one third of the recitations in a given subject, and each child should be required to prepare all the lesson and not simply that part upon which he is to recite by topic. The children may occasionally be allowed to choose their own topics, either at the time of assigning the lesson or at the recitation;

or the topics may be assigned by the teacher after the class has assembled.

3. Story-Telling. The work in this grade will be largely a continuation of that outlined for the preceding grade. There are three distinct types of stories that should be attempted, as follows:

a. Repeated Story. The simple repeated story is the principal kind used in the first three grades.

Here and in the higher grades the children should usually find the story for themselves. The best plan is to have an occasional period when the children may tell the class the stories they have learned. This gives an incentive for outside reading, and produces greater power to retain what is read. Much knowledge of history may be gained in this way, while stories of travel or of life in other parts of the world will teach many facts of geography. Bible stories are always interesting and should find a place here. At least one long story should be read and learned in this grade. For this story the following are suggested: "The Trojan War," "The Adventures of Ulysses," "Robinson Crusoe," "The Swiss Family Robinson." The opening exercises of the day, which should be the livest work of the day, may occasionally be devoted to the story work.

b. Reconstructed Story. Much interest in the story work may be developed by having the children impersonate certain characters in stories they have learned, and tell the stories as they imagine those characters would have told them. For example, after the children have learned the story of "The Monkey and the Chestnuts," let one child tell the story as the monkey would have told it, and another as the cat would have told it. A complete change in the pronouns used will be found necessary. Fables are especially suitable for this work, which is a good training of the imagination and a preparation for the dramatization of stories.

c. Original Story. Creative work should be emphasized in this grade and in higher grades. Ideas as to plot and characters may be drawn from literature, from pictures, and from nature. The first products should be the result of the combined efforts of the whole class, each child suggesting an idea. Later, stories created by individuals are to be expected. An excellent form in which the original story may appear is the impersonation, in which the children are asked to imagine they are objects of various kinds, and tell stories in keeping with the character of the objects represented. For example, a child may impersonate a flower in the room or in the yard, the teacher's bell or clock, the pet dog or cat, etc. In this work care should be taken to keep the imagination of the child within proper bounds.

The sources of stories suggested in the preceding grade may be drawn upon for material here. For the repeated and reconstructed story the following are suggested:

GRIMM: The Frog Prince; The House in the Woods; The Fox and the Cat.

ANDERSEN: The Snow Queen; The Flax; The Fir Tree. HAWTHORNE, NATHANIEL: Cadmus and the Dragon's Teeth; Midas and the Golden Touch.

CRAIK, DINAH MARIA (MULOCK): The Little Lame Prince. KIPLING, RUDYARD: Mowgli's Brothers; Kaa's Hunting. HARRIS, JOEL CHANDLER: Daddy Jake, the Runaway; Why Mr. Billy Goat's Tail is Short.

FIELD, EUGENE: The Coming of the Prince; The Angel and the Flowers.

SCUDDER, HORACE: The Flying Dutchman; St. George and the Dragon.

SETON, ERNEST THOMPSON: Biddy and Randy.

BIBLE: The Story of Abraham; the Story of Ruth.

4. Argument. A good development in the ability to think logically and to appreciate the relation between cause and effect in events and conditions may be produced by a simple form of argument. Some

well-balanced subject is chosen, and the children are asked to make points in favor of either side. Opportunity should be given to any who desire to refute a point made. The teacher should always hold the children to the discussion of one point at a time. The class may be divided into two groups, each taking one side of the subject to defend. A leader is

chosen for each group, and he has the right to call to his assistance any of his team-mates. The teacher keeps a record of the points successfully made on each side and announces the winner at the close of the debate. Arguments in the dialogues of stories and poems may be used as the basis of this work. The conversation between Cinderella and her stepmother about the attendance at the ball, and the debate between the mountain and the squirrel in Emerson's fable, are examples of material from this source. The following subjects of a general nature are suggested for argument here and in the higher grades:

Life in the city is more pleasant than life in the country. The house fly is more injurious to man than the mosquito. Automobiles are more useful than horses.

Farms produce more wealth than factories.

Birds are more injurious to growing things than insects. Winter affords more and greater pleasures than summer. Education is more valuable than riches.

The following outline gives the points made on both sides of the subject "City Life offers More Advantages than Country Life" by a fourth-grade class. The points were taken down and arranged by the writer.

AFFIRMATIVE

1. Better schools: longer terms; better buildings and equipment; better teachers; one teacher for each grade.

2. More educational opportunities: museum; libraries; art galleries; Y.M.C.A.; manufactories; picture shows; theaters; prominent people.