TRIED AND FOUND WORTH WHILE. I saw a rest exercise in a schoolroom the other day that gave the children just the kind of relaxation they needed. The movements consisted of a run, a stretching of the arms, a throwing back of the shoulders, and a change of place for each pupil in the room. Besides this they "played to win" which added another and important element-interest. their The pupils were seated. On the front seat in each row was an eraser. At a signal the children in the front seats seized them with both handsone at each end-and passed them over heads to the pupils in the next seats behind.. These pupils passed them to the next in the rear. This plan was continued until the erasers reached the pupils in the back seats. They arose immediately and ran down the aisles at the right of their seats and placed the erasers on the front seats. As soon as the erasers were on the front seats, all the pupils in each row moved out of their seats, to the right, and took the seats just back of where they had been sitting. The pupils from the back seat sat down in the front seats. The exercise was repeated until every child was back in the seat where he was when the game started. The row succeeding in getting all its players in their right places first won the "game." JACK-O-LANTERN. In the pleasant corn-field, Snugly housed and hidden Made his rustling eaves. When the corn was gathered, When the flowers were dead, From the lonely hillside Peered his golden head. Now at last behold him, Bear him forth in triumph, Jolly jack-o'-lantern With his eyes so bright. Comic little fellow, Come to make you fun, When in gray November Summer sports are done. -Midland Schools. IF I WERE THE TEACHER. I have been quite interested in one phase of a report I read recently. A class was asked to answer in writing, without any previous discussion this question: "What would you do if you were the teacher ?" I read the answers of seventeen boys and eleven girls. In over half of them there were such thoughts as: "I would never get mad"; "I would always be patient"; "I would be good to the children"; "I would not be so strict that I should be hated"; "I would try to get the pupils to like me"; "If I liked one pupil the best I would not show it"; "I wouldn't speak a cross word to the children but I'd make them mind"; "I would never quarrel"; "I would try to look cheerful all of the time." crease. This gives an oblong with opening in the middle of the top surface. See Fig. I. Take hold of upper corners of the small squares of the top surface at the point where they touch the middle crease. Fold them to the lower crease forming two triangles. See Fig. II. Treat squares at opposite end of oblong in same way. Result should look like Fig. III. Cut along the middle crease at each end from A to B and from A' to B'. See Fig. III. Turn paper so that right side becomes front side, and turn upper surface under. Bring down front under edge for a support. Slip the front half of the triangle wich you cut into the back half for the arms of the chair. Paste the triangles that are left sticking out at the sides against the flat back. Result should look like Fig. IV. BETWEEN US 1. Please give me a suggestion that will help me in planning my language work. Divide your work into two main heads: technical and cultural. Then work steadily and persistently along both of these lines. How would it do to give two lessons each week in technical language and three in cultural language? 2. What is the reason why the teacher across the hall can accomplish what the course of study calls for and much more when I find it impossible to do the required work? Perhaps you have your mind focused on the course of study while she gives more thought to her pupils. Maybe you are teaching curriculum subjects while she is teaching children. Originality, personality, enthusiasm, and power of initiative accomplish wonders in the schoolroom. 3. I feel that my pupils are not as much interested in the school library as they should be. What can I do? (a) Read the books yourself. Talk about their contents. Tell enough to awaken the pupils' curiosity. Be ready to discuss with them the books they are reading. (b) Have a period for a "book review" on Friday P. M. Have each pupil step to the front and tell the most interesting part of the book he has read that week. This plan will prove of great help in your study of language. As the pupils talk you can take notes on the errors in technical English and get a cue for your formal language study. AGRICULTURE. We would like to find out what boy or girl can write the best answer to the following question: "What is the value of the leaf to a plant?" I heard a boy, who was picking bugs from potato plants, say that he didn't see why it would. not be a better plan to take the leaves and bugs off together. He said he was sure he could get more bugs off. Send answers to the elementary editor. Credit will be given the best one, in these columns. He who waits for Thanksgiving Day to be thankful, will not be thankful when it comes.-Selected. IMPORTANT NOVEMBER DAYS. William Cullen Bryant-Born Nov. 3, 1794. The author of "Thanatopsis," one of the masterpieces of American literature, should not be forgotten in the schoolroom. No eighth grade pupil should pass into the high school until he has committed to memory this remarkable poem. He is known as the "Poet of Nature." Friday afternoon is the anniversary of his birth. Discuss him and his works with your pupils. Oliver Goldsmith-Born Nov. 10, 1728. A splendid subject for Friday afternoon in honor of his birth. "The Deserted Village" is an English classic and should be familiar to all upper form pupils. Robert Louis Stevenson-Born Nov. 13, 1850. His anniversary comes on Monday. The children of the lower forms can be entertained by the teacher in reviewing the life of this ill-fated child's poet. Read "The Land of Nod" and other stories from the Stevenson Reader published by Chas. Scribner's Sons, which is probably in your library. James A. Garfield-Born Nov. 19, 1831. This date falls on Sunday. The martyred president should be mentioned at the Monday morning exercises. See the November, 1910, Journal for helps and suggestions. Thanksgiving Day-Thursday, Nov. 30, 1911. Most schools have some exercises in honor of this day set apart by our forefathers to give thanks for their manifold blessings. For helps consult the November Journals for several years past. THE PANAMA CANAL. Boys and girls, I am going to give you a question in geography. Don't decide it is too easy and answer it before you are sure you are right. Here it is: Where is the most westerly end of the Panama Canal? I imagine I hear someone saying "Why, at the Pacific Ocean, of course." Not right, guess again but in the meantime get a good map and study it. When is the Panama Canal to be completed? What is it going to cost? Is it worth the price? Why do you think so? How far is it by water now from the harbor of New York to that of San Francisco? How much will the route be shortened by the completion of the canal? How much shorter will it make the route from New York to the Philippine Islands? How will the completion of the canal be likely to affect transcontinental railroad freight rates? What are your reasons for your reply? If you were a man would you like to be one of the builders of the Panama Canal? What would be some of the unpleasant features of being one? Some of the interesting features? FOR THE CURRENT EVENTS PERIOD. 1. Why are our daily papers devoting so much space to a discussion of the recent Canadian election? 2. What does Robert L. Borden stand for in Canadian politics? What does Richard McBride stand for? Why are they mentioned at this time? 3. Who is Hon. Walter Fisher? Aside from the desire for a vacation, what reasons can you give for his recent trip to Alaska? 4. Who is Pinchot? Why has he gone to Alaska? 5. What do you understand the "Conservation movement" to be? 6. What was the "Reciprocity Bill" passed by the recent Congress? Whom would it benefit most directly? 7. What have been some of the most important utterances of President Taft on his recent tour through the United States? S M T W T F S 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 November THANKSGIVING. Come forth, come forth, to the festal board As our sires were wont in the days of old, Who hath scattered His love gifts free and wide, Come forth, come forth, with the chiming bell, Come mingle your tones with the organ's swell; -North Carolina Education. 2. Rountree. Smith. THANKSGIVING ON THE FARM. Oh, the farm was bright, Thanksgiving morn, ARE YOU GOING? I put this question to some teachers who usually attend the annual meeting of our State Teachers' Association, "You must think it is worth. while or you wouldn't continue to go. Why is it worth while? Here are some of the replies. Because: "It enlarges the professional horizon." "It furnishes a mental and professional feast." "It gives me enthusiasm in my work." "The social features alone make it pay to attend." "It makes me conscious that I am one of a great army of workers." "It makes me forget the petty annoyances of my daily work by pointing out the big issues." 8. What educational papers are you reading this year? 9. What are your pupils doing with current events? HANDY TO HAVE IN THE SCHOOLROOM. Red ink. Colored crayons. A bottle of mucilage. A box of water colors. A box of rubber bands. Pads of paper of various shapes and qualities. Smooth, clean, wrapping paper and a ball of twine. Artists' thumb tacks to fasten up home-made charts, pictures, etc. A rubber pen which costs 25 cents and is invaluable in making charts on manilla paper. Some simple remedies-a bottle of camphor for "faints" and other emergencies; a bottle of vaseline; court plaster; soft cloth for bandages; a harmless headache remedy. With these on hand trifling ills and accidents can be attended to easily, and the child need not lose valuable time by being sent home for care. A roll of manilla paper for making maps, charts and pictures. If you must wait to send for it when the brilliant idea seizes you, it may have fled ere you get your materials together. In buying manilla paper, as anything else, get it by the quantity. -Canadian Teacher. TIMELY QUESTIONS. A county superintendent in the state of Nebraska sends this list of questions to his teachers early in the year. 1. Has your schoolhouse been cleaned and repaired? 2. Have you a Course of Study? 3. Have you ordered necessary text-books and supplies? 4. Are your library books in good condition and well arranged? Do you have a card catalogue? Do you use it? 5. Have you arranged a permanent program? Is it accessible to the pupils who can read? 6. Are you devoting time to mental arithmetic? 7. Are you teaching agriculture? AUTUMN. Once more the liberal year laughs out Our common mother rests and sings, Her brow is bright with autumn leaves. O favors every year made new! O gifts with rain and sunshine sent! The fulness shames our discontent. Today may be dark and forbidding; our hearts may be full of despair; But tomorrow the hope that was waning will prompt us to do and to dare. Today we may feel that life's sorrows outweigh all the joy that we crave; But tomorrow will teach us the lesson that life is -Ex. worth while to be brave. |