seats for an opinion as to which child gave the stanza in the best manner. Often, the children will enjoy the plan of having a selected boy or girl give the first stanza, the school the second, etc.

Drill is always more interesting and, as a result, more valuable to the little ones, if the teacher, as far as possible, leaves its conduct to the pupils themselves. As soon as affairs are set going, the wise instructor will make haste to efface herself from the proceedings. It is an excellent plan to select a day, at stated intervals throughout the year, and turn the Language time over to the pupils, by saying, "We are going to give a little program to-day, instead of our regular lesson. You may choose the stories and poems that we will have on this program." As soon as the schedule is made out, allow the affair to go on, entirely through the efforts of those selected to take part in it. After this plan has been carried through several times, the little folks will have gained an astonishing amount of self-confidence as well as a goodly stock of executive ability and ingenuity that will prove to be a kindly aid in the dramatization work.

For bringing the rhythmic sense into prominence, the following "rhythm game" is extremely helpful. Stand before the pupils and say, "Listen carefully and tell me which of our poems you hear." Then clap, exactly and with marked rhythm, the first stanza of one of the selections already committed to memory. As soon as there is evidence of a growing rhythmic discrimination, select two or three opening stanzas of several of the familiar poems, clap one after the other, and have them named in order. This device, simple as it is, affords a large amount of enjoyment besides materially improving the rhythm of the poems repeated by the pupils. Many of the selections in the lists designed for presentation in primary rooms contain choice bits that are well worth calling attention to. In fact, these should receive strong emphasis and that to such an extent that the fragments will remain in the memory long after the remainder of the poem has been forgotten. One way of impressing the line or two that seems to contain the rarest touch in the poem is furnished by the guessing game described below.

As each poem is presented, the teacher must search for short sections, worth retaining permanently, and keep a list of them. After quite a number of selections have been learned, begin the game by quoting one of these little fragments and asking the children to name the poem from which it was taken. Ask them to repeat the entire line or stanza. If this game is played now and then in the course of the work, these choice poetic bits will be fixed indelibly upon the minds of the pupils and the teacher will have sown some valuable seed for the future.

Below are given lists of poems, submitted by several primary teachers. From these lists, it is possible to evolve a plan of work that cannot fail to attract and develop the first grade pupil. For the sake of the teacher's own interest, a very necessary factor in successfully kindling a love of the poetic in her pupils, it is not wise to teach the same poems year after year. On this account, several different outlines are given.

b Little Red Riding Hood.

Robert Louis Stevenson "Child Verses." James Whitcomb Riley. (Select very carefully.)

Tulip Transparency

EMMA A. MYERS

Materials required for each child

A piece of thin black mounting paper (or paper that has been washed with ink) 7" x 32"; a square of dark red or of yellow tissue paper 2" x 2"; a strip of light green tissue paper 2" x 4". Trace the tulip design on the dark paper. Have the children prick the tulip flower and cut out the design. Paste the red square over the flower and the green strip over the stem and leaf.

When hung in the windows the tulips make an effective room decoration, especially if some tulips are made of each of the two colors - gold and crimson.

(2

H

T

Fido

Brace

Th

you a dog?

Yes, I have a dog.

What is the name of your dog?

"Henry, how many people is this little story about, think you?"

"Henry says, "Two."

"Yes. Who do you think they are?"
Henry says, "I think they are two little boys."
"Yes. What are they talking about?"
Henry says they are talking about their dogs.

"Yes. What does the first little boy say?" Look in your book and find out, then tell me."

Henry says, "Have you a dog?"

The superintendent says, "Has who a dog? Tell me once more what the boy said."

"Have you a dog?"

"That's better. What did the other little boy say? Read." "Yes, I have a dog."

"Good. What did the first boy say next? Read." "What is the name of your dog?"

"Yes. And what was the answer? Read the next and tell us."

"The name of my dog is Fido. What is the name of your dog?"

"Good, all but the last. What does the little boy ask his friend? Read the last part again."

"What is the name of your dog?"

"Good. What was the answer? Read." "The name of my dog is Bruce."

Every Tongue of Nature Sings.
The busy nuthatch climbs his tree,
Around the great bole spirally,
Peeping into wrinkles gray,

Under ruffled lichens gay,

Yes

I

What -dog? The

have thu (the)

uh

dog? dog.

Lazily piping one sharp note

From his silver-mailed throat;

Fido

- what

dog?

The

Bruce.

The county superintendent was sitting in the rear of the room during this time. He comes forward and engages Henry in conversation.

HE children of the present generation have a joy in the early days of their education that their parents know not of the joy of the sand board.

In one school this winter the little folks of grades one and two, have been revelling in the preparation of a Japanese tea-garden. The teacher's plans were ambitious, but by making the children feel that she depended largely upon them for success she inspired them with much of her own enthusiasm. Of course the sacred mountain must be made the main feature of any Japanese scene, and a generous pile of sand plentifully sprinkled with chalk dust was made to do duty for Fuji-Yama. From working drawings made by the teacher, the children. constructed a tea-house from brown construction paper and decorated it with Japanese lanterns cut from bits of pretty wall paper. Within was the tiny tea-table holding its diminutive outfit of cups and saucers, all made from heavy draw ing paper.

The little stream was made of blue paper with common window glass laid over it; and on this placid water could be seen two of the boats so characteristic of any Japanese picture. These were made by the children from the teacher's design of brown construction paper with white cloth sails. Across the rivulet extended a bamboo bridge made from white cardboard.

The inevitable cherry tree was achieved by means of a dead geranium plant with a disguise of pink paper blossoms and green leaves cunningly fastened to the branches.

The population of the village had next to be provided, and for this the teacher called in outside help. She wrote to a friend in the city describing her needs and asking her to procure from a Japanese shop such dolls and other properties as might be appropriate to the landscape.

The friend proved obliging and sent various tiny ladies in marvellous clothes, some gay parasols and fans, a Geisha girl with nodding head sitting in characteristic attitude, and a wee

white bunny with pink eyes and ears. On some of the dolls the teacher changed the costume to that of Coolies, and these were set to drawing wonderful jinrikishas made by the children from oak tag and containing each a Japanese lady. In the foreground appeared a Coolie bearing over his shoulder baskets of oak tag holding tissue paper flowers.

Accompanying the articles sent by the teacher's friend was a typical Japanese post card, written in mock-Japanese style, and containing the prices paid for the various articles: as it

Before the preparation of the sand board was begun the children were made interested in Japan and its people. This was done by means of talks and stories read by the teacher, taking the place of the regular "Morning Talk" or a Geography lesson. The children were delighted with these stories, for they are always interested in little folks of other lands.

Many were the devices used to keep up their interest. Days were set apart for imaginary trips to Japan, these trips the children enjoyed very much and asked to have them repeated again and again.

Pictures of Japanese in characteristic attitudes were hektographed by the teacher and colored and cut out by the children. Some of these were taken home to show to their parents, while others were pasted upon a blackboard where a Japanese picture had been previously drawn. A beautiful collection of post cards of Japan and its people were obtained from the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society. These proved especially helpful, giving the children a fine idea of the people, their dress, the flowers, the temples, the homes and gardens.

By this time the children were deeply interested; so much so that they began to ask for stories of their own accord to read at home. Many of them have begun taking books from the Public Library in order to be able to tell something new about Japan.

Of course the teacher took advantage of their interest and some of the best language work of the year was produced. Each day a list of eight or ten words referring to Japan were placed on the board. In the language period the children used these words in oral or written sentences; some of the best of the oral sentences were written on the board to be used the next day as a writing lesson. Occasionally a list of words was so arranged that when good oral sentences were given it would form a complete story.

How the children would vie with each other as to who would make the best story.

Some years ago the PRIMARY EDUCATION printed stories of

under him. When night-time comes she goes to the same cabinet and brings out a soft straw mat, a woolen quilt and a little hard pillow, and this is his bed on the floor. In the winter time, when the nights are cold, he takes a little stove to bed with him and once he set himself and the house on fire, but this often happens in Japan and the people don't seem to mind it at all; the neighbors help them and in a few days they have a nice new home.

Yam Yam's mother is very pretty. She has a small oval face and glossy black hair, in which she places little fans or pins. She wears a gaily colored kimono, fastened with a pale blue sash, tied like a huge butterfly in the back, and on her dainty feet she wears sandals in summer and clogs in winter. Her little son loves her dearly. As soon as he is dressed in the morning he runs to her, touches his forehead to the ground at her feet and wishes his "Most honorable and gracious parent a happy day." He minds her because he never heard of doing otherwise, for he has been taught love, respect and obedience from his babyhood.

There is no country in the world where the children are so happy as in Japan. Their parents love them dearly, they sacrifice time and money, and even endure poverty, that their boys and girls may have learning. They invent wonderful toys for them; they dearly love to play games with them and a father is never too busy to help fly the new kite, nor a mother to cut patterns for the new doll's dress, and the children give in return for such love unquestioning obedience.

The Japanese children believe that every unkind or untrue word is a little seed that turns into a dark and ugly weed and that to keep their houses and gardens sweet they must drop only seeds of kindness and love wherever they go. Is it strange, then, that Japan is called the "Flower of the Ocean?"

Yam-Yam has a little sister that is to be what we would call christened to-morrow. He can't tell us what her name is yet, for the priest must first throw three pieces of paper with a name on each into the air and the one that falls to the ground first is to be her name. The little brother told me that the paper with his name on it touched the floor twice and so he was named "Yam-Yam!"

But we must hurry to the "Festival" or we shall be late, and that at any time is a disgrace in Japan. What strange houses we see! Almost like bird houses they seem. In front of each there is a white board nailed on a post and on this is written the street and number of the house, the name of the family and the names and ages of the children. Such beautiful gardens, sweet with cherry blossoms and nodding with glorious poppies and tall hollyhocks, and everywhere song birds! Along the roadside, under the purple wistaria trees, we see tea-tables waiting for the hot and tired traveller and everywhere are groups of pretty dark-eyed girls with their tiny brothers or sisters strapped on their backs, for no one stays at home in Japan to "mind the baby"; no, indeed, for at the age of one month he starts out on his little pilgrimage in the great world. And now we have come to the market-place, to the real "Carnival of the Flowers." Flowers, flowers everywhere! With baskets full, hands full and skirts full the children dart here, there and everywhere covering the ground and each other

At last silence falls. The judges have arrived and every heart beats high with hope, for the most perfect flower of each kind is given a prize. Little Yam-Yam's hand trembles in ours as he hears his name called and knows that the beautiful chrysanthemum he has cared for and loved so tenderly has received a prize.

Silently he leaves us, passes noislessly to the judge's seat, and bowing his head to the ground thanks the "most honorable men for noticing his most humble plant."

We must go now back to our home in America and leave you, little Yam-Yam, in your beau' iful land of many flowers

M

Human Types

The Japanese and Chinese

GRACE EVELYN STARKS

AY shone over all the land, and Room 2 was abloom with Chinese lilies. The bulbs had been purchased by the children and planted in shallow dishes with plenty of water and pebbles. They served as a beautiful lesson in Nature Study on the storage of food for the plant. They were also used for brush exercises, and some water colors truly Japanese in character were thus produced

From the front window corner of the room hung two charming baskets constructed by the children from matting, strawboard mat-edges and raffia, and swung by their braided cords from a bamboo pole. These were filled with hepaticas. Tilo matting is a product of Japan, being made from the shavings of fir trees and work done with it, even in primary grades, is peculiarly effective. A dark corner of the room had been brightened by a row of lanterns made by the pupils as seat work, and every boy and girl boasted a kite made by his or her own hands.

The sand-table represented the home and school life of the Orient. The lower half of the school-house was made of bamboo and the upper half paper. A matting was laid on the floor and some of the little girls brought squares of padded silk "for the children to rest their knees upon while studying." There were two other buildings - one, taken from a blackboard illustration in the November, 1911, PRIMARY EDUCATION, the children fondly called their "Tea House." The tree that flourished by its side was covered with cherry blossoms and the Cherry Festival was dwelt upon at the time of its construc tion. Several dead branches were covered with blossoms made by tearing six thicknesses of pink paper with one tearing. The petals were then joined together on the branch with a drop of teacher's sealing wax, though paste might have been used and the flowers arranged according to the pupils' sense of the artistic. In the water were placed the Japanese water flowers, so easily procured at any curio shop. The other building was made of matting and before it was a string of paper fish which proclaimed the Feast of the Flags, and as the breezes occasionally sent them gaily floating, a small boy whose fish were making these strange movements, would be heard to remark that "he would go through life easily." Of course many dolls in Japanese attire were brought by the children. and the teacher was fortunate in having many fine Japanese prints and other articles purchased on a trip to Chinatown. The burlap bulletin board above the table was covered with pictures dealing with the life of the Orientals.

The pupils became so imbued with the study that the teacher had some difficulty in suppressing a low, hissing sound, pre sumably a mark of respect and awe at her appearance.

Chinese and Japanese games were played at recess, a favor ite being the Water Sprite. In this game, one child occupied a central position while the others took places on each side of the pretended stream. They crossed and recrossed three times singing:

Years glide along and the third one is here;
Whom will the water sprite take this year?

They then assumed their former positions upon the banks and the sprite endeavored to catch any who attempted to cross.