not only recognize the solids, but can mould and describe them, he is ready to represent them upon a flat surface as they appear to him. The sphere he will perhaps represent by a circle, the cylinder by an oblong, the cone by a triangle.

With the large cube before him lead the child to trace in the air one of its sides; first (showing him where to begin each time) the upper edge, then the lower edge, the left edge, the right edge. Repeating several times he will begin at the left side to trace the upper and lower edges, at the top to trace the left and right edges.

Having secured this point, give more careful attention to the position of the pencil. While tracing the upper and lower edges have the pencil point directly in front; while tracing the left and right edges have the pencil point to the left, thus keeping it at right angles to the edge traced.

The attention will be gradually drawn to the difference in the direction of these edges, and other edges, such as the top of the board, the moulding on the door, etc., may be traced. Now, holding the pencil in the correct position, have the child trace the edge of the desk before him, then the upper side of the slate, then dropping the pencil lightly upon the slate have him draw across its center from left to right. Give the term horizontal line and have others draw. The line already drawn divides the slate into its upper and lower halves. The second line may bisect the upper half, the third may bisect the lower half of the slate. When vertical lines are drawn the same order may be observed. Dividing the slate first into halves, the spaces may be bisected or trisected a number of times.

While drawing these long lines the full length of the slate it is well to accustom the child to sight, i. e., to decide upon the point at which the line will terminate, and to keep the eye fixed upon it and not upon the pen

In drawing oblique lines draw the first line from the right upper corner to the left lower corner; bisect or trisect the space above, then that below. The edges of a triangular prism will aid the child in getting a clear idea of the oblique line. Tracing a circle or a section of it will give the idea of a curved line.

For at least three months lines of an exact length should not be drawn, that is, not in the drawing lesson proper. Lines the full length of the slate will better train the hand in the full, free movement so much desired. Frequent exercises should be given for this purpose alone; every alternate lesson for three months will not be too frequent. From the time the first stroke is made upon the slate until the conclusion of the lesson an exact position of the body, hands and feet should be required. The body should be erect, touching the back of the desk (if it be suited to the chid's height and size), the feet firmly npon the floor, the side of the slate parallel with the edge of the desk, the pencil held by its center.

When some freedom of movement has been attained; some degree of accuracy in drawing lines of different kinds and in different positions; when good habits of position have been established (in a measure at least), the child is ready,

1. To draw lines of exact length.

2.

To combine lines in pleasing forms from: a. observation; b. dictation; c. memory.

3. To draw the solids (already studied), a definite scale being given.

4. To draw common objects.

The simplest objects should be selected at first, such as a square of paper. Let the child trace its edges and then draw them; fold the paper and have the creases traced and drawn; fold again and again, having the creases represented each iime. An oblong of paper may have the diagonals and the diameters traced and drawn. Some of the objects chosen may be: a picture frame and cord, a cup, a ladder, a kite, a dust-pan, a fan, a bucket, a top, a leaf, a butterfly, etc., etc.

If the lines are first found in the edges of these objects and traced, the drawing will present little difficulty, remembering always that perfect work must not be expected.

The regular busy work of the primary school, such as sticklaying, and work with squares, oblongs and triangles of colored card-board will assist in giving the child great interest in drawing. Let him form a design upon the desk and then copy it upon the slate. Children like to be exact; rule the slates in 1/4 in. squares, and they will delight in drawing their inventions upon them. A

few suggestions as to arrangement and symmetry will enable them to draw designs worthy of preservation. A little girl once drew a vine with scallops representing embroidery. Another filled the slate with lace work. The Grecian fret, so easily drawn upon the squares, gives the child pleasure. In short, the net-work of squares is a little web which allures the thoughtful child because of its many possibilities. FANNIE S. BURT.

OFFICIAL DEPARTMENT.

ENFORCEMENT OF COURSE OF STUDY.

[Letter-Book G, page 601.] The law requires the eight "common branches" to be taught in the schools, and certainly contemplates that pupils shall study each subject at the proper time, as indicated by the course of study. In requiring this the trustee and superintendent should sustain the teacher, and every effort should be made to induce pupils to conform to the course. I should not advise the expulsion of pupils for declining to study any particular subject, but they should be made to understand that their common school education is incomplete till every subject has been taken.

[G, 610.] Our Supreme Court has not had occasion to define the powers of school trustees and teachers in enforcing compliance on the part of pupils with the course of study and the various exercises incident thereto. But from the reports of other States several rulings bearing on the question can be cited, as follows:

1. The writing of English compositions, though not mentioned in the list of studies required by law, may be required by the teacher, and a pupil was properly suspended for refusing to write them. Gurnsey v. Pitkin, 32 Vt. 226.

2. Similar decision concerning the study of Rhetoric. Sewell v. The Board, 29 Ohio, 89.

3. But, though a pupil might be suspended for refusing to study Algebra, even when her father requested that she might be excused from that study, yet corporal punishment is an improper remedy. State v. Mizner, 50 Iowa, 152.

4. A pupil having been suspended for refusing to perform a required exercise in declamation, and having been, on returning to school, forcibly ejected by the teacher; held that by returning he became a trespasser and could not recover for assault. Kidder v. Chellies, 59 New Hamp. 473.

These doctrines seem to be denied in the case of Morrow v. Wood, 35 Wis. 59; though this case may be considered as going no farther than to declare the impropriety of corporal punishment in each case. My own opinion is that the school board or trustee has the power to suspend a pupil for refusing to take part in the singing at the opening of the school, an exercise regularly required by the school authorities, unless some valid reason or excuse be offered.

[G, 615.] 1. A teacher or superintendent may, with the approval of the trustees, suspend a pupil for refusing to declaim on a specified day, in accordance with the requirements of the course of study.

2. The school authorities may require pupils to take the full prescribed course, and may refuse to promote from any grade till the work of the grade has been done; but reasonable latitude should be allowed in this matter.

3. A rule that a pupil may be suspended for five or more unexcused absences may properly be made and enforced by authority of the school

trustees.

4. The trustees may prescribe in what grade the German language or any other branch of study may be pursued. See Note 3 to Sec. 4497 School Law.

The above are selected from my recent decisions.

J. W. HOLCOMBE, Supt. Pub. Instruction.

EDITORIAL.

DO NOT FORGET that all subscriptions to the Journal taken last summer or fall, and not paid for at the time, were to be paid for on or before Jan. 1, 1886. That date has passed, and a few subscriptions yet remain unpaid. A single subscription is a very small amount for each teacher, but it does not take a great many to aggregate a material sum to the editor. Do not forget.

VISIT TO THE LA PORTE SCHOOLS.

The La Porte schools are under the supervision of W. N. Hailman, author of a book on "Object Teaching," "History of Pedagogy," a series of German Readers, etc., and of numerous articles and pamphlets on the Kindergarten, and New Education. Mr. Hailman is the author of the term new education, which term has been so much perverted and misconceived that he is tempted to disown it.

As a man of such ability, with such decided views and progressive ideas is certain to make his mark wherever he works, a visit to his

schools was anticipated with much pleasure. The occasion of the visit was the meeting of superintendents and teachers, Feb. 11, 12, 13. The following notes record the impressions made:

1. The spirit manifested in the schools is most excellent. Teachers and pupils seem to be on familiar and confidential terms. The order is good but not strained. The freedom allowed was unusual, and yet the pupils did not seem disposed to abuse their privileges.

2. The kindergarten methods are more largely introduced into the primary grades, and are carried farther up in the grades than in any other schools with which I am acquainted. Every possible facility is afforded for forming clear and distinct ideas. Every sense is appealed to. The school-rooms are filled with objects, pictures, materials, with which to illustrate each thought presented. Then as a counterpart to this the child is encouraged, after gaining these clear conceptions, to give expression to them in both oral and written language, in drawing, in modeling in clay, in coloring, etc.

3. The drawing, which is according to Mr. Hailman's own system, is not surpassed anywhere. The display sent to the New Orleans Exposition a year ago was awarded the highest praise, as the following letter from the eminent French educator, Benj. Boisson, testifies :

"No where does drawing, aided by rudimentary modeling and carving receive so much thoughtful attention as in the primary schools of La Porte, Ind., directed by Mr. W. N. Hailman, a gentleman of great foresight and originality."

4. The clay modeling is carried through several grades, and the results are surprising and pleasing.

5. The work witnessed in arithmetic, singing and geography, was good.

6. The intermediate or grammar grades were not visited. In the high school each Friday P. M. is devoted to composition writing and general exercises. This was the only work witnessed, and it is certainly well done. The high school is in excellent condition.

7. The criticisms to be made are: (a) In the desire to have the children express themselves there is a tendency on the part of some of the teachers to lose sight of the main point of the lesson, and thus lose valuable time in talking of irrelevant matters. (b) While in many schools there is too much drive and push in order that certain results may be reached in a given time, these schools perhaps lack a little in this regard. (c) The reading was not good-haruly fair. While every means was employed to make the child understand what he read, teachers seemed to be satisfied with very ordinary expression. One boy in reading his own printed composition did it in a very imperfect way. While there is abundant effort to secure expression of thought, there seems to be too little effort to secure the best expression, either in conversation or reading.