Getting Ready for Spring. What a blessing it would be if the breezy March wind could blow away all the tired, weary, dispirited feelings from the hearts and brains of teachers, leaving them swept clean for the new spring atmosphere ! Let everybody try to stop the rush and breathe more leisurely as the winter months pass away. Stop the spirit of push that has kept you at an unnatural pitch all winter, and get ready to watch for and welcome every sign of advancing spring. The children will not absorb the spring thought and freshness if you are still "keyed-up" with the winter anxiety over "results." Birds. As was announced last month, the birds are here in the March number - two pages of them. It is hoped they will win their way into the school program, even if something else is ruled out,- for a few minutes every day. Remember, in taking up this study of birds, that your success will depend largely on your personal interest in discovering and identifying these annual visitors. The children will not "catch fire” from descriptions in type; don't read the fine type descriptions to them. This detail is for you to present to them in your own way. You can sketch these outlines upon the blackboard and can make yourself a student with the children. They will like that and you will have to use Gibson's "sharp eyes" to keep up with them when the competitive spirit is aroused. Remember, too, that John Burroughs says, you must have the bird in your heart before you can find it in the bush." Read, if you can, Olive Thorne Miller's, "Little Brothers in the Air." 66 Our Supplementary Picture. It will be a delightful help to you in studying detail. "Delightful," because of the superior quality of the pictures and the pleasure in having their beauty and accuracy for your very own. No expense has been spared by the publishers of PRIMARY EDUCATION to give the teachers of the country the best opportunities for bird study ever offered by any educational magazine. The bird serial sketches and supplementary pictures will be continued through April, May and June numbers of this paper, giving to every primary school unequalled facilities for bird knowledge. NOTE. Don't be disturbed because the descriptions and sketches of the same birds are not found side by side. It is only another evidence of the perversity of inanimate things. The arrangement will be better in future. Many Answers in One. May I answer many friendly courteous inquiries of a personal nature, from correspondents, on this chatty page? Time is short and letters are many. I. "Have you not been a teacher?" Yes. Twenty years. 2. "What grades did you teach ?" Every grade, from "just five" to graduation. "The Children Like It." [ED. Do not fail to read this article, teachers, on page 80, this number. Read it in an impartial spirit if you can, but by all means read it, once, twice, carefully and thoughtfully, with an honest desire to get at the truth of the matter. Then begin to think about it and test the truth of its statements by your own every day experiences, freed from all glamour. The article was written by request of the editor, and it is with no small degree of pride that the name of so prominent a writer and so conscientious a student of childlife appears upon the pages of PRIMARY EDUCATION. Perhaps the clear, vigorous reasoning and illustrative facts presented there may furnish the reason why little children seem to hang rapturously upon the lips of their teacher when she reads to them the choicest thought of Longfellow, Lowell, Wordsworth, and Browning (?) clothed in rhetorical figure and poetic measure. If we only could be clairvoyant and see the exact mental state of our children upon these occasions there might be less high-wrought rhapsody printed concerning literature for babies. Eleanor Smith's Song Books. 50 20 50 30 125 1 50 30 25 25 8u8a* ga8 6ཤྩ 2 00 75 1 00 "Songs for Little Children," Parts I., II., are two books published by Milton Bradley Company, Springfield. They are a mine of wealth to primary teachers. "The Sap has Begun to Flow," in this number, is taken from Part II. Do not forgot that only the "air" is given here for want of space, and that this is reduced by photography till it loses all its beauty. The songs in the books are handsomely arranged, with large, clear music score, and every song has a piano accompaniment. Programs. Thank you for those received; will publish soon. But where are those from country teachers? One Warning More. Don't send pencil drawings from children for publication. They cannot be used. "I never can do it," the little kite said, As he looked at the others high over his head : Or I fear you never will learn at all." *In Sunshine Land, (Houghton and Miffin, Publishers.) Lesson in Numbers. I have a little lesson In numbers every day : And, if you like, I'll tell you The kind I have to say— I call them play. There was a little pigeon, And when he said "Coo, coo! Another little pigeon Close down beside him flew Two pretty ships were sailing As grandly as could be; And, "Ship ahoy!" another Sailed out upon the sea — Then there were THREE. I had a pretty rosebush, And soon there came one more. FOUR bees a-gathering honey- These last were rather hard ones Dorothy's Opinion. (Recitation for a girl.) Mamma has bought a calendar, And every single page Has pictures on of little girls 'Most just about my age. M St. Nicholas. And when she bought it, yesterday, She said, "What lovely little girls, But I don't think they're true to life, They never have a rumpled frock, And though they play with cats and dogs, And sail their boats and fly their kites, And I am sure no little girl A Short Poem. (A little girl should hold a sheet of paper.) I want to tell you about my kitten, The prettiest kitten that ever purred; But I've looked my speller through and through, And that is old and too absurd. Is just to read you what I've written, And wait till she grows to be a cat, There are so many to rhyme with that. We Know it is Not Long. But we find in grand-pa's woods Soft gray plumes and big brown buds. We know it is not long Selected. Eudora S. Bumstead. I and 2. Point forward, then backward with hand. 3. Point forward, then backward with both hands. 4 and 5. Move foot forward, then back. 6. Spring lightly on both feet, forward, then back. 7. Tip face forward, then backward. 8. Incline the trunk forward, then backward. 9 and 10. Touch the ear, tipping head over the shoulder forward, then backward. II. Touch both ears, tipping head over. At the words " shake, shake, shake," give a gentle shake to the part mentioned, relaxing the muscles as much as possible. At the words, "With a tra, la, la," etc., relax all the muscle in the body, as much as possible, to get the whole body in motion, while wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle joints, "relax" "à la Delsarte," and keep up a gentle swaying or shaking movement in time to the music or voice. Waiting to Grow. M. F. Butts. Little white snow-drop, just waking up, Think what a host of queer little seeds, Of flowers and mosses and ferns and weeds, Are under the leaves and the ice and the snow, Waiting to grow! Only a month or a few weeks more, March nodded to Winter, "Good-by! good-by! The wee seeds are waiting—yes, waiting to grow?" 'They are Spring's little babies, and soon she'll be here, Whisp'ring her welcome to each baby dear; So I'll tidy the earth; I'll sweep and I'll blow, - Annie McMullen. Sronies Mother Earth's First Child. It was early in March,- and still the snow lay in patches over the patient bosom of Mother Earth. "Tired of waiting?" said a frisky breeze as he nipped the noses of two foolish buds that had dared open their waterproof-coats a little way. "Did you speak to me or to those poor things you are abusing?" asked Mother Earth. "To you, my dear madam," replied March Wind politely. "You don't suppose I would waste my time on those silly babies." "Well then, March Wind, I am tired of waiting. I am so lonely without my dear children. "Think of all the thousands of grass-blades, dead, under this cruel snow! "Think of the sweet flowers that have fallen to rise no more ! Yes, I know that others will come, but the waiting is so long." "Cheer up! before you know it, all your housekeeping cares will be back on you again. Now I must away! If a rash blue-bird has ventured north, I want to find him and tweak his nose- his bill I mean Good-by" and March Wind rushed off with a whoop and a hallo. "I must wait, I suppose," and Mother Earth settled back into her old patience. Why, little Snowdrop, my baby darling, are you indeed here?" Yes, little Snowdrop had arisen from her loving, patient heart. There she stood, a delicate, tender creature - а bell of purest white swaying on its pale, green stem. "Darling! I am so happy. I was indeed lonely with all my children gone. But were you not afraid to rise in the cold and snow?" "No, mother dear," replied the little Snowdrop," I wanted you so much I could not help growing. How happy Pedro lives on a farm. He goes often to see his friend Ponto. His mistress is not pleased with this. She calls it running away. One day, she called, "Pedro, come here. I want to talk with you." Now Pedro heard with his sleepy ear-just the way Tommy does sometimes, and so gets disappointed. "My little mistress is always giving me something good; she says she has a new bone for me now." So he went to Ella, wagging his tail, and barking his loudest "Thank you." He put his fore paws in her lap, and opened his mouth wide. "O, you funny dog!" said Ella, laughing. "I can't put the talk I ought to give you into your mouth; it must go into your head, so you'll remember not to run away any more." "If you should forget, I may have to use this stick," and his young mistress took up her toy pointer. Pedro heard this with his wide-awake ear, and did remember for quite a while. And then he wanted a vacation so much, that he forgot, and kept right on forgetting. Copyrighted, 1895, by EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING CO. But every time he came back from his visit, he would go directly for the little pointer, which he would bring to Ella, in his mouth. He would not seem satisfied, until she had touched him with it. This she did very gently. Then he acted as if it was all right between him and his dear little mistress. Pedro is older now, and likes to stay at home to guard the farm. S. No-Bed-Time Land. "I wish there wasn't any bed-time! I hate it!" That is what Fred always said, until his good mamma had come to dread it almost as much Fred did. But one night Fred had a dream. A funny little man came and sat by his bedside. "Come, come," said he, "wake up. You are in No-bed-time Land now. You need never stop playing; it will never grow dark; and you need never go to sleep." Fred sprang out of bed delighted. He ran away to find some boys and girls to play with. There were ever so many of them; but they were so unhappy looking! Their eyes were dull; they were ready all the time to cry; they were half sick and pale, and O, so tired! For hours and hours Fred played by himself. It was so nice to know he would not be called to go to bed just in the began to want to go to bed. He curled up on a nice big very best of his play. But by and by, strange to say, he sofa for a nap. But the funny little man spied him. "No, no, little boy," said he; "wake up, wake up. No bed-time here. Go play again." Fred dragged himself back to the play-ground. Heavier and heavier his eyes grew. He, too, began to feel sick and By and by the tears came; he could not keep "Wake up, cross. awake. But the little old man was at his side again. wake up," he said, shaking Fred by the shoulder. Fred could hold the tears back no longer. He burst into a loud crying. O, if he could only sleep again! He would give all he owned in the world to sleep just one wee minute. Then Fred heard a kind voice say, "What is it, my boy? Mamma is right here." Then Fred woke up. "O, such an awful dream!" he said, and went off to sleep again, with M. a great big sigh of relief. The Dog and his Shadow. A dog had stolen a piece of meat for his dinner. "Now for a feast," said the dog. And away he trotted with the meat in his mouth. On his way home there was a brook to cross. The water was very clear and very still. The dog saw his own shadow in the water. "There is another dog with another piece of meat," thought he. "R-r-r-r" growled he looking down into the water. "R-r-r-r," growled the dog in the water looking up at him. "I'll have that piece of meat," thought the greedy dog on the bridge. So he growled again and showed his teeth. The dog in the water showed his teeth too. That made the dog on the bridge angry. Snap! snap! and down went the meat into the water, and the greedy dog had nothing but his own thoughts to dine upon. I wonder if they were pleasant? -Esop's Fables, Educational Publishing Co. |