I went out to where Mr. Brown was killed and there was forty-hundred bears there.

"Willie Brown wasn't a bit scared, and he just took his pistol and pointed it at the bears-bing, bang! and the bears all went dead.

"Then Mrs. Brown and Willie tried to carry Mr. Brown home but they couldn't, so Mrs Brown gave Willie the pistol she had in her pocket and told him to stay there while she went home for the horse and wagon. 'All right, mamma, if any more bears come I won't be scared, I'll just shoot 'em.'

"So Mrs Brown went to get the horse and wagon and forty-hundred more bears come, but Willie Brown, he just shooted away with the pistol and he killed all the bears. Pretty soon Mrs. Brown come a running with the horse

and wagon just as fast as she could go. Then Wille and Mrs. Brown put Mr. Brown in the horse and wagon and took him to the cemetery and got a nice man to bury him, an' that's all."

"So that is the best story that you ever heard, Willie," said the editor musingly; "and where did you hear it?" "I didn't heard it," answered Willie flushed with the pride and vainglory of successful authorship, "I thinked it. All by myself, one time in the dark. But I wasn't scared a bit, though. And then William returned to his sand pile. "Well," said the writer, rather defiantly, "I call that a nature story."

"You could call it a fairy story," retorted the editor. The Montessorian, having been thus vindicated by William, smiled wisely and said nothing.

T

EACHING technique is constantly in a state of evolution, and it is now safe to say that a technique of motivated teaching is being developed. No teacher can conscientiously rest upon her oars with the feeling that she has developed a technique of teaching which is complete and satisfactory for all purposes. Many of the conclusions of the science of yesterday are, as a result of more recent experimentation, rejected to-day. And the same thing may be said of teaching. Much teaching that was considered excellent a few years ago is now considered old-fashioned or obsolete.

Better teacher training is producing a better teaching technique. The trained teacher of to-day expects cutand-dried rules directing her how to conduct the recitation. Teachers of limited training expect this and frequently complain if books on method do not give explicit directions how to teach everything under the sun. The trained teacher, instead, expects a clear statement of principles with a few illustrations from which she works out plans for her own daily classroom work.

Although a large body of literature has been developed on the topic of motivation, it must be frankly admitted that provision has not yet been made for the motivation of all school work. No teacher has yet succeeded in motivating every lesson which she teaches. The technique

of motivated teaching is something new and its successful application means the expenditure of much time and effort in planning every lesson to be taught.

The purpose of this article, then, is to state the principles of motivation, and by giving a few illustrations involving their application, to inspire teachers who have initiative and confidence to gradually motivate their own classroom work.

Wilson, in his "Motivation of School Work," gives the principle underlying the technique of motivated teaching in a single sentence. He says: "That attack upon school work which seeks to make its tasks sig nificant and purposeful to each child, by relating them to his childish experiences, questions, problems and desires, is called motivation." In explanation, he further states that the child's work is motivated whenever he sees a real use in it - whenever it satisfies some need he feels, provides some value he wants, supplies some control he wishes to possess, secures some desired end, or helps to attain any definite goal.

In other words, the work of the child is motivated whenever he appreciates the relationship which exists between the work he is doing and the end he is trying to reach. A boy may shovel snow in order to earn the quarter he needs to buy a Thrift Stamp; a class may be

vitally interested in an entertainment they are to give the plans, the invitations to parents, the program, the refreshments; or a young man may spend years of drudgery in earning enough money to pay his expenses while attending a medical school. In each case the motive is strong enough to keep up interest until the end is attained.

It will thus be seen that the end to be gained may te near or remote. With children in the primary school, the end to be accomplished must generally be rather near, else interest is likely to wane. The more impelling the motive, the longer will interest be sustained.

With this principle in mind, the task remains for the teacher to find motives which will compel her pupils to seriously attack the work which she wishes them to accomplish in the school. In doing this she will have an opportunity to make use of all the principles of teaching she may know. Careful forethought and planning are necessary. There is no short cut.

In the first place, the teacher must abandon the oldfashioned method of attempting to present the subject-matter of the course of study according to some logical outline she or some one else may have written. Any presentation of subject-matter on such a dead-level spells failure. Instead, there must be a psychological organization of subjectmatter; that is, it must be presented according to the needs and interests of the child.

In a section infested with mosquitoes, it is not difficult to interest children in the study of them and the means of exterminating them. The mosquito may occupy a place in the nature study course. One teacher may present the lesson in a lifeless way, using an outline written by a scientist, giving the habitat, the different species, their metamorphosis, and the like, which may mean but little to the children; while another teacher may study a live problem with her pupils which will eventually mean something in the life of the community.

Among the questions to be discussed and answered will be: Why do we have mosquitoes? How far do they fly? How can we exterminate them? Where does the mosquito lay her eggs? A troublesome boy in the class will be delighted to find the eggs in a rain barrel, or tin can, and bring them to school. All will watch the little wrigglers appear, and will count the days until the fully developed mosquito appears and flies away. Reasons will then be given for keeping premises, vacant lots, low ground, etc., clear of stagnant water. The housefly, the clean-up campaign, Red Cross relief, the need of buying War Savings Stamps, the proper care of pets, the care of the baby, personal health and means of keeping well, may all be made live problems which will function in the life of the community.

These same topics may serve as subjects for compositions. The mistakes in these will give largely the order of topics in the language lessons. Pupils fail to paragraph or leave a margin. This is an opportunity to study margins and paragraphs. Grammatical errors, such as, "He seen," "I runs and gets it,' ""Miss B. says like this,' will appear. A lesson is needed in the correct use of words.

Of course, no outline is followed, and not even the teacher knows what the order of the topics will be. But at the end of the term it is safe to say that most of the topics included in the course of study will have been studied, and that the child will have felt constantly the need of the work he was called upon to do.

Community Civics has been receiving great impetus in this direction during the past year. Children in all grades of the elementary school are found taking an active interest in the Junior Red Cross. Thousands of primary school children are the proud possessors of War Savings Stamps, and they know where the money goes and the uses to which it is put.

In a certain school, nearly every child knows that a Thrift Stamp will buy enough bullets to shoot five Germans. They know how long a War Savings Stamp will keep a

soldier, and how much bandages, rifles, uniforms, cannon, warships, and the like, cost. They know why we are at war and why we must win. They are interested in conserving wheat, sugar, and meat to help win the war, and they have been no small means of carrying desirable information from the Government to the home.

In the food administration campaign for the conservation of food, the member of the committee assigned to an Italian district, did not succeed in placing a dozen Food Administration cards in the windows of the homes. An appeal was made to the principal of the school in the district at eleven o'clock for his support. By twelve o'clock over five hundred cards were hanging in the windows of the district. The pupils carried the message to their foreign parents.

Opportunities are present in all subjects. The small child strives to learn to read the stories the teacher writes on the board, because he wants to know what they say; that is, provided they are worth reading. Or he tries to learn the words of a story, in order that he may complete an interesting story of which a part has been read to him by the teacher. The writer has seen six-year olds struggle for weeks with words and their phonetic elements, in order that they might read the story of "The Three Bears," when they got to it.

In Natur, History, Geography, and, in fact, all subjects, the problem, real or imaginary, is an easy means of motivating classroom work.

The underlying basis of all this, of course, is in the physical and mental makeup of the child. He has impulses and desires. He has his interests and needs, and certain problems require solution. The sources of these motives are to be found in the instincts of curiosity, imitation, play, constructiveness, emulation, love of approbation, self-appreciation and all the others. A study of these will give teachers a fuller understanding as to when and how to make the appeals to the children. Any good recent text will give an excellent discussion of the place of the instincts in education.

Several specific illustrations of motivation in actual practice will follow this introductory article.

Santa Claus

His sleigh is long, and deep, and wide;
It will carry a host of things;
While dozens of drums hang over the side
With horns sticking under the strings;
And yet not the sound of a drum is heard,
Not a bugle blast is blown,

As he mounts to the chimney top like a bird
And drops to the hearth like a stone.

The little red stockings he silently fills,
Till the stockings will hold no more;
The bright little sleds for the great snow hills
Are quickly set down on the floor;
Then Santa Claus mounts to the roof like a bird
And glides to his seat in the sleigh;
Not the sound of a bugle or drum is heard,
As he noiselessly gallops away.

He rides to the East, he rides to the West;
Of his goodies he touches not one:

He eats but the crumbs of the Christmas feast,
When the dear little folks are done.
Old Santa Claus does all the good that he can,
This beautiful mission is his;

Then, children, be good to the little old man
When you find who the little man is.

Anon.

B

Y December our Little Citizens will be rounding out the first term of the school year. They will have learned to work together and will have done their part in winning the war. There will be Victory Boys and Victory Girls among them. Red Cross Work will have claimed their efforts. Perhaps they have contributed to the Free Milk for France Fund or have adopted their out of-door activities and they will have become interested in the town and the school through out-of-door civic work.

The time is ripe, then, in December to form little civic organizations and to spend the winter months in a study of government and in consideration of town ordinances, etc. The foundation was laid when the children dramatized the policeman, the superintendent of schools, the fire chief, etc. Even the youngest of them can now begin to learn more about the town, its laws and how to work in organizations.

All over the country, schools are being formed into groups called "Loyal Legions" or something similar. So many teachers have asked for names of such groups that I am appending a list.

Civic Guards (my favorite) Lovers of Liberty Democracy's Children

Patriotic Pupils' Association Uncle Sam's Soldiers

Deed a Day League

Junior Patriots

Young Americans

Little Citizens

Lincoln Legion

the initials

W. S. S. (a "secret" society
mean "We Save and Serve"
A. A. A. (another "secret" society-All America.
Association)

I like the title "Civics Guards" best, perhaps, because that was the name of the organization I founded in my school after returning from Europe in 1910. It is a name that carries the thought that Civic rights must be guardedit is as good in peace as in war. But the underlying purpose of all the organizations is the same. It is to teach the children how to organize and conduct meetings and help them to learn the value of mass action in solving civic problems. It would be well to have the entire school organized under one name, but to have each room a separate branch. In this way the teacher can use the civic period for a meeting and increase opportunities for practice in conducting meetings. All children should have practice in presiding. If the entire school is organized under one name all the little tots get the right to wear the same badge that the older children wear. Promotion does not break off the society connection. Occasionally two rooms or the entire school can meet together, a desirable feature, if properly handled. I have seen excellent practice in self control and courtesy to guests result from a joint meeting, though everyone had to sit in a seat and all windows had to be opened to provide air for so many extra children. The officers of both groups on such an occasion sit in the front, but those of the hostess room preside.

A written constitution and regular balloting for election can be carried out even in primary grades. The following is a simple form of organization:

IV

ARTICLE IV - The officers shall be a President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary and Director.

ARTICLE V-The teacher is ex-officio the director of the society. ARTICLE VI-Persons become members by signing the pledge and constitution.

ARTICLE VII- Regular meetings shall be held once a month Special meetings may be held at the call of the Director or at the request of the officers.

As indicated in this constitution, a pupil becomes a member by signing his name below the constitution and subscribing to this pledge.

beauty and order in our town. "I promise to do all that I can to promote cleanliness,

The colors were blue and gold. Each member wore a round button with the letters C. C. G. in gold on a blue background. Their motto "Order, Beauty, Cleanliness,

was made into a "yell" as follows.

PLEASE TAKE WARNING

Do not go on thin ice.

Do not chase your hat across the street.
Do not run out from behind a car or wagon.

Do not throw paper or other refuse in the streets. At each meeting, every member was called on to report on his civic activities since the last meeting.

Copies of the town ordinances were used for reading lessons in upper grades and for conversation lessons in lower grades. Once in awhile there was an opening meet to which parents were invited. Trips to the State Capitol, to factories, newspaper offices to see the paper printed, to fire stations, pumping stations, etc., were taken, and or many of these trips the sturdiest members of the first grade were invited. The trips were taken on school holidays. On one occasion the Governor of the state received the children in the state chamber. It was an unexpected honor, teacher had not prepared the children, but they were quite self-possessed. The governor said he would be glad to shake hands with them and they filed by and shook his hand and lined up single file about the great, gorgeous room, the teacher afterwards said, as if they were inspired. But judge of her delight when as the last child shook hands, the little eleven-year-old boy "President" stepped forward and said, "Mr. Governor, for the Civi Guards, I want to say Thank You' for shaking hands with us.'

Wasn't such self-possession due to the fact that these children had heard as much about the governor and the duties of his office as they could understand and to the fact that they knew that the beautiful marble state house was theirs?

The protection of the government can be suggested by a diagram. Paste a picture of a child on the blackboard and draw around it a circle marked "Home." Discuss the Rights and Obligations of every one in the home. Don't mince matters. If these children are to be good fathers and mothers they must be told what good fathers and mothers do for their children. We know that many parents are cruel and indifferent where are their children to get better deals if they do not get them in the public school?

Next time draw a second circle around the "home" and mark this second circle "School." In the discussion

NATION

STATE

TOWN

SCHOOL HOME

do not leave yourself out. Be an American. No American, not even an American teacher, is above the law. The basic ideal of our constitution is that all are equal before the law. Alas! there are a few teachers who act daily as autocrats and yet expect to teach democracy. I am not acclaiming the "Easy" teacher who has no discipline. Far from it. But I do say that unless teachers as well as children live up to their obligations, the schools can not be the nursery of American Democracy.

Surround the circle with one marked "Town," later with one marked "State" (omit county), later still, with one marked "Nation." Use this diagram to study laws and duties of officials, etc.

by voters and town council

Town State by senators and representatives in the legislature Nation-by senators and representatives in Congress. Even fifth and sixth graders can play at being the legislature and can have bills presented and read twice and referred to a committee-discussed in committee given a hearing, read for the third time, discussed, amended, referred to committee again-read again and voted on. If you keep sharp watch you may find newspaper items telling about just such happenings at the state legislature. Maybe you can visit the legislature. It isn't true that only grammar grade children can profit by such a visit. Try by diagrams to show the three parts of our govern

ment:

I The President - Executive
II Congress the legislative
III Supreme Court Judicial

Children can readily understand that Congress makes the laws. The President sees that they are enforced, and in case of dispute, the Supreme Court decides whether a law is constitutional.

Supreme Court decided it was not according to the Constitution and therefore could not be enforced. Make them understand that these judges did not make the decision because they believed in Child Labor, but because the law was not drawn to meet the terms of the Constitution. Tell them that friends of the children are planning to get the law amended so that it will be constitutional and the children's rights will be protected.

Get them interested in the Children's Year campaign. Be sure you know and let them know of any laws or ordinances relating directly to children.

Plan the work so that it will correlate with other work. You can teach the departments of government as a spelling lesson and have the Civic period devoted to discussion. The study of the Community may be assigned Home Work and may be based on information to be obtained by questioning parents or by walks about the town.

The children should gather civic data:

How old is the community- what is the oldest building in it is there a "famous spot" in it? What has the community to be proud of? (Every community has something to be proud of.) Take photographs, make charts, maps, plans.

Population-nationalities -- industries - professions -educational resources, as churches, schools, clubs — institutions, as poor farm, orphans' home, jails, etc. Parks playgrounds, cemeteries, open spaces for which public responsibility for keeping presentable should be exercised.

List veterans living in the neighborhood - make an Honor Roll of soldiers serving now.

Collect stories of heroes of the town.

In grades able to write these facts should be put in the form of a story, "Our Town," which may be illustrated with snap shots or post cards and drawings. If well done it would have future value. If our war activities were over, a Town Exhibit could be arranged which would be. valuable civic service.

Every school should perform some civic service, a gift to the town. This year we must give more thoughtfully than ever and we have now a splendid opportunity to teach that little kindnesses are often more acceptable than gifts. A Christmas Carol Service for the inmates of the poor farm, a Song Service with inexpensive trinkets for the sick in the hospital, or a Christmas entertainment to raise funds for the Free Milk, for France, or a Community Christmas tree, or only an afternoon school entertainment to which the mothers are invited - some one of these things should be done even if we are tired with war work. We must take a lesson from Belgium and France. Never would they willingly give up the standards of liberty; time and again the Belgians were fined for observing their Feast Days during the German occupation—they paid and celebrated, because they knew the value of holding on to good customs. Let us hold on, too we must keep as much of the true Christmas spirit as possible, realizing that joy is a duty and that just as our soldiers are loved for their smiles and cheerfulness "Over There" so we teachers, "soldiers of the interior," will be loved for our smiles over here.

Give the birds a Christmas feast, no matter what happens, and ask every child to note how many kinds he sees during the Christmas holidays. If he wants their help in his war garden next summer he must feed them now.

Nourish a love of the homeland by directing the children's thoughts to its beauty. Make them promise to note during the holidays, the colors of winter the red berries and rose hips, the left-over oak leaves, the greens of pines and cedars, the browns and lavenders of grasses --the blues and blacks of ice and water, the grays of tree trunks — the sunset tints. You can add joy to all their days if you help them to love the colors of nature. It is actual love for the soil itself, the well known home scenes, that is the basis of patriotism which, like charity, begins at home, but, like charity, also extends its healing power to the

N

Della Van

EVER before have the children of America had the opportunity to take a part in the great work of the world as they have had during the year of nineteen hundred and eighteen. And never before have the schools of the world had such an opportunity to plant in the hearts of the children the love of humanity, justice, right, freedom, and the desire to help the oppressed, as well as a hatred for selfishness, cruelty, brutality such as has plunged the world into the sorrows of the war. At the beginning of the second school year, the pupils of the first grade decided to start a little store-purely play. The counter was constructed from two chairs and a board. Boxes and boards were arranged for the shelves. The frame of a window was erected over the counter by tying two yard-sticks to the backs of the chairs. The children colored large sheets of manila paper to resemble brick-work which we used to cover the chairs and the window frame. It was to be a grocery store, so the children brought empty containers, boxes and cans. We had two little telephones and often had very good times playing buying and selling.

It was all very good fun, but one day we had one of many talks together about the great work our big brothers, the soldiers, were doing for us and for all the world; and we, in turn, wanted to do something to help them. Although we were a group with very few pennies of our own, we decided to pledge five dollars to the Y. M. C. A. and earn it ourselves.

We chose the Y. M. C. A. because at that time we had not come to think of our soldiers as wounded, we wanted to help keep them happy and comfortable, to send them a bit of home, as it were, and we decided to do this through the Y. M. C. A.

The only way we could think of to earn money as a group was to save and collect magazines and newspapers. This we decided to do, and to spur the few who were sometimes inactive and indifferent, we divided the class into two opposing groups and named them the "Bees" and the "Beavers."

We were very fortunate in having a large strong shelf in the front of the room above the blackboard. We

Amburg

divided this shelf in two parts and placed a flag at the dividing point. Then we decided to weigh the pape brought by each group, tie it in bundles of five pounds each and place it upon the shelf.

The game was to race for the flag. We calculated that by piling the bundles in piles of fives it would require five hundred pounds to fill the shelf on each side of the flag.

With very little assistance the children were soon able to weigh the paper accurately and tie it in packages. The race was close at all times, some days the "Beavers" and some days the "Bees" claimed the greater number of pounds.

It was a happy day when both groups reached the flag at the same time and we had collected one thousand pounds. The race was finished, but the paper kept coming in, as had also the call from the Red Cross for paper, tin foil, bottles, buttons, lead, copper, old knives and forks, clean patches and pieces of cloth. This was our opportunity. We decided that "The Store" in which we had hardly had. time to play, should be a "Red Cross Store" and its business should be to collect and handle these things that the Red Cross wanted. A price was placed upon all the articles and "The Store" paid for them in play money which the children made.