is something I never do, for I always take myself along."

Tourist to small boy: Does this road go to Walmsley?

Small boy: No, sir, it don't; it stays right here.

Small boy: "Are we going to have

have none."

"No ice water?"

"No, sir."

"Well, what in the thunder is that pitcher for?"

"Iced water, sir. Would you try

some of it?"

Mrs. Van Renssalaer of 3145 Lake Shore Drive gave a breakfast yesterday for Mrs. Beens of Boston.

Query: Why is it that we give a breakfast to a tramp but give a breakfast for a friend?

Mrs. A.- wish you would indorse this check on the back.

Mr. A.-I shouldn't think of indorsing it on the front.

Note.-Indorse means to write on the back of a paper or document, consequently, "I wish you would indorse this check" is sufficient.

We are told not to allow ourselves to get angry, but to keep our tempers.

Query: Would it not be better to let our tempers go instead of trying to keep them?

"You forget yourself, sir," a lady indignantly said to a gentleman of her acquaintance. "I beg your pardon, madam," replied the gentleman, "that

Mother: "No, my child, we are going to have turkey and mince pie."

"Expect and Suppose."

Mrs. A.-"I had a delightful time yesterday."

Friend: "I expect you did."

One may expect to have a nice time in the future, but not in the past.

"I suppose you had a nice time yesterday," is the correct form.

"Expect" properly refers to the future; "Suppose" refers to the present, past or future.

"Healthy and Healthful."

Wise housekeeper to her friend: "I like to have oranges every morning for breakfast, because they are so healthy at this time of the year."

Friend wonders whether they are ill the rest of the year.

One should speak of food as healthful not healthy. "Healthy," means possession of health. "Healthful," means productive of health.

The power to converse well is a very great charm. You think anybody can talk? How mistaken you are. Anybody can chatter. Anybody can exchange idle gossip. Anybody can recapitulate the troubles of the kitchen,

Seat Work.

In the July issue of the EducatorJournal I gave a list of materials that should be in the cupboard of every room where little children are taught. In this issue I wish to give some suggestion as to the way this material may be used.

When the children have made an honest effort and have completed the seat work which has been asked for by the teacher, there should be given an opportunity for the child to do something which he wishes and which has not been asked by the teacher. This is called free work. One criticism that might be offered for many schools is that the child has no opportunity for self-expression. For example, there is 25 minutes for seat work. The teacher gives material that will require the average child 25 minutes to complete. to complete. The unusual child will have his work finished in 15 minutes. Teachers claim that this unusual child sits calmly and rests the remaining ten minutes. Any cbserver knows that this is not true. He does something that ten minutes. The teacher may pretend that she does not see him, which makes the situation much worse. Would it not be a good plan for the children to know that when their work is finished they are expected to have freedom to do as they please so long as they respect the rights of the other children?

In the first grade habits are formed

which will follow the children all through life. Let us see to it that these habits be not ones of idleness and viciousness.

Each primary room should be provided with a low shelf on which are books, scissors, paper, string, cardboard, and any other inexpensive, useful materials which the children may bring. Have it understood that when the material is once placed on the shelf it is for the use of any pupil who may desire it. When a book is loaned for the shelf every child has a right to its use. When the assigned seat work is carefully finished the children may go to this shelf and get some material with which to work. A mat on which the vase will stand, a braided cord with which the teacher adjusts the blinds may be made, whatever it is it must be put back on the shelf for the use of the school. In doing this the child gains power and self-expression, he forms the habits of industry and that of contributing for the benefit of oth

ers.

If the shelf is out of the question, send the children out of doors when the work is finished. Do not allow them to loll idly in their desks, or get the habit of deceiving the teacher.

Box Containing Printed Alphabet. Do not use the printed alphabet to build words. In the word-study period the teacher has given a perfect image of the word. If she asks the chil

dren to build the word from the box, she takes the chance of destroying that image. The risk is so great that I should never ask children to build the words from a cut up alphabet. I would ask them, however, to sort all of the letters whose names are known. Sort the letters whose sounds are known. After this sorting lesson time should be taken to see if the children do know the names of the forms and the sound. Box Containing Script and Printed

Words.

The teacher puts a list of words on the board and the child arranges on his desk the same words from his box, in either print or script or both. These words may be arranged in sentences. They may be arranged in lists, the child putting in a list all of the words which he knows. In another list those which he does not know. He may sort the words whose pictures he can draw, another time he may find all of the words in his box which tell him something which he can do, as run, jump, play, etc.

Outline Pictures.

These outline pictures are to be cut out or used as patterns for tracing but are not to be filled with color.

Box Containing Dissected Pictures. These are given to the children and they are asked to match the pieces so that they form a picture. This is fascinating work to the children and gives skill of hand, accuracy and pleasure.

Box Containing Seeds and Pegs. Sometimes the teacher gives the children a card on which there is a letter, a word, or a form. The children are asked to cover the outline with seeds. To make this, valuable time must be given to show the class where. to begin and what is expected of them. Have the work begin at the left and move to the right. This work is valuable because the correct form for the time being is placed before the child.

With seeds and pegs the children. may draw pictures on their desk tops. They may place them in piles containing a given number. They may copy or invent geometric forms which may be made into border patterns, central patterns, book covers, etc.

E

Annual Convention of the County Su

perintendents' Association.

An invitation, extended last December by President W. E. Stone, was accepted by the association and its meeting was held at Purdue University, June 26 and 27, 1912. The attendance of county superintendents was much. larger than is common at the June meeting and those who failed to attend missed an excellent program and fine opportunity to become more familiar with the aims, purposes, equipment, and faculty members of one of Indiana's great educational institutions. Every detail looking to the comfort. and convenience of the visitors had been carefully arranged in advance, so that nothing was wanting to make the meeting successful.

The members of the association were most cordially greeted by President Stone in a brief address of welcome.

The Hon. P. P. Claxton, U. S. Commissioner of Education, gave a most able and eloquent address in discussing "The Problem of Education in Relation to the Rural School." He was especially apt in the selection of the problems for discussion and the wealth of material used by way of illustration. It was by far one of the finest presentations of this most important matter that it has been our good fortune to hear. No man or woman hearing that address could go

At 8 p. m., the inaugural address of President J. F. Haines claimed the attention of the association. It was brief, concise, and directly to the point, emphasizing the need of greater consideration for the future of the rural boy and girl on the part of those shaping the school courses of study.

Professor G. A. Bricker, of Ohio State University, presented a very complete and detailed discussion of "Reasons for Teaching Agriculture in the Public Schools." The subject was very thoroughly presented.

Following the evening session an informal reception was tendered the association by Purdue University. Refreshments were served by the Summer School students in the department of Home Economics, under the direction of Miss Matthews, instructor in Home Economics, and her assistants,