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2 O we can tell

For we know well

The way they sow the clover.

Like this the farmer sows it,
From side to side he throws it.
The sweet and fragrant clover
That sunny winds blow over,
The sweet and fragrant clover
That sunny winds blow o'er.
(Repeat verse 1)

3 O we can tell

For we know well

The way they cut the clover,
Like this the farmer cuts it,

In long straight rows he puts it.
The sweet and fragrant clover,
That sunny winds blow o'er.

Here the children pretend to cut clover with a scythe.

(Repeat verse 1)

4 O we can tell

For we know well

The way they stack the clover.
Like this the farmer stacks it
So close and firm be packs it.
The sweet and fragrant clover
That sunny winds blow over,
The sweet and fragrant clover
That sunny winds blow o'er.

The children pretend to be stacking clover with a fork. For the last four lines the boys re-form their ring, and each girl places her hands lightly on a boy's shoulder, and they dance round in this position, repeating the last four lines twice.

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Politeness is to do and say,

September Games

The kindest things in the kindest way.
Hearts, like doors, open with ease,

With very, very little keys.

And don't forget that two of these

Are, "I thank you," and "If you please."

Annebelle R. Bucknam

With the first days of school in September, among the numerous other good things, do start teaching "politeness," both by precept and by example. The day's work will go much more smoothly, and the children are forming habits. of courtesy that will remain with them through life, for the following quotation from Froebel has been proved too often to be disputed:

You may now in these early years do things with a touch as light as a feather, which later you cannot do with the pressure of a hundred weight.

At first use the simple "Good morning" and "Good night" salutations. If it can be arranged, it is a good plan for teacher to stand at the door, or by her desk, and greet each child with "Good morning, Alice," or "Good morning, John," and a clasp of the hand. The children will take care that hands are clean and nails are in good condition if this is customarily done.

Then, in the game period, use the following simple little game.

The children may form in a circle, or in two rows opposite each other, or they may remain in their seats until greeted. One child is chosen for the first neighbor. He goes to any child, and as that child rises, they shake hands and bow, as all sing, or the first neighbor may sing alone.

I'll go across the street, My neighbor dear to greet, How-do-you-do?

The child greeted is then the neighbor who greets another child, and so on. Or they may both greet other children, and in this way in a very few minutes each child has been greeted and has also extended a greeting to another.

If the children form in two opposite lines, one entire line may advance toward the other and each child shake hands

Pushing the Swing

with the child opposite him in the other line as both bow. This line then draws backward to place, and the other line advances. In this way the greeting takes a very short time.

Allow different children, who may be appointed for different days or for a week, to answer the door when there is a knock. Teach them to greet the one knocking, to ask him in, and to give him a seat and a book, if a class is reading.

Teach even the small boys to raise their hats when they bow to ladies. Use this little stanza to help them to form the habit:

If a lady on the street,

Or my teacher I should meet, From my head my hat I take, And a bow like this I make.

With the older children use the following. Choose one boy for "Brother Sunshine" and one girl for "Sister Song." The children may form a ring to represent a home.

The two children chosen knock at the door, or at an imaginary door, as the children sing, using the music of "Good-morning, Merry Sunshine":

Good morning, Brother Sunshine;
Good morning, Sister Song.
We beg your humble pardon,
If you've waited very long.
We thought we heard you rapping;
To shut you out were sin.
Our door is standing open;
Won't you walk right in?

At the last line the joined hands of the children are raised, and "Brother Sunshine" and "Sister Song" walk into the ring. If the children have not formed a ring, but have remained in their seats, the two visitors may be shown to seats placed at the front of the room.

Two other children have previously been chosen for "Brother Gladness" and "Sister Smile." They now knock, and the children sing:

Good morning, Brother Gladness;
Good morning, Sister Smile.
They told us you were coming,
So we waited on awhile.

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Or if unkindly wrong I've given,

With" Forgive me," I shall be forgiven.

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The last child repeats:

When friends give anything to me,

I use the little "Thank you" key.

All the children stand in a line or form a small circle, as they all repeat:

We'll often use each golden key,

Then polite children we will be,

On a golden ring these keys we'll bind,
This is its motto, "Be ye kind."

At the words, "Be ye kind," if possible have a cardboard motto for the first child to show, with those three words on it. This may later be placed in some prominent place. If this is not obtainable, at least write the words on the blackboard, perhaps using colored crayon.

The children may pass their keys to the child who held them at first, or hang them on little hooks above or below small mottoes bearing the words which they represent.

Thus by games, or poems, by precept and by example, remembering always that children are imitators, seek to form these habits of courtesy and politeness so that they may easily and naturally become a part of the child's daily life. If we can do this, we shall indeed prove that this precept from "Poor Richard's Almanac" is really true, not only for the children, but also for ourselves:

Would you live at ease? Do what you ought, Not what you please.

Use many games of motor activity during the play periods. Remember that this is September, the first month of school, and as the children have been accustomed to much freedom of movement during the long summer, it is not easy nor desirable for them to sit quietly in school for any great length of time. If you cannot have much playground apparatus, at least try to secure a swing or two.

Here, too, is another opportunity to instill lessons in kindness and courtesy, as the children take turns swinging, or give place to others.

Teach at this time, "The Swing," by Robert Louis Stevenson.

How do you like to go up in a swing,

Up in the air so blue?

Oh, I do think it's the pleasantest thing

Éver a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall,
Till I can see so wide,

Rivers and trees and cattle and all
Over the countryside-

Till I look down on the gardens green,
Down on the roofs so brown-

Up in the air I go flying again,
Up in the air and down!

If it is not possible to have a real swing, have one or more

Then the third child repeats, as she takes her key from imaginary ones. the bunch held by the first child:

When evening comes, "Good night," I say,
And close the door of each glad day.

The fourth child says, as she takes her key:

When at the table "If you please,"

I take from off my bunch of keys.

The next child repeats:

"Excuse me," "Beg your pardon," too, When by mistake some harm I do.

As she takes her key, the next one says:

Choose three children for each. Two children clasp hands and form the swing, while the third one pushes it back and forth, and perhaps "runs under" just as if it were a really truly swing with some one swinging in it.

The older children will like to sing the following, by E. S. Bumstead, using the music of "Blue-eyed Mary."

Here we go to the branches high!

Here we come to the grasses low!

For the spiders and flowers and birds and I
Love to swing when the breezes blow.
Swing, little bird, on the topmost bough;
Swing, little spider, with rope so fine;
Swing, little flower, for the wind blows now,
But none of you have such a swing as mine.
(Continued on page 459)

T

The Swedish Folk Dancers

Lyle Wilson Holden

HIS simple entertainment is for any even number of girls and boys from the primary grades, or it may be given by girls alone, half of them taking the boys' parts. The children taking part will enjoy dressing up in the peasant costumes, and if the dances are done in a spirited manner they are very effective.

The girls should wear short skirts of some striking color. Red, green or blue will probably be best. Over these are worn aprons of a lighter color. A black laced bodice is worn over an ordinary white waist. Either red or white stockings should be worn with black slippers. The boys wear tight knee pants, a highly colored vest over a white shirt, and a gay tie. If the girls wear white stockings, let the boys wear red ones. If the girls take the boys' parts, they may wear dark colored gymnasium bloomers.

They enter in pairs in time to the music, and take their position in a line across the front. They recite the verse which follows in concert.

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Just for a time we have come from old Sweden,
Playing the games of our fair native land;
And if you wish we will dance some folk dances
That will be fun for each one in our band.

First we will play an old game while we're singing,
Just as they've played it in Sweden for years;

And we do hope you will like our folk dancing,

Then you will greet us with smiles and with cheers.

They quickly form a circle with the partners standing one behind the other, and then they sing and act the Swedish folk play.

I See You

I see you, I see you;
Tra la la la la la la la la la,
I see you, I see you,

Tra la la la la la la la la la.

If I see you then you see me,
If I take you then you take me;
If you see me then I see you,

If you take me then I take you.

The players stand with hands upon hips, swaying in opposite directions. When the front partner bends to the right, the one behind bends to the left. Be sure that the bending is done from the waist. Arrange the circle so that each couple has another couple directly opposite. Beginning with the third line, the partners may join hands and alternate the peeping front and back of arm movements, by first throwing head back with arms front, then arms pointing back, with head thrown forward. In the second. part, change partners by the ones behind stepping forward and taking for a partner the front girl directly opposite. Sing through three or four times.

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