ELIZABETH

Minneapolis, Minn.

FLORA MARGETTS, Shandon, Calif. ORPHA A. HILLMAN, Stanley, Iowa.

MINNIE A. HOGAN, 660 Crest Road, Chattanooga, Tenn.

PEARL JONES, Orting, Washington.

AMY KAHN, 375 Central Park, New York City.
GRACE E. GURNEY, Earlville, N. Y.

MRS. MAME BRADFORD HAMPTON, Durango, Colo.
KATHLEEN HAY, Lyndhurst, S. C.

MRS. G. N. HINDSON, 336 Broadway, Winnepeg, Manitoba.

CLARA L. PENN, Rockford, Ohio.

FLORENCE PEASLEY, R-4, Kenosha, Wis.

P. E. REYNOLDS, 3336 Central Court, Niagara Falls, X. Y.

MABEL L. STRAUB, 1137 Arrot St., Frankford, Philadelphia,

HARRIET L. SHAFTER, 156 Chestnut St., New Bedford, Mass.

GERTRUDE VAUGHAN, Logan, Iowa.

JOSEPHINE WEAKLEY, Liberty Centre, Ohio. LOUISE WHITCOMB, 4228 Winnetka St., Dallas, Texas.

MARY YARBROUGH, R. 12, Farmington, Tenn. ANNIE N. PIKE, 141 Bracewell Ave., North Adams, Мань

MISS ROXIE MARTIN, 2250 Fulton St., Berkeley, Caif. MRS. HATTIE KNAPP, 470 Hamilton Ave., Aurora, IIL

THURSA WASSON HARGITT, Bloomington, Ind. EDNA GENE MCGEE, 116 East Tenth St., Oklahoma City, Okla.

MARION E. ADLINGTON, Queensboro, New York.
F. G. SANDERS, Oakville, Ont. Can.
J. M. NIVAN, Toronto, Ont.

OLIVE WILI.S, Cheyenne, Wyo.

SUSAN SMEDLEY, 401 So. Church St., West Chester, Ро

TELL YOUR TROUBLES

Every live Kindergartner or Primary Teacher has PROBLEMS to solve. Write to this department and some of our many writers may be able to help you,

AN "ORIGINAL STORY" CONTEST
By F. R. Cozzens

A rural school in my community, through the teacher, Mildred Quinn, is putting on "original story" contests successfully. They prove a pleasing contrast to the usual cut-and-dried form of entertainment and are beneficial to both pupil and teacher. Twice a month, each pupil is given a card worded thusly:

Next Friday Evening you are expected
to tell us about the strangest thing you
have noticed this week.

A pencil for the best story.

"These stories must be true, and relate the necessary facts and may be either serious or humorous." The teacher explained to me. "They may bear on anything that happened under the child's observation; an account of a trip, an accident, a picnic, etc.

On the afternoon appointed, the parents and visitors are invited and a committee is appointed to act as judges. The pupils are then called in turn. No time limit is set, but a pupil is trained to relate his account in as few words as possible.

Children of both sexes take part; no child is too young to notice something interesting, and I never have known of such an entertainment being a failure.

The primary object is to train the pupil to observe things which the ordinary eye would miss, and to encourage him to get facts to support his account. In doing this, he gets the principle of outside study without a text-book. In writing out the tale, he receives training in composition and grammar.

In presenting the written account, he learns to recite, and to present his story in an interesting manner. Since the story is original with a pupil, he desires to interest the audience in the happening as well as the judges. Such enthusiasm is usually lacking when presenting a feature from a text-book or magazine.

Such a method is quite simple and inexpensive and one of which the pupils never tire. It can be changed to suit the season, or the teacher can adopt the plan to cover a birthday or other historical event. "Original stories of Lincoln or Washington" can be arranged from something the pupil has read. Such programs furnish variety and can be put on in any community."

SPELLING BOOKLETS

By Elsie Forsythe, Hebron, Ohio

To make our first grade written spelling more interesting we make booklets with designs on cover to represent each month or special days of month.

Our

For February we had two booklets, one with two hearts cut from red paper mounted on gray paper hearts outlined with black crayon. The other booklet has a small flag on a white cover. The child's name is written in space lined by teacher. March booklets will be two in number. The first one a green thread and wire shamrock on a gray cover. The other some Easter design, chicken or rabbit or some interesting design.

I have been using a red star, made with crayon for the correct papers but for March I shall use a green crayon to make the star. I grade booklets as soon as lesson is over so each one can see what he has done.

Here is a suggestion good for all year but especially good for a patriotic program.

We sing two verses-first and last and chorus twice of the song "There are many flags in many lands" Then give this salute with appropriate gestures.

"I give my hand, my head, and my heart, to God and my country. One country and one flag."

After this sing one verse of "America," or the first and last verse.

One child may stand in front and hold flag, or we will salute one fixed on a standard.

The children enjoy this and it makes a very pretty exercise.

READING

By Carrol P. Oppenheimer, Savannah, Ga. The Kindergarten child does not read "I-see-the blue-bird" in a dull uninterested way. He reads with animation, "I see the blue bird." He has been in the park and seen a blue bird; he has played being a blue bird; he has picked out the children dressed in blue; be has drawn a crude picture with blue crayon.

He has been busy having the experiences about which a reading book will tell. He has heard stories and repeated them. He has learned some of the best verses the language affords.

The Kindergarten child does not have lessons in number, but he uses number in a practical way. He and his companions are told to march today in twos and that if this is well done they may march tomorrow in twos and twos, thus making fours. He is told to choose six children to play a game and that the next time he may choose nine if he can count the number correctly. And SO by using numbers and their combinations he learns number.

He applies what he learns, too. A little boy who had played with a set of blocks containing eight cubes was given a new set containing eight blocks of another shape, whereupon he announced almost at first glance "Same much as cubes."

GEOGRAPHY

The Kindergarten child learns actual position and direction and other elements of geography. He visits the railroad yard across the way and afterwards builds a railroad in the sand in right relation to the Kindergarten; he visits a business street and repro

duces it afterwards with blocks in right direction from a resident street. Simple geography, of course,-very simple, but the surest kind of foundation for later lessons in a book labelled geography.

The preparation a child gets in a good Kindergarten for later lessons in music, art, handwork, nature study, physical training-is so obvious that it need not be dwelt upon here.

GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARD SCHOOL
AND TEACHER

The Kindergarten child likes to go to Kindergarten. (His mother sometimes punishes him by making him stay at home.) This is not because it is all easy there. The work given to him to do is as difficult as he is capable of doing;-but the teacher is a friend, a comrade; she sympathizes with him in his attempts, and has faith in his desire to succeed.

AID IN BIRD RECOGNITION

By Hazel Bennett, Cato. N. Y. When drilling on bird recognition and characteristics I place my bird pictures along the chalk tray with names covered. Then I ask the children to pick out a certain bird. The child who can pick out the bird must give one important characteristic. He may say, if the bird is a Meadow Lark, "He is a friend of the farmers," or if it is a Redwing Black bird, "He is one of the Spring Quartette," etc.

SAND PILE PARTY

By Veda Group, Sherman, Texas, Box 389 Even the merest toddlers will like this party. Have them come in rompers-and the part of wisdom would be to bring a clean suit for going home time. Then turn them loose in the big sand pile in the yard. With buckets and shovels and spoons, and tiny pans for pies, they will have one royal good time; though of course the mothers will want to be comfortably seated on the side porch where they can have an eye on the babies as they ply their needles and chat, Ice cream will do for refreshment-or simply mitk and animal crackers will be acceptable.

It will be well to have enough of the little buckets and shovels for them to serve as souvenirs, for the tots are likely to cling to these treasures.

A COLUMBUS DAY BOOKLET

By Hazel Bennett. Cato, N. Y.

Last year we took up the story work of Columbus early in October. Then to more firmly fix the subject matter in our minds we made a booklet of white drawing paper. We used narrow strips of silhouette paper on the white for the cover. From the black paper we cut a sword and shield for the cover. On page one we pasted a ship which had been first mounted on blue construction paper to resemble the ocean. This was labeled 'Santa Maria." On the next two pages we pasted smaller boats of a different type. These were labeled "Nina and Pinta." On the fourth page we placed a s'nall picture of "Colum

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NUMBER CARDS

Number cards for addition may be made as follows: Take the cardboard from large tablet backs. Cut to make squares and divide each into nine parts, making heavy lines with a black crayola. Paste colored paper over the central square. Use crayola to write the numbers in the squares. Arrange numbers in various order on each card.

PAPER DOLL PARTY

By Veda Group, Sherman, Texas, Box 389

Vary the order by sometimes beginning with the central figure as 2 plus 7, 2 plus 4, 2 plus 9, etc., and sometimes with the outer figures as 7 plus 2, 4 plus 2, 9 plus 2, etc. These cards may also be used for seat work, and in teaching multiplication.

SOAP BUBBLE PARTY

By Veda Group, Sherman, Texas

HEALTH WORK

By Hazel Bennett, Cato, N. Y.

One year in our health work we decided to draw "our Friends." We drew a tooth brush and gave it legs. We did likewise with a comb, nail file, scissors, hair brush, etc., we added eyes to those that we could. A CHRISTMAS SAND TABLE

By Hazel Bennett, Cato, N. Y.

One Christmas the children wanted to carry out the idea of "The Three Wise Men" in our sand table. Of course the Christmas stories preceded this work for we always find children who are not familiar with the story of "The Wise Men." First they made palm trees by cutting brown oatmeal paper into narrow strips and slashing one edge so as to make the bark of the tree look rough when wound around paper in the shape of a tree bole. These were placed in one corner of the sand in a group to represent an oasis. The children brought branches of pine and put in on the top of the made tree to make it bushy like a date palm. Next an open well was made of baked clay, around which they placed the three camels which were made of heavy paper and colored. Also the three wise men which were clothed clothes pins. They appeared to be resting and drinking that they might later resume their long journey.

Yes, they're pretty apt to get a little wet and mussy. But in the glorious warm days of summer this does small harm. And our tots of five and six do so love to blow bubbles. Of course they will wear gingham frocks and aprons and wash suits that can go right in the tub.

Set a long bench out in the yard with tin cups of soap suds-and tin bowls with more soap and waterand plenty of straws and canes and pipes, and even spools, for blowing bubbles. A paint box prize will be appropriate for the child blowing most bubbles; another for the one blowing the largest- and let all who like take home with them cup and pipe for further pleasure.

Set the bowls

Fruit may be served in refreshment. out early and let the children help themselves.

"Go quick, and wash your tongue with soap!"
Said mamma to her little Ben.
Returning soon, he said, "I hope!
I never tells a lie again!"

I am frank to say that our sand table attracted much attention on the day of our Christmas entertainment when our room was thronged with visitors.

PARTIES

By Elsie Forsythe, Hebron, Ohio

To keep us all interested we have "parties" on special days. Our last was a valentine party. We told our best stories, played the most interesting records on our victrola and played the games we liked best. Of course we did no real work. The valentines we made for our mothers was not work. For refreshments we had heart shaped cookies. Each had three and one to take home. These are not hard to make and think of the fun to eat them at school and the joy of carrying one home to mother. A few even saved an extra one for brother.

The shades might be drawn and candles lighted while the party was in progress.

Our next party will be an Easter party. We'll

have cookies cut with a chicken shaped cutter and candy eggs for refreshments.

EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE

By J. Leland Fowler

Mary and Robert Neil were going to spend their summer vacation down at Grandpa's farm. School had been out a week so they would start the next morning.

"Mother, is everything ready?" asked Mary for the hundredth time. "Did you put in all my clothes and my dolls?"

"Yes! Yes! I told you this morning that everything was ready," replied Mother, who was really tired of the insistent chatter. "Run out and play until dinner time and then go to bed early so it will not be so hard for you to wake up when I call you in the morning."

Early the next morning, Mother called two very sleepy children; but as soon as they were awake enough to remember the expected trip there was a wild scramble to get bathed and dressed.

After a hasty breakfast they started for the train. They had only gone a block when Robert remembered his ball which he had forgotten to pack and Mary remembered that she had not put in her sunbonnet. They thought that it would only take a few minutes to run back and get them for each child was sure he remembered where the article was. They would run very fast so as to catch their parents before they reached the train.

Robert had been playing behind the house with his ball the evening before and Mary had had her bonnet out in the garden. But the ball was not behind the house nor the bonnet in the garden so they looked here and there in a frantic endeavor to find them.

Just as they started toward the station again Robert remembered that he had taken the ball out to the barn and when they looked there they found Mary's bonnet in the manger so they were both satisfied and started on a run for the station again. They were sure they would overtake the folks in a few blocks but as they rounded the corner three blocks from the depot they heard the sound of the whistle that signaled the approach of the train which they should catch.

were

Mother and Father had waited at the depot for thirty minutes. They had their tickets and very anxious about the children as it was just about train time.

"If Grandpa was not going to be waiting for us I would not go, but as it is I suppose I will have to send a message and wait for the next train," declared Mother as she heard the approaching whistle. When Robert and Mary heard the whistle they tried to increase their speed but it was a limited train and stopping but few minutes so it had speeded up and was nearly out of sight when they breathlessly raced up on the platform.

a

"Now what will they do?" wondered Robert. "Mother might not go at all and it would be horrid to stay in town all summer."

Mary began to cry; but because he was nine years

old Robert thought himself too large to cry and he tried very hard to appear unconcerned but Mother saw him turn away when the tears would come and she thought he had learned his lesson. She had told them both yesterday afternoon to put those things in the trunk, but they had wanted to play a little while and had promised to do it as soon as they were through.

They were supposed to keep their things in their rooms, but they had grown very careless of late and things were usually left where they used them. If they had been in their regular places Mother would have gotten them when she packed their other things.

She did not say anything about it today but by the time two impatient children had waited nearly two hours they were very tired and when the train drew up to the depot Mother heard Mary and Robert planning to keep their things where they belonged and the surprising thing was that they really did it. As they grew older people often spoke of how neat they were and wondered why they always stopped to put up whatever article they were using no matter how much of a hurry they were in. But Mother Knew.