Indian baby was at liberty. She put her arms around Betty's neck and now Betty could squeeze her to her heart's content. But Betty's head was too full of her new project, to show the baby to her mother, to think of anything else. The baby was not heavy and she caught it up and started to run as fast as her feet could carry her. The baby was scared by the swift motion and began to cry. The Indian mother heard it, turned, and bounded after them crying out at every step. Now began the race. Both ran, and everybody around was watching. But the mother gained very swiftly on Betty, who couldn't run very fast with the baby. The captain of the ship saw them and shouted to Betty. "Put down that baby this minute," he said, but the blood was beating so fast in Betty's head she didn't understand him and she ran on. Just as she was staggering under the weight of the baby Dom-bi-e-ty reached her. She shook Betty roughly, muttering all sorts of threats. The little baby tumbled down on the sand; the mother didn't stop to help it, but made signs to another Indian woman to pick it up. Then with a quick movement she seized Betty, and throwing her over her shoulder as she often threw the deer her husband slew, she started toward the river as fast as she could run. "Run after the woman!" shouted the captain. means mischief!" "Betty's mother turned white with fear, and groaned aloud, "O, my poor child!"

"She

The men shouted and pursued, but the woman never stopped and ran straight to the river. The men were close behind her, but she hurried all the faster, and leaped toward the bank. Then she braced herself, swung her arms backward and forward, and hurled Betty into the deep, dark

river!

The captain did not wait a second, but jumped right in after her. But as swift as he was, poor struggling Betty had sunk twice beneath the water before he could reach her. The people on the bank held their breath with fear. Would the brave captain rescue her? Could he reach her before

she went down for the last time? Yes, yes, he has caught her just in time. Betty is saved. The captain brought ner to shore and laid her in her mother's arms. When Betty came to her senses and could understand, she heard the threats the men were making against Dom-bi-e-ty.

"Don't hurt her," she begged. "It was all my fault. She thought I meant to steal her baby. I ought to have told her what I wanted to do." And so the Indian mother went unpunished.

First Public School

The first public school in America to be supported by direct taxation upon the inhabitants of a torn," was established at Dorchester, Mass., in May, 1639.

In 1636 David Thompson had settled on Thompson's Island, off the coast of the colony town, and in 1638 he gave the island to the town on the payment of twelve pence yearly rental. Having transferred the island to the town, the Town Council met May 20, 1639, and adopted the following order:

"It is ordered the 20th day of May, 1639, that there shall be a rent of £20 a year imposed forever on Thompson's Island, to be paid by every person that hath propriety on said island, according to the proportion that any such person shall from time to time enjoy and possess there, and this towards the maintenance of a school in Dorchester. This rent of £20 a year to be paid to such schoolmaster as shall undertake to teach English, Latin, and other tongues, also writing.

"The said schoolmaster to be chosen from time to time by the freemen, and it is left to the discretion of the elders and the seven men for the time being whether maids shall be taught with the boys or not. For the levying of this £20 yearly, from the particular persons who ought to pay it according to this order, it is further ordered that some man shall be appointed by the seven men for the time being to receive this, and on refusal to levy it by distress, and not finding distress, such person as so refuseth payment shall forfeit the land he have in propriety in said island." Here,

the first teacher was Rev. Thomas Waterhouse.

The Cranberry

Material A dish of cranberries and a blackboard sketch of vine.

Where found They grow in very marshy land, near water. Found in New Jersey, Delaware, Massachusetts, and in some other states.

Size and shape Shape of an egg and size of a sparrow's egg.

Color Skin smooth and of a light red at the blossom end; darker toward the end.

Flesh Cream white in color. Taste, sour. Cross section looks like a full moon and a' four-leaf clover in middle of it.

Seeds Four seeds in each cavity. Four cavities. Seeds point to the stem end. Seeds are attached to a cord that passes through the middle of vertical section. Seeds are fastened together by a kind of red substance.

Drawing Draw or paint dish containing cranberries. Draw a whole cranberry and one divided so as to show seed cells.

ANXIOUS

The Will

The will is exercised and strengthened when it decides which of two sets of conflicting inclinations shall be followed. If Tommy wants to run away from school and does not want to take the punishment which will certainly follow, his will is being trained, whichever course of action he chooses.

If Dan thinks that perhaps he wants to run away from school and knows that he will not suffer any disagreeable consequences if he does run away, his will is not getting any training, whichever course he pursues.

The habit of doing as one ought is cheaply purchased if it cost no more than the severest punishment a parent or teacher inflicts. Nature's punishments for wrong doing are slower, but infinitely

more severe.

JUSTICE

Here is one way. As soon as a new book is given to the class, use the book for the subject of an interesting object lesson. Have a lesson on the book as a whole, before the contents are examined. Talk about the cover, its shape, the color, the design, etc.

Read everything on the cover: the name of the book, the author, the publisher. If you know anything about the author and his purpose in writing the book, tell the children about it. If the children are interested and like a book, you will seldom see that book defaced. By the way, did you ever notice what books are defaced the most and ask yourself why this is so? R. R.

R.

To Prevent Tardiness

Here is one way to prevent tardiness. Tell the children before they go home at noon of something interesting which they may do during those fifteen minutes before school begins, and at night tell them of something they may do during the fifteen minutes before the morning session begins. Or you may have the "before school work" a secret, those coming early learning what it is. Of course it will not be a secret long, and if you can keep up the children's interest, those T's will not spoil the looks of your register or your school's reputation.

My class never tired of this work before school. Furnish each child with a good-sized blank book into which may be pasted pictures, stories, and bits of poetry. (At first the teacher will provide the pictures from old magazines, etc.) Before the morning session, perhaps the child will have time to cut the picture, keeping the title, or printed description. Now the teacher should manifest her interest and enthusiasm by inspecting the work and showing the child how to place it on the page ready for the pasting before school in the afternoon. When the book is full it is the child's very own, and very proud and happy will he be to take it home. The foregoing plan is only one way of making children forget to be tardy.

PASS-IT-ON

FRANCIS A. COLE, Owatonna, Minn.

(Continued from October number.)

They took the rabbit to the schoolroom, found a box, put some dry grass in it, and kept the rabbit there for a few days, until the weather moderated. The children were delighted with their little friend and studied his make-up carefully. They felt of his soft, warm coat; they looked into his bright eyes so quick to see; they took hold of his long, large, flexible ears that he could turn in any direction for gathering the sound waves. They noted his short fore-legs, They noted his short fore-legs, his long hind-legs, and short, up-turned tail provided for fast running. They saw his split lip and long, strong teeth for gnawing, and remarked his color, so like his natural surroundings, to help him to conceal himself. They learned of his manner of living and of how he must work to get his living, and that he must be continually alert to avoid his enemies.

They all drew his picture, the younger children made stories about him that they used for reading, spelling, number, language and writing lessons, and then for busy work they cut his shape in gray paper and pasted it on cards to adorn the walls of the school-room for awhile.

To learn more about the rabbit's tracks, they tied a long string to his leg, and fastened him outside in the snow. They saw that his tracks appeared one way when he stood still, another way when he jumped slowly, and a different way when he took long, fast leaps, and they all learned to judge which way he was going, and how fast, by his tracks. After that some of the youngest boys were up and out early winter mornings to study tracks. This led them to observe the many different kinds of tracks made by different animals, and they learned to judge a little of their manner of life by the tracks they made.

A cat and a dog were brought to school to compare their size, shape, color, legs, feet, teeth, manner of running, and their tracks with the rabbits, and it was learned that cats and dogs are flesh-eating animals, having very different kinds. of teeth from rabbits, which are plant-eating animals.

A pet squirrel was brought to school and they studied it. A troublesome mouse was caught and compared with the squirrel. Then it was found that they have points of resemblance and belong to the same family of gnawers. From this it was learned that the animal world is divided into families, each family containing a large circle of relatives. The cat was found to belong to the same family as the panther and tiger, and the dog to the wolf family.

At the house nearest the school-house the teacher saw a number of pigeons flying about. She asked permission of the farmer and his wife to take the children to see the pigeon house and its occupants, and one noon they all went. A pigeon was borrowed and taken to school to study as a bird type. The adaptation of its several organs to their particular uses, the beauty of color, form, and its grace of movement were observed. Then the teacher told them about carrier pigeons. A friend a few miles away sent to the teacher, by express, a carrier pigeon that had taken several long journeys. They compared this more alert, intelligent bird with the common variety and noted their points of difference, marking the advantages for swiftness, long flights, and endurance possessed by the form and make-up of the carrier pigeon.

They wrote a message to the owner of the carrier-pigeon, on very thin, light paper, rolled the small letter tightly, put it in a tiny light aluminum tube and fastened it loosely, but securely, by a spring clasp to one of the pigeon's legs. All the school then marched in order to the school grounds, all keeping very quiet so as not to excite or frighten the pigeon. Then the teacher released the pigeon and they watched it rise and fly in circles, until it got its bearings, and then dart away out of sight.

Shortly after starting the little messenger, there came up a blizzard that made all anxious for the safety of the pigeon. A week passed with no tidings from the messenger. The school wrote letters to the owner of the pigeon, and he wrote

the fate of the pigeon. At last the teacher received a letter from a stranger, saying the pigeon almost perished from cold, hunger, and exhaustion, and was found near that place, nearly two hundred miles away. The men who found it kindly cared for it. From the message the pigeon carried, they learned where it started from, so they wrote to know what to do about it. The owner told the teacher to have it sent by express to her, and to try sending a message again. Accordingly, when it arrived, two of the larger boys brought it from the express office, and joyfully was it welcomed by that school. Now it was more interesting than ever, because of its trying experience, through which it had come bravely, and they loved the little messenger for his suffering and heroic endurance. A second time they sent a message. This time the faithful messenger took it to the right destination in due time.

The last week of February, the pupils who were advanced enough, were planning their March calendars, and were searching for appropriate designs to typify the weather of March with which to decorate the calendars. The blustering March winds were so much in evidence the teacher thought this an opportune time to teach some lessons to be learned from the wind. She began by telling them of the nature myth of Æolus, the god of the winds. She gave a more reasonable cause for the winds than that in the nature myth, and proved it by a simple illustration.

By means of a lighted candle held at the top of an open door of a warm room, they showed how the warm air rises and flows out of the room, carrying the flame outward. Then holding the candle at the bottom of the open door, they showed that the cold, heavier air is below, flowing into the room, carrying the flame inward. So she said the cold, heavier air from the regions of the north and south poles, flowing towards the regions of the equator, and the warm, lighter air of the regions of the equator rising, flowing towards the poles, modified by the rotation of the earth, cause the winds.

The children thought of some of the uses of the winds: to purify the air, to dry the earth, to carry moisture, to carry seeds, to equalize the temperature, to sail ships, to turn windmills, etc. They made an Æolian harp of strips of thin, hard wood, shaped into a shallow, narrow long box, across the edge of which they stretched strings from a guitar. In a brisk breeze this made weird music. They made a kite and sent it sailing. The younger children drew kitęs and cut kites from stiff paper. The teacher told them about Benjamin Franklin's kite and how it helped him to make a discovery about electricity. They all learned a wind song, and the older children memorized a poem, "The Wind," by Longfellow.

The plenteous showers of early spring called their attention to water. So they traced a drop of water through its many changes, from its rise out of the ocean in the form of steam, then to fog, clouds, mist, rain, sleet, snow, ice, back to water in a spring, to brook, river, and back to ocean. Then they learned uses of water, of its power, of its help to man when he controls it and makes it serve him.

66

The changing skies and frequent rainbows of April was an appropriate time for teaching about the rainbow. By means of a prism the teacher showed them the colors of the rainbow, and they learned the colors in the order found. Then they searched to find those colors repeated in objects about them. For desk work, they wrote where they found the colors of the rainbow, as, "I found yellow in the sunlight "; "I found blue in the sky"; "I found red in an apple; "I found green in the needles of a pine tree"; “I found in a drop of water all the colors," naming them in the order of their arrangement in the rainbow. The teacher taught them the nature myth of Iris, the Rainbow, which they learned to tell in their own words. They all learned a rainbow song, the younger children drew and colored a rainbow, and the older children wrote a story of the rainbow.

The shortening shadows at noon told them that the sun was traveling northward, and they began to watch for the first hints of spring's approach. They made little books for their spring diaries in which to record the early signs of