in our number game. One child sang "Wee Willie Winkie" for our clock maker.

Thus we found that stories, poems and songs were valuable in number work. This particular number work game furnished a motive for research work. Readers, story books, Mother Goose rhymes and song books were searched in order to find materials for our game.

Rainy Day Booklets

Ella Stratton Colbo

My pupils always enjoy making booklets of any sort, but the Rainy Day booklets which we made last year, gave them more pleasure than any of the others.

Before starting new work of this kind, I make a sample booklet myself. This enables me to know what difficulties they will encounter and to give my directions accordingly. Careful directions and the use of good materials will result in booklets so attractive that it is hard to choose the "best" for exhibit purposes. Impressing the children with the importance of doing all construction work with clean hands will make the spoiled booklets few and far between.

One rainy day I interested them in the new idea by giving them a glimpse of the pretty booklet which I had completed and saying that we would all make one, but that they were to be kept at my desk and only taken out to work with on days when the raindrops chased each other down the window panes.

The work was done during a language, drawing, or construction period. The covers were made of gray construction paper size 6 x 9. The inside pages were white paper of the same size. For cover decorations we used borders of umbrellas cut from black paper and pasted across the top.

On the first page they drew pictures of a little lady strolling along in the rain, almost covered by a large black umbrella. Underneath we copied this verse which we had learned and often recited on rainy days:

"Taint no sort of use to grumble and complain,
Might just as well rejoice!

When God sorts out the weather and sends rain,
Why, rain's my choice!"

Next we illustrated a longer poem, "Who Likes the Rain?" with one verse and a picture on each page.

"I," said the duck, "I call it fun,

For I have my little red rubbers on. They make a cunning three-toed track

In the soft cool mud, quack! quack! quack!"

"I hope 'twill pour! I hope 'twill pour!"

Croaked the little tree toad from his front door; "For with a toad-stool for a roof,

I am perfectly water-proof!"

Sang the brook, "I laugh at every drop, And wish it would never need to stop,

Until a broad river I'd grow to be,

And could find my way out to the sea."

"I," cried the dandelion, "I,"

"My roots are thirsty, my buds are dry." And she lifted a tousled yellow head

Out of her green and grassy bed.

As we were working one day a pupil said, "Sometimes when it rains at night it rains angle-worms." So I promptly told them all I could about earth-worms how ages and ages ago their great-great-great-grandfathers were water animals, and now they cannot stand it to be hot

and dry, so they dig down into the ground till they come to where it is cool and moist, and stay until the rain calls them out in such numbers that some people think they rain down from the sky. How the wise little robins know this and hop around on the ground and make a tapping noise with their bills. When the earth-worms hear this they think it is the tap-tap of the raindrops they love, and out they come only to be seized and carried off to the nest for the baby robins to eat. When I had finished they reproduced orally what I had told them, and later wrote it as a language exercise. This was corrected carefully and saved to be copied on a page of our booklet on the next rainy day.

Several poems were learned, copied and illustrated, and made truly beautiful pages. The one beginning: It isn't raining rain to me, It's raining daffodils,

was especially pretty. A written language esson on "What I Like to Do Best on a Rainy Day," was carefully copied in and illustrated.

Some of the pages of each booklet were entirely original. These contained paper cuttings, drawings, appropriate clippings and pictures from magazines, and one even contained a little original poem. We spent an interesting half-hour one day looking at these pages in each other's booklets. There was simply no end to suitable material and their interest was held during the entire year. Toward the end they were so anxious to get them completed that the continued fair weather made them quite peevish, and many a sunny day was greeted dolefully with "It doesn't look even the least little bit like rain."

A Letter to the Editor

EDITOR PRIMARY EDUCATION:

In the October number of PRIMARY EDUCATION I read a suggestion under the head of "Try This," which moves me to write to you in protest. The scheme was for the purpose of awakening two boys: a lazy one and a slow one. Reminders were pasted on the desk of the boy in large type or writing; the word move for the slow boy and work for the lazy one. What could have been the immediate result of this?

In the first place, anyone who knows children can picture the ridicule poked at these boys when the teacher is not looking. Most boys are very sensitive until they become hardened by those who do not understand what their gruff exterior is meant to hide. In the second place, the boy has always before him the negative suggestion, "I am slow," or "I am lazy," and will be very apt to follow out this suggestion, becoming more slow or more lazy. Or he may improve through fear of the ridicule imposed on him.

The final result (which is the only one the real teacher will consider all-important) will be one of three developments in the character of the boy: a careless, "it's no use, anyway," attitude toward everything, a stubborn "I don't care" manner seen among some so-called "bad" boys in the upper grades, or a sneaking tendency to act for the sake of policy. Which of these does the teacher desire to happen as the result of this punishment?

Laziness and slowness are the outward manifestations of some cause, known or hidden.

1 The child may have some physical obstacle such as poor eyes, bad teeth, adenoids, undernourishment, etc.

2 There may be disturbing home influences; poor ventilation at night, late hours, mistaken methods of training. The parent should be consulted concerning the child's condition.

48

This little Play is intended for children to give in celebration of the Tercentenary of the Landing of the Pilgrims. It may be presented more or less elaborately, as a public entertainment. Or it may be simply played in the school-room (entire or in part) in any way that suggests itself.

ها

It is arranged in two parts - Part I - Making the Cake; [Part II Choosing the Cake.

The time is Long Long Ago; the place Merrie England. The Characters are Twelve Fairies; six little boys for King of the Feast and his Knights; six little girls for Queen of the Feast and her Laaies-in-Waiting; ten little Puritans (Eve boys and five girls). These numbers may be changed to suit number of children taking part, in which case number of gifts, as well as dialogue, may also be changed as necessary.

The Costumes, if any are used: FAIRIES Usual Fairy Costumes in soft colors. Fairies carry longhandled spoons instead of wands.

KNIGHTS AND LADIES blaze with bright colors. Knights may wear full knightly costumes, or just a touch, as a cape, a plumed hat, or a sword. Ladies, full court costumes, or just a ruff, jewel, or head-dress. (There should be five rocking-horses for the Knights to use in game, "Here Come Three Dukes." Or small broomsticks will answer for steeds.) PURITANS should be sober in grays, browns and dark blues. Boys may be made into small Oliver Cromwells, if desired. Other noted characters of English history may be suggested by

costumes.

ARRANGEMENTS In center of stage there should be a table of just the right height for the cake-making and cake choosing.

In Part I little cake-tins (those used for making fancy maplesugar cakes would be pretty) are arranged across either end of the table. There should be one for each child taking part in Part II. Into these tins, the Fairies slip their gifts. If tiny toys cannot be found, use cut-out pictures of objects wanted. In Part II, the cake-tins should be heaped on a platter or tray in the center of the table. It would be a pleasing touch if each cake-tin now held a real little cake. If this can be arranged, the cake must have been taken from its tin, and the "gift" slipped underneath.

Each child must, of course, know which cake is his, in order to find the "fairy-gift" intended for him.

Back of the table on a platform stand two little chairs, side by side, draped with color to represent a throne.

As many extra games, songs, and dances may be added as desired.

Part I Making the Cake

(Fairies flit airily to stage, or space reserved for play, reciting or singing first stanza of William Allingham's "The Fairies.")

Up the airy mountain,
Down the rushy glen,
We daren't go a-hunting
For fear of little men;
Wee folk, good folk,

Trooping all together,
Green jacket, red cap,

And white owl's feather.

They

(Introduce here, if desired, a drill and dance, using spoons as wands. Use any Fairy Song that the children have learned.) First Fairy (at close of drill) Enough-to-night we must make cakes for the children's Twelfth Night Feast. will come soon and they must find them all ready. Second Fairy And each cake must hold its gift. Third Fairy A Fairy Gift that will show the child who gets it what the future holds for him.

Fourth Fairy There is so much to do - even for Fairies. Fifth Fairy Yes, to-night we must work and not sing. First Fairy But why can't we work and sing, too? All (gaily) Oh yes, do let's work and sing, too! (They sing with pretty motions of mixing, stirring, sprinkling, testing cake, etc., "The Fairy Cake," on page 52.)

Fairies (at close of song, separate into two groups and take

Fifth All

For valiant knights in armor bold;

And I, slippers (a tiny pair on long cord) For ladies fair with hearts of gold. Two of the group (excitedly, holding up two little tins) But what of these? We have no gift for these!

Others Hush do not touch those tins! The moon, herself, has placed gifts in those cakes. Whoso gets them will be King and Queen of the Feast.

Sixth Fairy from other group) But there are now, in Merrie England, little folks - strange, quiet little boys and girls called Puritans - who may not sing and dance as

others do.

Seventh Fairy I often see them as I go about. They are good children and love the Fairies.

Eighth Fairy What gifts shall we hide in their little cakes to show them the Fairies love them too?

Ninth Fairy To show them the wonderful things the future holds for them?

Second Group (recite, as did the First Group, one after another, placing gifts in tins.)

Sixth I give a Boat. For in years to come, a frail little boat shall carry many of them far across the stormy seas to a new strange country.

Seventh I give an Axe. For in that new strange land, they must cut down the great trees to build their homes and places of worship.

Eighth I give an Eagle Feather. For in that new strange land lives a new strange race of people. They wear blankets, beads, paint and feathers. They are called Indians.

Ninth I give a Sword, strong and sure and steady. The Puritans will need just such a sword to protect them from dangers of many kinds.

Tenth I give a Book - the Book they love best of all. It will help them as much as the sword.

All These for the little Puritan Boys. Now, what for the little Puritan Girls?

Sixth A spinning-wheel, for they must spin. Seventh A cap and kerchief, for these shall they wear. Eighth A tiny cradle-bed for the new little children who shall come.

Ninth A bright-faced little flower that shall whisper "Courage" to them from the snow of a long bleak winter. Tenth A torch - for these brave people shall become a light to all the world!

All Now our work is over. It is time for the Children's Feast. Let us away! Away! Away!

(They flit backward, fingers on lips, and disappear.)

Part II Choosing the Cake Knights and Ladies and little Puritans come to stage and take places. Knights, each beside his trusty "steed" (except