The Bee

The following charming poem is from the pen of Miss Agnes S. Cook, who is the daughter of President John W. Cook, of the Illinois Normal University :

There's a belted bee in the orchid's cup:

He's taking his tithes from his tenantry,
And never a care in the world knows he,
Wise bee!

He peeps from the flowers gilded o'er
With precious dust of the stamen's store,

And never a thought in the world has he
Of the errand he's on for his tenantry.
But the golden dust of the stamens' store
Is left at each orchid's open door.

A part of the flowers' plan is he,

As he takes his tithe of his tenantry.

We children of men, we come and go
At somebody's hest-how should we know,
Being only the children of men,
Whence we come or whither we go?

But to some of us, now and again,

A vision comes in the sunshine; - then He sees himself as part of a Plan, He has helped in the weaving since life began. The shuttle is hidden, he knows not where, But he shall know the shuttle is there, Moved by some unseen, immanent Hand,He shall seek no more, but understand;

And the cares all die that pride gave birth, He turns with a larger thought to earth. The vision hath had its ministry,

And he smiles to himself as he sees the bee,
The velvet bee in the orchid's cup,

Taking his tithes of his tenantry,

While never a care in the world knows he, - Wise bee.

- Public School Journal

(It does not need the gift of prophecy to predict that this poem will live.-ED.)

Kindergarten Christmas Plans

C

J. E. P.

HRISTMAS is yet a long way off, but we will begin early this year, in order to avoid hurry and weariness at the last.

A beautiful Madonna picture is hung in sight of little eyes, and also in reach of little caressing hands, for the children will love to stroke the face of the Babe, as they whisper of His wonderful story, and explain to each other the meaning of this scene.

No word need the teachers say just yet. Let the lesson of the mother's heavenly face, and the beauty of the Babe, do their own work silently in the hearts of the interested and expectant children.

Listen to their comments on the picture as they gather about it on this morning of its first appearance.

"Is that dear little baby, George Washington," whispers a timid child," or is it Christopher Columbus?" "No! No!" replies an awe-struck

voice. "I will tell you who it is," and the story of the Christ-Child is told by the older children-child fashion - with constant interruptions from those who are able to add new incidents to the wondrous tale, while the younger children listen, sympathize and understand.

Weaving mat folded into a handkerchief case and tied with baby ribbons to match

The teachers listen too, and hearing much that shall help them in their Christmas lessons, stories and talks, patiently "bide their time," and, on this morning open kindergarten with a rollicking "talk" on quite another subject, knowing that the children of their own accord will turn again and again to the new picture, even in their gift work and games, in a way, that for almost any other object, we would consider a serious interruption.

The day comes at last when the children are told

The tree is described to the children as their own which they are to trim with all the pretty gifts we can make.

One child hesiand only one. "I shouldn't

tates

XX

Weaving mat folded and laced with baby ribbons making card receiver

like that kind of a tree, I should w-w-want to g-g-get somethin'," with a quiver in his voice.

We will not again make the mistake of doing to much of the children's work for them, said we. A strong cord is tacked along the wall within easy reach of tiny hands. Let the children fasten to this cord their decorative work, or any pretty thing they wish to bring from home.

Blotting pad made of sewing card. White silk with green silk leaves

This latter step has been a rash one, for here are hideous paper flowers in the crudest colors, which to the admiring children of the whole kindergarten (in spite of our scientific color work) seem perfect gems of art and beauty.

(Shall we mar the appearance of our room by allowing these hideous things to stay, or shall we slight the child's offering of love, which has cost him toil to make, and order it down, out of sight.)

The evergreens are tied in rather uneven bunches-not a smooth coil of green rope as the teachers would wish it, but then, it is the children's own work, and to them it is most satisfactory, for will not mamma see it soon, and praise it?

However, there is a good deal that can be done by the children, which will be tasteful both in color and arrangement, for the teachers select the colors and help over hard places by tying the bows of the baby ribbon decorations.

Weaving mats of delicate tints and shades, can be lined with silver or gold paper, and laced or tied with ribbons to match, after folding them into various shapes, such as pin trays, handkerchief cases, bonbon boxes or card receivers. Sewing cards worked with silk, and tied with gold or silver cord, or bows of ribbon to match the silk, can be made into postal card cases, tiny folios, match scratchers or blotting & pads.

The children will like to make pretty covers for their drawing or parquetry books, and present them to parents, who especially value (if they are at all appreciative) this gift which shows progressive steps in growth of little fingers and brains.

On these book covers made of stiff water color paper, the teacher has outlined a design of flowers or leaves (embroidery patterns furnish pretty designs), and the children fill in the outline with their water color paints.

If we are hurried and "driven" toward the last to finish our tasks in time, we lose much of the softening, purifying influence of the Christmas spirit, we quench the beginnings of unselfishness, and hurt ourselves, not only for the Christmas season, but possibly for the entire year.

If we teachers, in our love of display decorate elaborately our school-room, at the time when our babies are asleep in their little beds at home, and having no part in our preparations, we lose much, for upon their appearance in the newly decorated room, on Christmas day, there is so much that is new to them, not only in an audience filling their room, but in the changes we have made, that they grow shy at once, and assume their company manners the thing we dreaded most, for of all things, on an occasion like this, we want to see spontaneous childish joy and enthusiasm in our holiday festivities.

The tree will look very gay, for the youngest children will trim it with strings of their colored wooden beads, and with long loops of pop corn and cranberries which they especially enjoyed stringing, not only for the pretty contrast in the color of the red and white, but for an occasional taste of the pop corn. Even the cranberries, now and then, find their way to the little mouths, the excitement of the occasion giving a peculiar zest, even to the sourness of the cranberry.

Cover of drawing book on which teacher draws designs and children fill in with water colors

A kind neighbor will send in a crate of oranges for the children's lunch, and a basket of hot-house grapes will find its way from another generous soul, so that our little givers will not be entirely empty handed, as our celebration draws to a close.

Even the small boy who thought he would not like that kind of a tree, was fully convinced on this festive occasion, that it is always more blessed to give than to receive.

(The following directions are furnished by the writer at the request of the Ed.)

The dots are marked for perforation in the sewing cards which you can buy, choosing the patterns from the catalogues of kindergarten material.

However, many kindergartners prefer to buy blank cards. and draw a copy on these, designs of their own.

Some of the pret

tiest designs are taken

from books of embroidery patterns.

For a sewing card, make one pattern or copy of the design. chosen, adapting it to the size of the card, and with tracing paper this design can be transferred to the cards very quickly, afterward perforating the holes as far apart as the design will admit, for if the holes are pricked too near together, the children are apt to break the card.

Five or six cards can be perforated at once, by laying the pattern on the top card and securing the cards from slipping by fastening them together with an elastic band. In perforating a number of cards at once, in this way, the design is not traced until after the perforation, and it can be done by connecting the perforations with a faint pencil line. Great care must be taken that the design is placed exactly in the middle of the card.

There are lovely designs to be found on old calendars or Christmas cards. A kindergartner who cannot draw, uses tissue paper for copying her designs and can retrace them by reversing the tissue paper on the card, and if the first drawing has been made with a soft pencil, the retracing on the wrong side of the tissue paper will transfer the pattern to the sewing card.

How to Use the Picture Sheet

M. A. P.

Suggestion Sixth

Script Letters

It is readily seen that when children can enumerate the letters of a word, they can use the separate letters.

Give then script letters in place of words and ask children to select and arrange them, matching the script word upon the picture card.

Suggestion Seventh

Type Letters

Children who have been well instructed in script reading, usually require but little time and drill to acquire type forms. When the type forms are mastered, substitute printed letters for script.

In this way seat occupation increases in difficulty, advances in difficulty, demands greater effort. The child is silently reading and teaching himself spelling.

Change the pictures occasionally so that no child use the same pictures many times in succession, lest his work becomes mechanical or distasteful, and also that he may acquire the spelling of difficult words.

Sing

Sing, little children, dear,

Not only on Christmas day,
But ev'ry day of the year;
Still is the Christ-Child here.

He is here and we always may
Be glad, as on Christmas day.

(Found in Mrs. Hubbard's and Kate Douglas Wiggin's Kindergarten Plays) In the "Taste" game the child is blindfolded, and then something given him to touch, taste, or smell, and to name it, its material, or uses, while the verse is being sung by the others. For the " Hearing games, another child sings or speaks behind him, that he may guess the voice; or the sound of rapping wood, breaking or tearing something, crumpling paper, striking metal, or any of the dozen other exercises may be used. For the "Sight" plays he tells, when the bandage is removed, what playmate has left the room, or what object has been moved, or names, from description given by the children some object selected while he has been sent out of the room.- Kindergarten Magazine

At the late Educational congress in Atlanta a teacher inquired of one of the audience, "Did Dr. Harris speak yesterday?" "Yes," was the answer.

"Oh, I'm so sorry I didn't hear him, but then, I heard Belva Lockwood." A celebrity is a celebrity.

How the Future Baby will Talk

Nurse.

"How doth the little busy bee

Improve each shining hour, And gather honey all the day From every open flower!

Baby [boldly.]

How does the little bee do this?

Why, by an impulse blind.

Cease, then, to praise good works of such

An automatic kind.

Nurse.

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star!

How I wonder what you are!

Baby [pityingly.]

Do you really wonder, Jane?
And to me all seems so plain !
Go down-stairs, my girl, and find

Books wherewith t' improve your mind,

And if heavenly bodies then
Still remain beyond your ken,
You had better go and ax
Good Professor Parallax.

For the Boys

A Dainty Tape-Measure

If a boy can draw and color simple flowers buttercup, a forget-me-not, or even a clover-leaf boys can now-a-days, there is another present he can make which will be welcome to all his friends. It is a tape-measure. Even without the flowers, such a measure as I describe is handsome.

For one tape-measure, buy a piece of best quality gros-grain ribbon thirty-eight inches long and one and one-quarter wide. If you like pink or blue, buy it, but select a dull shade.

Stretch the ribbon out on a board and make it fast at each end by sticking pins through into the board. Lay along its edge an ordinary measure which shows all the marks, and copy each one exactly, with fine pencil, the whole length. Then ink all the lines with great care.

Then ask a sister or a friend

a daisy, a

as most

to hem the end next the thirty THE TAPE-MEASURE six mark, just one inch beyond it, and sew the other to a brass ring, crocheted over with silk the exact shade of the ribbon.

Then you can paint your little flowers in between the inch lines; they will not interfere with the half and quarterinch marks.

In case a boy and his sister wish to make a very handsome tape-measure together, she can embroider the tiny flowers, solid, or in outline stitch. The flowers could be stamped on at any embroidery store.

- C. B.

Christmas Morning

While it was yet dark Elsie got out of bed and dressed herself, Christmas morning. Of course you think she was going to see what was in her stocking. But do children stop to dress for that?

No, she was thinking of something else. She went out to the barn to old Charlie's stall. He was so white she could see him in the gray light of the early morning.

As she spoke to him, he neighed and put his head down to her. Then she patted and stroked him, talking busily all the while, telling him it was Christmas day.

Just how much of it he understood I can't say, but when she got him an armful of sweet, fresh hay, he understood that very well indeed.

Then she went out to Ina, the beautiful Jersey cow, and told her all about it, too, with a bundle of hay to help her understand.

The black kitten was glad to be told anything so pleasant, and Elsie gave her some milk to make her remember it. I think it was a good way to begin the day.

The Fir Tree

C.

Farmer Berry stood looking at the old fir tree at the foot of the lane. He had an axe in his hand, for he had just come from the wood lot where he had been chopping all day long.

"I've a mind to cut that tree down," he said, "half its branches are dead already." And he raised his axe as if to strike at the trunk. It was a little tree, and two or three strokes would have felled it.

"Just wait! just wait!" said two little snow-flakes that just then flew down through the clear air.

And Farmer Berry did wait. "I should miss that tree," he said; "Brother Will and I put it there when we were boys."

No sooner had Farmer Berry gone into the house than the snow-flakes set to work. Hundreds, thousands, millions of them came hurrying down. All night long they worked ar fast as ever they could. They nestled down on the fir tree branches; they crowded close together to keep from falling off; they hurried and scurried till not a needle on the whole tree but was loaded with shining snow flakes.

By and by the sun came up and Farmer Berry looked out of the farm house window.

66

Well, well!" said he, "a real snow storm! The first of the season." "Wife" said he, "come look at the fir tree!" "Beautiful!" said Mrs. Berry.

"It looks like a Christmas tree," cried the Berry children. "So it does! So it does!" said Farmer Berry, "I'm glad I didn't cut it down."

And, indeed, I think he must have been; for all winter long it stood there at the end of the lane, as happy as any tree you ever saw; and every time a snow storm fell, it was the most beautiful thing in all the country round about.

Christmas Cheer

M.

Out of the heart of a snow cloud came a voice. You and I would never have heard it, but it was not meant for us. This was what it said, "Let Christmas Cheer begin his journey."

You have heard of all sorts of fairies, but never of one so lovely as Christmas Cheer. His eyes would be like stars, except that they are warm and kind in their shining, instead of cold and far away. And, as for his smile, I think it is the most wonderful that was ever known; for it brightens the whole world.

Out he passed, over sleeping towns, through lonely fields and woods, and wherever he went the Christmas blessing fell. If a child had gone to bed thinking of her own presents, and forgetting to help other people to be happy, too, the passing of Christmas Cheer and his breath in the air made the selfish heart sweet and loving again.

If a man had a quarrel with his neighbor, he could not look the Christmas spirit in the face without hanging his head.

Sometimes people made a mistake, and thought the bright Christmas spirit was with them if they only had well-spread tables, and fine presents in their hands. But often and often it was only a dream. While they thought he was with them, Christmas Cheer was far away in some little home poor enough in all but love.

Open your hearts wide, dear children, to let him in; and love him too well to let him go when Christmas is gone, but C. keep him all the year.

The Mouse in a Muff

"This little Elsie girl wants a muff," said Santa Claus, looking up at the little Christmas tree and down at his brimful pack.

"Let me see! here's a gray one and a brown one; a speckled one-and-ah! here's the muff for Elsie!" and the good old Santa pulled out a soft white muff with a pink silk lining and little pink silk tassels.

But while Santa Claus had been fastening the muff to a branch of the tree, little Miss Mousie had been watching from a hole in the closet floor.

"I wonder what that is," thought she, and away she went to see as soon as ever Santa Claus was out of sight.

"How soft and warm," said she, as she rubbed her nose against the soft fur. "And that pink silk! I like that, too! It is like the toes and the noses of the baby mice! I wonder why it wouldn't make a nice warm bed; I'm very sleepy, too, just now, I think I'll take a nap."

Mousie never knew how long she slept; but the next thing she knew, a troop of children had burst into the room, and somebody reached up and untied the muff. How mousie's heart beat! She wished she were in the closet again.

"Here, Elsie, this is for you," said the kind voice; and in a second two little chubby hands were thrust into the two ends of the muff.

"Quee! quee!" squeaked mousie. "O! O!" screamed Elsie. Then such a confusion as followed! Everybody screamed, and mousie ran as fast as ever he could around the room, out into the hall, up the stairs! Luckily the garret door was open and mousie never even stopped for breath until he was safe beneath the eaves.

"Where did that mouse go!" Elsie used to wonder. "What made the people scream?" the mouse used to wonder; for it was a long time before either Elsie or mousie forgot the fright they had given each other the night of the Christmas tree. M.

Waiting for Christmas in Holland