few teachers or parents put most stress upon the thought that the pupil is to be punctual in order that he may become punctual, i. e., in order that punctuality may be implanted as a habit in his spiritual nature. He is to be punctual in school it is true, in order that he may combine with the other pupils in the work, and, incidentally, have a clear record, but above all the pupil is to be punctual in school in the view of having it become second nature to him to be prompt in the payment of a note, in keeping an engagement, or in completing a given piece of work in the appointed time, when he has entered upon his business career. Punctuality has been said to be "the hinge of business," but as a habit. of the spiritual nature it is even more than that; it greatly advances the happiness both of the individual and of the community. A great many of those vexations and worries that unnecessarily subtract mental energy that might be applied to the problems of life, are due to the want of this habit. It is a rare thing to have a coal dealer deliver coal at the time agreed upon; or money paid at the exact time promised. The habit of punctuality in the after school life is what the teacher is to work for, and this is the idea that is to be made prominent to the pupil, and not the relation of punctuality to his record. Punctuality has a great deal to do with success in life. One may be a little behind time in keeping an engagement, and a situation that he hoped for is, in consequence, given to another. Concerning it, some one has said, "A time for everything and everything in its time" is quite as useful a motto as "A place for everything and everything in its place." As a habit it includes some of the best characteristics of human nature, and like all other habits it is strengthened by exercise.

OUTLINE OF A LANGUAGE LESSON.

(THIRD OR FOURTH YEAR.)

"THE humming-bird is a rare little artist. Its nest is a masterpiece of skill. The outside of the nest is of lichen or moss, and the inside is of a soft woolly substance composed of the finest silky fibers gathered from plants. This little fairy cradle is no larger than a large hickory-nut; and is suspended from a leaf, twig, or bundle of rushes."

Purpose. To lead pupils to see that the English language fur

nishes two or more equivalents for the word nest, in the second

case.

Steps.-1. To lead pupils to determine the meaning of the word nest when standing alone.

2.

To lead pupils to decide the meaning and use of the word nest in the sentenee.

3.

To lead the pupils to determine the nature of the expression fairy nest.

4. To lead pupils to substitute the word cradle for the word

nest.

5. To lead pupils to decide upon the meaning of the word cradle when standing alone.

6. To lead pupils to determine the nature and use of cradle in the sentence.

7. To lead pupils to decide as to the appropriateness of the two expressions.

Manner of Procedure. —I. Write the word upon the board; lead pupils to see that the word nest means-A bed or retreat prepared by a bird for rearing or hatching its young. place in which young animals are reared.

ing place or residence.

place in the rock.

A snug

A cozy or snug rest

A mass of ore or mineral in an isolated Hence nest may mean any snug retreat of

man, animal, or mineral.

2. To lead pupils to see that in this sentence the word nest means the bed prepared by a bird for rearing its young.

3. To lead pupils to observe that nests differ in form, size, structure, and material, i. e., lead them to see the adaptation of the nest to the particular wants of the bird. The ostrich's nest of sand; the swallow's nest upon the rocky cliffs; the penguin's square court of rock; the floating raft of the grebe, are only a few of the many which might be selected for illustration.

4. Lead pupils to see that some nests are attached in such a manner that any slight motion may cause them to rock or swing; hence they may be called rocking beds or cradles. Examples: Thistle bird, tailor bird, Baltimore oriole, hanging titmouse, and ruby-throat humming bird. (The bird mentioned in the lesson is the ruby-throat.)

5. To lead pupils to see that cradle means:-A moveable bed so constructed as to rock, for the use of infants; hence, the

place in which anything is protected the earlier part of its life. A kind of scythe used in cutting grain. A case for a broken. arm. A frame-work of timbers, to support a vessel about to be launched.

6. To lead pupils to see that in this sentence the word cradle means the rocking bed or nest of the humming bird.

7. To lead pupils to see-That it does not sound well to use the same word a number of times in one sentence, paragraph or selection; that substituting the word cradle for nest, in the second case, gives a pleasing variety of expressions; that the word cradle is not only equivalent to the word nest, as used in this sentence, but it is a word of much broader content; hence by studying a word and its equivalent we gain more knowledge.

THE SCHOOL ROOM.

[This Department is conducted by Gao. F. BASS, Supervising Prin. Indianapolis schools.

0:

LEARNING TO DIVIDE.

ANY pupils fail in division because they do not know their

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"tables." They say "7 into 59 goes"(a long pause

followed by a mere guess) "9 times." Just here the teacher shows signs of distress and often expresses himself in an unpleasant manner. He probably says, "My!!" or "Why Jimmy, I'm surprised!" or "Tut, tut, tut!" or "Think, think, think; you are not thinking." Or possibly he only opens his eyes a little wider.

The last named has the least harm in it, but none of them is helpful, and all but the last are harmful, because they bother the pupil. He often, in fact generally learns his "tables" in spite of the teacher, but a great deal of valuable time is wasted. Guessing is fostered. The teacher said the right thing when he said think, provided the pupil has been taught how to think or what to think about. Judging from the appearance of most pupils at the time of such occurrences we infer that they have not been so taught. When a pupil fails, the teacher ought to say just enough to put the pupil in the right "track" for thinking.

The kind of failures referred to above come from presenting too much at once and presenting it in an unsystematic manner. Text-books and teachers are blamable for this. Teachers are not compelled to follow the exact order of any text-book. They may use it for what its name suggests-for texts. It is easier to follow it-i. e., it is less work on the part of the teacher. If your book happens to answer your purpose, follow it.

A text book on my table, in 13 examples has used all the divisors from 3 to 12. Too many divisors are used at one sitting. The first example has 4 for a divisor; the second 3; the fourth 2; the sixth 6; the eighth 8. It would be better to give 8 examples to be divided by the

same divisor, for then he might master one thing before taking up another.

Suppose we are teaching to divide bp 8. First teach 88 = 1; 16÷8 = 2; 24÷8=3. Follow this with examples bringing in these and nothing else until these are mastered. (1) 168÷8; (2) 1608; (3) 240÷8; (4) 248÷8; (5) 824-8; (6) 816-8: (7) 16248; (8) 816248; (9) 16824÷8; (10) 24816-8.

When all possible combinations of the above are solved the pupils will have pretty clearly in mind the numbers that contain one eight, two eights, and three eights. The next step is to give examples in which these facts occur, and the additional fact of remainders. Arrange a table as follows:

Call attention to the fact that 8 into any number greater than 8 and less than 16 is contained 1 time and gives a remainder. That the remainder is found by subtracting one 8 from the

number: "8 into 11 one time.

11-83" is what the pupil must think. Carry out the same idea with the numbers between 16 and 24, and so on through the entire "table of 8's."

Give examples bringing in these new "difficulties" (1) 1784; (2) 9048; (3) 10424; (4) 1841704; (5) 1618176, and so on. It will be seen that no remainder greater than two should occur in this set of examples. When 32 is added to our table, we can kave 3 for a remainder; 40, four may occur, and so on.

When a pupil hesitates or makes a mistake, as follows: "8 into 22, 3 times" the teacher may with propriety say "think." He may question as follows; "What number contains three 8's? Is 22 larger or smaller than this number? What number exactly contains two 8's? Is 22 larger or smaller than this? Then how many 8's in 22 ?" The pupil now readily answers, "Two and 4 over."

This plan, we think, is a correct one in theory, and we know by experience that it is practical-i. e., it can be used with success in the school-room.

G. F. B.

EDUCATIONAL RUBBISH.

A GREAT difficulty is the almost universal habit which students have of using technical or semi-technical terms, which, in reality, convey to them no idea whatever. They think they have comprehended the thing when they christen it with a high-sounding name, and they do not stop to ask themselves whether they understand what the name means. The student who called a hole in a cell wall a bioplast was quite pleased with his achievement until he was asked what a bioplast was. The suggestion that a hole might, without any great violence to the English language, be called a hole, was timely if not pleasing. Evidently, for an

educated man, the art of calling a spade a spade is difficult to acquire. Day after day, one is obliged to ask students to translate their lingo-I don't know what else to call it-into English. Frequently they can not. At length they begin to see that they are only deceiving themselves by using words which they do not comprehend to describe structures which they do not understand.