[2. That 9%, 7 %, 8%, etc., may be used in this drill, the pupils must be led to see clearly of what each is made up, using 6% as a basis. For instance, ask— 9 is made up of 6, and what part of 6? The answers being given, the pupils may write : 9 = 6+ (1⁄2 of 6); 7 =6+ (% of 6); 86+ (3 of 6); Next, they may write- Int. at 9% Int. at 7 % = int. at 6% + 1⁄2 (int. at 6 %). int. at 6 % +1% (int. at 6 %). Int. at 8% = int. at 6 % +1% (int. at 6 %). 13. The pupils are now ready for examples like the following: Exs. For $360, at 60 days, what is the interest at 6 %? At 9%? At 7 %? At 8 %? At 4 %? At 5 % ? At 10%? At 11%? At 13% ? II 14. A teacher of only ordinary experience will now see his way clear in managing the mental work necessary to enable a class to attain skill in solving examples in interest by this short method. 15. Examples more difficult may now be given. Ex. Find the interest of $3600, at 8 %, for 1 yr. 9 mo. 15 a 129.00, int. for 21 mo. 15 da. at 2 % (one-third that at 6 %.) $516.00, int. for 21 mo. 15 da. at 8 % Add one-third . . Answer . Find the interest on $1760 for 2 years 3 months 27 ANOTHER FORM OF WORK. At 6 %, the interest for 2 mo. is $17.60 [This Department is conducted by S. S. PARR, Principal De Pauw Normal School.] W definitions. E should distinguish closely between definitions and mere statements. Statements are sometimes loosely called A statement usually gives some attribute of an object-quality, action, condition or relation. It may give several of these. When we say "A noun is a name," or "multiplication is the process of taking one number as many times as there are units in another," we have made statements that are not definitions. A definition involves three elements: (1) The name of the thing defined; (2) the class to which the object belongs; (3) the marks which distinguish it from other objects of that class. A typical definition, long in use, is the well-worn one from Plato: "Man is a rational animal." The thing defined is man; he is part of the class animal; and is distinguished from other animals by the possession of rationality. All definitions possess these elements, though all do not have this terse, compact form. Darwin wrote two good-sized volumes to define the origin of man, and Herbert Spencer has written four volumes to define the origin and evolution of human ideas. Many children are incapable of understanding or of making scientific definitions; statements suffice for them. The so-called definition of multiplication given above is sufficient until a scientific study is made of arithmetic; then a correct and comprehensive definition, one covering fractions and algebra, should be made. A question often asked is this: When shall definitions be taught? The answer depends somewhat on circumstances. In no case should a definition be used until the pupil has the idea in possession. It may not be complete, but should be, in large part, clear in the mind. In all cases in which the pupil studies the objects, their study should precede the definition, and it should be an induction from them. It is a mistake to begin the study of the noun with a definition of it. The noun, as a class of words, should be distinguished from other classes in form and use, its varieties and their distinctions, and the nature of the whole studied before a definition should be attempted. The unqualified acceptance of ready-made definitions is a piece of bad teaching. Such a use of them amounts to nothing. A definition is of value only when the pupil has verified it in his thought. LANGUAGE-LESSONS. LANGUAGE-INSTRUCTION, as a whole, consists of spelling, pronunciation, word-study, grammar, composition, and reading. Each of these is provided for in the course of study. Some are handled much better than others. Spelling is the best taught of the whole list, if we take spelling in its narrow sense; grammar is the poorest taught, judged by the time spent upon it. what is the place of language-lessons in relation to these language-subjects? Language-lessons are the first part of grammar and composition. They are the constructive side of these sub jects. They form the art, or doing phase, which corresponds to the science, or knowing phase. In them the pupil learns to put thoughts, ideas, words, and sentences together. In grammar and rhetoric (composition), he studies the science of the forms he has learned to make in language-lessons. Language-lessons are designed to do three things: 1. To teach the pupil to think clearly, systematically, and efficiently; 2. To teach him to express himself correctly and elegantly; 3. To prepare him for the study of grammar and rhetoric, after he has been in school seven or eight years-grammar and rhetoric begin the last year of a graded-school or the first year of the high-school. To think efficiently the pupil must learn description, narration, exposition and argumentation. Language-lessons can deal only with narration, description, and the simplest forms of exposition. He learns these by imitation in his reading-lessons and practices them in all his other lessons. To express himself correctly, he needs to know punctuation, use of capitals, forms of words, forms of the sentence, agreement of various parts of the sentence (grammar), the selection of words, paragraphing and other forms, something of the simplest qualities of style, and figurative language (rhetoric.) As a preparation for formal grammar, the pupil needs to know the classes of words; for rhetoric, the plainest laws of the selection of words and of the connection of sentences. Language instruction, considering the child from the first, is to be incidental and direct. Every lesson is a languagelesson, and furnishes opportunity for exercise in description, narration, choice of words, agreement of forms, etc. The pupil should be held as closely for correct language-forms as possible, not to interfere with the regular work. All this is, of course, incidental. From the first, the pupil should have exercices in which the chief purpose is to drill him in the processes of thinking and expressing named above-direct. All of which should be systematic in the teacher's mind and follow a plan. It should begin with the observation and retracing of the reading-lesson, and end with free production in other subjects. Each subject furnishes a special opportunity. Arithmetic and place-lessons furnish good opportunity for description; stories for narration; general lessons for logical exposition, i. e., an enumeration of classes, kinds, forms, etc. The oral forms should precede written, and imitative reproduction precede free production. PRIMARY READING. But DESPITE progress, primary reading continues to be the worst taught of primary subjects. Why? Because teachers are lacking in definite aim. They have gathered up an apron full of devices and gone to the school-room expecting success to come from applying these one after another without any system. success lingers and they wonder why their pet "methods" do not succeed. The reason is not far away. They have no good general plan. They have begun building before they have decided whether the outcome shall be a garden-wall, a cow-house, or a front-porch. What then should be the aim of the teacher of primary reading? First, to awaken interest and keep it awake; second, to have a variety that will prevent the pupil from tiring of any one thing before another is introduced; third, sufficient repetition to insure the imprint of words and sentences beyond forgetfulness; and fourth, a proper connection between reading and the other work of the school-number, place, general lessons, etc. The idea must be learned before the word, if it is not already familiar. A good First Reader is made up of ideas and oral words already well-known. The problem, then, is the learning, in the shortest and best way, of the written word and its association with idea and spoken word. The first thing to be done is to get the child to look at the word carefully, to see all its parts and to compare it with other words before his eyes. Thus if the word being learned is chair, it should be compared with air, chain, hair, etc., nearly like it in form. The test for the completeness of this step is the |