Cornell University Library 
 LB 1029.P9K16 
 
 The project method of '"sJ["={'?J;,| 
 
 3 1924 013 389 972 
 
TEACHING 
 
 Vol. V, No. 1 Whole No. 50 
 
 The Project Method 
 of Instruction 
 
 A JOURNAL PUBLISHED BY 
 
 KANSAS STATE NORMAL SCHOOL 
 
 EMPORIA, KANSAS 
 
 FRINTED Br 
 
 KANSAS STATE PRINTING PLANT 
 
 JMRI ZUMWALT, Statu Pkihteb 
 
 TOFEKA. 1920 
 
 8-222S 
 
TEACHING 
 
 Published everjr month by the Kansas State Normal School at Emporia, representing 
 the official and professional interests of the School. 
 
 Sent free of charge, on request, to any teacher, editor, public ofUcial, aluiaauB, or 
 citizen. 
 
 Entered as second-class matter at the Emporia post office under the act of August 
 24, 1912. 
 
 Address communications to Teaching, State Normal School, Emporia, Ean. 
 
 Thos. W. Butcher, 
 
 President of the Kansas State Normal School. 
 H. E Birdsonb, Editor. 
 
 EDITOKIAI. COMMTTTHB. 
 
 Oarl W. SaIiSeb, Director Extension Division. B. R. Barrett, Professor of EnffJish. 
 Willis H. Kerb, Librarian. H. E. Biedsono, Instructor in English. 
 
 Vol. V, No. 1 JANUARY, 1920. Whole No. 50. 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 The Project Method of Instruction. 
 
 Editorial: „.„. 
 
 Widespread Interest in Project-Problem Instruction 3 
 
 The Function of the Project 3 
 
 H. G. Lull. 
 
 First Grade Project 11 
 
 MiBS AoHSAH Harris. 
 
 A School Magazine Project 15 
 
 Miss Eubt Minor. 
 
 Industrial Art 19 
 
 Miss Kathebine Morrison. 
 
 Belgium Interpreted Through Local Environment 21 
 
 Miss Jennie Williams. 
 Miss Ollib Wolt. 
 
 A Study in Lawn Planning 
 
 Miss Flobenoe Billiq. 
 
 Interest in Measurements of School Results 29 
 
 National Needs 30 
 
 A Project in Music Appreciation 
 
 Miss Catherine E. Strodse. 
 
 Inadequate Support of Normal Schools 31 
 
TEACHING. 
 
 EDITORIAL. 
 
 WIDESPREAD INTEREST IN PROJECT-PROBLEM 
 INSTRUCTION. 
 
 Teaching, number 45, February, 1919, was devoted to Pro- 
 ject-Problem Instruction, and the demand for the number was 
 so great that the supply has been exhausted for several months. 
 Another issue of Teaching devoted to the same subject is pre- 
 sented at this time because of the manifest interest on the part 
 of educators. 
 
 The project method of instruction is used successfully in 
 the Training Schools of the Kansas State Normal from the 
 kindergarten to the senior high school, but has not yet been 
 tried in the latter. The material presented here covers only a 
 few of the many projects either completed or under way. It 
 has seemed best, however, to discuss a few projects in sufficient 
 detail to show the method of procedure and the results ob- 
 tained, rather than to list all those performed or under way. 
 None of the projects published in Teaching, number 45, have 
 been reprinted here. 
 
 The Function of the Project. 
 
 H. O. LVLL, Director of Teacher Trainmg, Kansas State Normal School. 
 
 It is, without doubt, fallacy to maintain that "Whatever society is the 
 school should be." The school is not a miniature reproduction of society, 
 but rather an instrument of society to accomplish certain results. The 
 citizens of a democratic society, for example, should be able to originate 
 and plan activities as well as to execute them. The fact is, however, that 
 the school gives undue emphasis to the execution of activities which are 
 originated and planned by others, except in connection with its social 
 organization. Practically all of the so-called regular work of the school 
 is originated by the teachfers, while the pupils are required to execute the 
 teachers' plan. This is, also, true of many of the so-called social activi- 
 ties of the school as is illustrated by the ordinary organization of debat- 
 ing and athletics. In debating and athletics, however, the coaches do sit 
 on the side-lines when the contests are going on, while in the ordinary 
 school studies the teacher is always the-very-much-depended-upon-leader 
 of the class. 
 
 To learn to follow directions, to take commands, to obey, and to execute 
 faithfully and accurately what one is told to do are,- of course, invaluable 
 attainments, and the school is doing well to emphasize this phase of train- 
 ing. On the other hand, there is great need for the development of initia- 
 tive. In its efforts to develop initiative there is great danger that the 
 
TEACHING. 
 
 school will neither secure initiative nor even the execution of the' plans 
 of others. The recitation all too frequently consists in a sort of melee of 
 discussion which only ends in more confusion than it begins with. Such 
 a condition results from the fact that teachers have caught the idea of 
 spontaneity without at the same time appreciating the necessity for con- 
 trolled and orderly activities. The change from teacher-initiative to 
 pupil-initiative requires something more than providing opportunities for 
 free-for-all discussions. 
 
 In the ordinary recitation or study there are no methods of procedure 
 which the pupils must know; the teacher decides and directs how the work 
 shall be done. Children do not act together' successfully in a game or a 
 play without previously adopting rules of procedure. In all successful 
 group activities of adults, also, the members of the group originate or 
 adopt and follow certain rules of procedure, which are, of course, always 
 subject to their own revision. It seems clear that the school will ac- 
 complish little in developing inclividual and group purposing, planning 
 and execution until the pupils themselves come to understand and follow 
 certain general methods of procedure. 
 
 On the other hand, there are no unvarying methods of procedure to be 
 used in all projects alike. The nature of the thing to be done must al- 
 ways be considered in determining the methods, just the same as the 
 purpose of a game is an important factor in determining the rules of the 
 game. However, the essential points in project instruction may be more 
 or less accurately determined. 
 
 Pupils individually or as a class Inay, for example, form a purpose to 
 learn certain multiplication tables perfectly within a week, to drill upon 
 combinations with which they have trouble. Having originated their 
 purpose and made their plans, they may arrange for a series of drills 
 and finally get a test for themselves to see what has actually been ac- 
 complished. A class may form a purpose to dramatize a piece of litera- 
 ture, to present to the whole school the next Monday morning in assembly 
 period. The class may plan the preparation of the play by having the 
 various members choose the parts which they wish to represent. In case 
 two or more pupils desire the same part, they may draw lots, or the class 
 may decide which pupil shall take the part in question, by voting. Or if 
 time permits, all parts of the play may be assigned by the try-out system, 
 the class appointing judges from among the pupils, not entering the con- 
 test, who shall assign parts after the trials have been made. Or the 
 class may decide to ask the teacher to assign the parts, either with or 
 without the try-out. The class may appoint a pupil to act as stage 
 director of the play, and all pupils, not otherwise engaged, to act as 
 critics of rehearsals. After this preliminary planning, the learning of 
 parts and the rehearsals follow. The results of the planning, learning 
 of parts, and of the rehearsals are tested when the play is finally given 
 before the whole school. To make such a project complete, the pupils 
 should become their own critics by discussing their successes and failures 
 at the next meeting of their literature class after the play is given. 
 
 A simple project in composition was originated and worked out by a 
 small group of intermediate grade pupils during one fifty-minute period. 
 
TEACHING. 
 
 The teacher said, "It is time for us to start some Christmas work." A 
 pupil replied, "We wrote a play and a story for Thanksgiving, can't we 
 do something different?" Another suggested, "If we write a play, let's 
 give it in assembly." A third pupil said, "We haven't time to do all of 
 that before Christmas." Plays were discussed for two or three minutes 
 and rejected. Finally, one girl said, "I know, I would like to write a 
 letter to a little Belgian girl." The teacher remarked that Christmas for 
 the Belgian children would be much happier than last year, but still they 
 would probably not receive many gifts. Then a pupil asked, "How would 
 it do to send toys to the Belgian children and make verses to put with 
 the toys?" This proposal delighted the class, and appropriate toys were 
 named and written on the board rapidly. Some of those named were : doll, 
 doll carriage, rocking horse, kiddy-kar, ball, sled, skates, etc. This is, of 
 course, a very simple form of project. Nevertheless the foregoing de- 
 scription shows something of how the project originated with the pupils. 
 A full description of the work of the pupils in composing the verses 
 would require too much space, but the following stanzas were written 
 during the recitation period with no more assistance from the teacher 
 than an occasional suggestion of doubt or approval : 
 
 "We children here are sending toys 
 To little foreign girls and boys, 
 And may they bring to all good cheer, 
 As Christmas time is drawing near." 
 
 "My Dolly Dear, I'm sending you, 
 I To a little Belgian girl. 
 
 Tell her that you have been christened Sue, 
 Don't let her call you Pearl." 
 
 "Some boy can have my rocking horse. 
 To ride on all day long: 
 He's only made of wood, of course. 
 But yet he's very strong." 
 
 "I'll send to Jean my kiddy-kar, 
 It's better than a horse. 
 And he may travel, oh, so far, 
 And it won't buck, of course." 
 
 How does the project method of instruction differ from the question 
 and answer method? The project method attempts to transfer the pur- 
 posing, planning, and the organization of the lesson, usually performed 
 by the teacher, to the pupils as far as possible. When using the question 
 and answer method, the teacher, of course, tries to have the pupils ap- 
 preciate her purposes, plans, and organization of the lesson, but in no real 
 sense do they carry on these processes themselves. The pupils contrib- 
 ute here and there during the progress of the lesson by answering ques- 
 tions asked by the teacher, but they do not share, to any great extent, the 
 responsibility for carrying on the work of the recitation from its origin 
 to its conclusion. The following illustration will help to make this point \ 
 clear. The teacher had written a number of topics on the board and had 
 chosen to have the class recite first upon the topic, "Capture of Con- 
 stantinople by the Turks." Using the question and answer method the 
 recitation began as follows : 
 
 Teacher: Let us take the second question, "Capture of Constantinople 
 by the Turks." Floyd, you tell us about that. 
 
 Floyd: AH I know about it is that the Turks — (pauses) 
 
TEACHING. 
 
 Teacher: Let me help you a little bit. Where did the people learn 
 about these spices? 
 
 Pupil: They learned from the traders over there. They came over 
 from Constantinople; they came over in caravans but the Turks cap- 
 tured Constantinople, and so. all these Portuguese, Spanish, English, and 
 French tried to find some other way of getting around there. 
 
 Teacher: Good. There is a point he did not tell me. How did these 
 people, the English, French, Portuguese, etc., learn to want these spices? 
 
 Another important difference between the project method and the ques- 
 tion and answer method consists in the fact that the former is a method 
 of study as well as of recitation, while the latter is a method of the reci- 
 tation only. Again, the project method is more comprehensive in that it 
 frequently includes the question and answer method, although usually 
 informally used. The following lesson shows how a project in geography 
 may originate and be prepared for study. 
 
 The teacher took the initiative by saying, "We have been studying the 
 productions of New England and we have seen how many things were 
 manufactured there which were grown or dug out of the earth somewhere 
 else. Let us see what we can discover about the productions of Texas. 
 Where shall we find information about the productions, of Texas? The 
 pupils suggested several sources, including their geography textbook. 
 After a little preliminary reading, one pupil said, "I find that cotton is 
 grown in large quantities in Texas, but I have not found out what is done 
 with it." Another pupil presently volunteered the information that cotton 
 is not manufactured into cloth in Texas. Another suggested that it is 
 shipped to the eastern states to be manufactured, while someone else veri- 
 fied this statement, finding a similar statement in the geography textbook. 
 Finally a pupil said, "I don't see why Texas should not manufacture her 
 own cotton." This question proved to be the origin of the project and all of 
 the pupils of the class went to work to find out why there are no cotton 
 mills in Texas. The record of one pupil's study follows: 
 
 WHY THERE ARE NO COTTON MILLS IN TEXAS. 
 
 "The reason there are no cotton mills in Texas is because there are 
 very few rivers. The rivers they do have do not carry a steady volume 
 of water. Sometimes there is not enough water to run the mills, and at 
 other times there are floods. 
 
 "They could use coal for power, but there are a very few coal mines 
 in Texas. The coal would be harder to ship than the cotton. 
 
 "Texas is a very good place to raise cattle, and people ought to raise 
 cattle instead of putting in cotton mills. 
 
 "It takes very many people to work in cotton mills, and being a farm- 
 ing state, Texas isn't very densely populated. 
 
 "The machinery would have to be sent a long way to be put into the 
 mills, because there are very few, if any, iron mines in Texas. , 
 
 "There are few cotton mills in the South, but the East still ranks 
 ahead. 
 
 . "The ready-to-wear garments are made in the North and the East 
 rather than in the South. For this reason it is easier to have mills in the 
 East than in the South. There are more people in the East than in the 
 South to buy the garments. 
 
 "I think it's best to have our Cotton mills in the Eastern States and 
 have Texas do what she can best do : that is, raise cattle." 
 
 After all of th"* pupils had made records of their studies, they reported 
 
TEACHING. 
 
 them to the class in the next recitation period. Co;mparisons were made 
 and each pupil revised his report. 
 
 Thus far we have tried to show some of the essential differences between 
 the project method and the question and answer method. It ought to be 
 clear that the question and answer method should not be the only method 
 used and that the project method is superior to the question and answer 
 method in teaching some lessons at least. A project may arise in a 
 variety of ways. For example, it may be suggested while studying matters 
 outside of school subjects. An illustration of the origin of such a project 
 might take place in connection with a study of the thrift activities of the 
 pupils of a class which would include questions regarding the purchase 
 of thrift stamps, savings accounts, earning money by carrying papers 
 and the Saturday Evening Post, delivering messages, doing gardeiTwork, 
 etc. Two projects arising in connection with such studies might be stated 
 as follows: (1) "To find the best kinds of investment for the pupils of 
 our class," (2) "To find the best ways of earning money by the pupils of 
 our class." Projects of this kind may arise in connection with the publi- 
 cation of a school paper, the celebration of the birthdays of eminent 
 Americans, school debates, and other school activities. 
 
 The pupils' study of the investment project, above referred to, would 
 be sure to raise the question regarding the advantages of investing in 
 thrift stamps as compared with investing in liberty bonds, bank savings 
 deposits, and other forms of small investments open to pupils. Such a 
 project as this would naturally be worked out in the arithmetic class. 
 The pupils should divide up the work of investigating the various kinds 
 of investments amon^ the pupils of the class, one group of pupils taking 
 one form of investment, and another group another form, and so on. 
 During the recitation period the class should make a general outline of in- 
 formation to be secured in studying all kinds of investments and each 
 group should add to this outline whatever points are needed to find the 
 information on the particular form of investment assigned to them. As 
 soon as the outlines are completed the work of gathering and studying 
 the information should proceed. When the work is sufiBciently advanced, 
 the pupils should come together again and report the results of their 
 several investigations to the class. Revisions will be Suggested at this 
 time and further study will follow. Finally, when all studies are com- 
 pleted, the class should meet again to give their revised reports and to 
 draw their final conclusions. They should, also, decide in what respects 
 their conclusions are different from what they expected a,t the beginning, 
 
 The following observation and score cards are intended to aid the 
 teacher in conducting project instruction. She may use them both as 
 guides and as checks upon her own activities as well as those of the 
 pupils. 
 
 PUPIL ACTIVITIES IN THE EECITATION PERIOD. 
 
 SCORB. 
 
 1. Ability of the pupils to work as a social group 
 
 2. Ability of the pupils in planning and outlining projects 
 
 3. Ability of the pupils in raising and stating problems 
 
 4. Ability of the pupils to distribute the work of the project among them- 
 
 selves, which is to be done in the following study period 
 
 5. Ability of individual pupils to make reports to the class which they have • 
 
 previously worked out in the study period 
 
TEACHING. 
 
 6. Degree of attention and skUl of the class in talcing notes on the reports 
 
 being given by a pApil ; 
 
 7. Ability of the class to carry on fruitful discussions and ask questions 
 
 about matters which are not clear to them 
 
 8. Ability of the class in giving criticisms intended to help the pupil report- 
 
 ing ^ 
 
 0. Ability of the class in summarizing and drawing conclusions when all re- 
 
 ports of problems or points related to the class projeot by individual 
 pupils, have heen given. 
 
 10. Ability of the pupils in discovering their needs foi^ skill or knowledge of 
 
 certain technique required to v^ork out the project or to solve the prob- 
 lem ^ 
 
 11. Ability of the pupils in planning and in conducting drills or work in ac- 
 
 quiring knowledge of technique. 
 
 12. Ability of the pupils to respect. leadership in the members of their class... 
 
 13. Ability of individual pupils in being thoughtfully active throughout the 
 
 recitation 
 
 14. Degree of good leadership developed in the recitation 
 
 15. Ability of the pupils to cooperate freely, helpfully and orderly. . 
 
 16. Ability of the pupils to criticize each other's work sympatheticalV and to 
 
 receive criticism in the right spirit 
 
 TEACHER ACTIVITIES IN THE RECITATION PERIOD. 
 
 1. Skill in stimulating the class to originate and plan projects 
 
 2. Skill in leading pupils to sustain their original purpose until the project 
 
 is finished i. 
 
 3. Skill in developing leadership among the pupils. . .' 
 
 4. Skill in leading the pupils to work as an orderly social group 
 
 5. Skill in stimulating the pupils to raise and state problems which must be 
 
 solved before the project can be worked out 
 
 6. Skill in securing report of problems or parts of projects by individual 
 
 pupils to the class 
 
 T. Skill in stimulating pupils to become efficient critics of their own work. . 
 
 8. Skill in stimulating pupils to reorganize their wor^ and make new inves- 
 
 tigations 
 
 9. Skill in stimulating the class to draw conclusions carefully'. 
 
 10. Skill in maintaining her position during the recitation as that of a<n um- 
 pire 
 
 PUPIL ACTIVITIES IN THE SUPERVISED STUl)Y PERIOD. 
 
 1. Conditions favorable for allowing pupils to move about the room to find 
 
 materials, to use the dictionary, maps, reference books, etc 
 
 2. Degree of order and lack of confusion in using materials 
 
 S. Degree of absence of any distracting conditions which prevent the pupils 
 
 from studying successfully 
 
 ' 4. Ability of the pupils to work or study individuailly or in small groups of 
 not more than two or three 
 
 5. Ability of individual pujiils to work on problems or parts of projects 
 
 which were stated and assigned by the class in the recitation 
 
 6. Ability of each pupil to write down his probleiu or part of the project 
 
 and then proceed to. outline it and think it through before reading or 
 
 gathering information , 
 
 T. Ability of each pupil, after he has made his tentative or reading outline, 
 to investigate its validity by reading from available sources of informa- 
 tion, to prove or disprove what he has outlined and to determine what 
 other facta are needed to complete his report 
 
 8. Ability of each pupil to revise his original outline in view of his reading 
 
 or investigation 
 
 9. Ability of each pupil to sustain careful, purposeful thinking throughout 
 
 the study period , , 
 
 10. Skill of each pupil in finding and using information or materials 
 
 11. Skill in writing good outlines and expositions of problems or parts of pro- 
 
 jects 
 
TEACHING. 
 
 TEACHER ACTIVITIES IN THE SUPERVISED STUDY PERIOD. 
 
 1. Skill in securing active study application by the pupils during tlie study 
 
 period 
 
 2. Skill in providing the pupils with facilities, such as materials and sources 
 
 of information with which to work 
 
 3. Skill in stimulating pupils to maintain their original purpose until results 
 
 are secured 
 
 4. Skill in stimulating the pupils to think accurately in constructing the ten- 
 
 tative outlines of their problems or parts of projects 
 
 5. Skill in stimula'ting the pupils to gather materials, observe experiments, 
 
 or read for information required by their tentative outlines 
 
 6. Skill in stimulating the pupils to draw conclusions carefully 
 
 7. Skill in knowing accurately what each pupil has accomplished in the study 
 
 period before the pupils recite again 
 
 8. Skill in giving suggestions which lead to good thinking, rather than acting 
 
 as an authority, dictating the work to the pupils 
 
 DRILL PROJECTS. 
 
 The following score cards apply to both drill work in the recitation 
 and in the study period : 
 
 Pupil Activities in DriU Work. SCORB. 
 
 1. Ability of the pupils to discover their own needs for drill 
 
 2. Their ability to set up definite standards of attainment 
 
 3. Their ability to plan ways and means of accomplishing the desired re- 
 
 sults of .drill work 
 
 4. Their ability in sustaining their original purpose through repetition and 
 
 practice until the desired results are secured 
 
 5. Their ability to use the results of drill work in working out projects 
 
 and in solving problems , 
 
 Teacher Activities in DriU Work. 
 
 1. Skill of the teacher in discovering specific needs for drills 
 
 2. Her ability in deciding what types of drill are needed. . . .i 
 
 3. Her ability in. stimulating pupils 
 
 (a) To set up definite standards of attainment 
 
 (b) To set up practical standards of accuracy, and speed, which are 
 
 high enough to require good effort but not so high as to dis- 
 courage them 
 
 (c) To plan ways and means of accomplishing the desired results 
 
 (d) To sustain their original purpose through repetition and practice 
 
 until the desired results are secured 
 
 (e) To use the results of drill in working out projects and in solving 
 
 problems 
 
 4. Her ability in securing repetition with maximum attention 
 
 (a) By variation in the procedure 
 
 (6) By placing a' time limit. ; 
 
 (c) By using the incentive of emulation 
 
 (<J) By having each pupil compete with his own best record 
 
 («) By having each pupil measure his work with the results of stand- 
 ard tests 
 
 (/) By the teacher keeping herself wide awake and attentive to the 
 
 pupils' work 
 
 5. Her ability in limiting training when standards are reached 
 
 6. Her ability to recognize and minister to individual differences 
 
 7. Her ability in maintaining drill exercises until constancy (constancy 
 
 in accuracy and speed) of performance is secured 
 
 8. Her ability in grading the pupils. Does she use the normal curve of 
 
 distribution ? 
 
 .■APPRECIATION ACTIVITIES. 
 1. Esthetic Appreciation. SOORK. 
 
 1. Ability of the teacher to appreciate that which she is trying to lead her 
 
 pupils to appreciate 
 
 2. Her ability in helping the pupils to acquire the right kind of technique, 
 
 at the right time, to increase their appreciation 
 
10 TEACHING. 
 
 3. Her ability in placing the children directly in contact with that which 
 
 she hopes to have them appreciate 
 
 4. Her ability in stimulating the pupils' spontaneous expression of their 
 
 appreciations 
 
 5. Her ability in providing opportunities for creative work as a means of 
 
 heightening the pupils' appreciation 
 
 Intellectual Appreciation. 
 
 1. Her ability in stimulating the pupils to form specific purposes to guide 
 
 their appreciation ', : , . . 
 
 2. Her ability in supplying the pupils with a sufiScient groundwork of 
 
 facts to comprehend the thought of the author, speaker, etc 
 
 3. Her ability in leading the pupils to judge of the soundness and general 
 
 worth of statements 
 
 4. Her ability in leading the pupils to understand the relationship of facts. 
 
 EXAMPLES OF PEOJECTS.* 
 
 By comparing the examples of projects of the primary grades with 
 those of the upper grades or of the junior high school, it will be noted 
 that the former seem to be devised to develop by-products in the 
 technique of reading, writing, spelling, numbers, etc. This is as it 
 should be, for the main purpose of instruction in the primary grades is, 
 after all, to give the children the possession of certain tools which they 
 may use in their thinking processes later on. The projects of the upper 
 grades, on the other hand, require the use of the techniques of reading, 
 language, spelling, number combinations and the like in working them 
 out. The projects in these grades are, therefore, more valuable in. them- 
 selves and only indirectly valuable as means of securing by-products 
 in the school arts. 
 
 The following projects show quite clearly that project work should 
 not be regarded as a special feature of instruction. Indeed, project work 
 is fundamental, because it requires accurate knowledge and skill in the 
 technique of school subjects. It requires the ability to select relevant 
 facts and materials and to reject those which are irrelevant in the 
 realization of chosen purposes. In short, project instruction requires 
 reflective thinking, and this much cannot be claimed for the ordinary 
 methods of routine instruction. 
 
 Moreover, the group procedures required in working out the projects 
 which follow should be convincing evidence of the citizenship values in- 
 volved. At every turn team work is required. The child must cooperate 
 and be willing to subordinate his own desires to the will of the group. 
 He must be ready to lead when the opportunity comes. He must learn 
 to take and give criticisms in the right spirit. He must assume his 
 share of the group's responsibilities, be energetic, careful and pains- 
 taking in his part of the work. Each pupil profits not only by what he 
 does, but) also, from the work done by the other pupils of his group. 
 
 E.xamples of completely worked out projects by the pupils without 
 the intervention of the teacher are seldom found. " Nor are such projects 
 necessary for successful instruction, provided the teacher knows how and 
 when to hold herself in check. The old platitude that "the teacher should 
 never do anything for the pupils which they can do for themselves" 
 should be displaced by the more practical statement that the teacher 
 should never do for the pupils what they can profitably do for them- 
 
TEACHING. 11 
 
 selves. The teacher should go about her work with the question con- 
 stantly in mind, "What can the pupils profitably do for themselves?" 
 A delicate adjustment between indirect and direct methods of instruc- 
 tion is needed in all project work with an increasing tendency to use 
 the former. 
 
 For a fuller explanation of project work as carried on in the Train- 
 ing Schools of the Kansas State Normal School, Emporia, readers are 
 referred to the following articles: 
 
 Lull: Project-Problem Instruction, School and Home Education, December, 1918. 
 
 Lull; Kelation ol Project-Problem Instruction to the Curriculum, School and Home Edu- 
 cation, January, 1919, 
 
 Lull, Williams, Billiq, Wright, Wilson: Examples of Project-Problem Instruction, 
 Tbaohing, No. 45, February, 1919. 
 
 Lull: Socializing School Procedures, American General Sociology, May, 1919. 
 
 FIRST-GRADE PROJECT: A CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR 
 
 FATHER. 
 
 Miss Aohsah Habbis, Head of Primary Department. 
 
 "Mother's gift is ready, now what shall we make for father?" Many 
 suggestions were made in regard to articles he could use, and also 
 things that he would like to eat. 
 
 The story of Gemila, the Child of the Desert, had been previously pre- 
 sented to the children and they were much interested in Gemila's food 
 and especially the dates from the date palm tree, how we get them and 
 the various ways in which we use them. So after a number of good 
 things to eat had been named, some one suggested "a box of stuffed 
 dates." The conversation was as follows: 
 
 "A sack of nuts or a box of candy." 
 
 "Yes. And we could make candy if we had sugar or chocolate." 
 
 "Sugar is scarce. What might we put in a box to take the place of candy?'' 
 
 "I've tasted dates.'' 
 
 "What kind?" 
 
 "They had sugar on the outside and nuts on the inside." 
 
 "Oh, they were stuffed dates, were they?" 
 
 "Stuffed dates is what they are I" 
 
 The children were quite sure that we could make stuffed dates in our 
 own room. Then it was suggested that a dozen dates would make a nice 
 box full, and so we planned on that number. Several of the children 
 had seen mother stuff dates and were quite ready for the question, 
 "Wl\p.t will be needed?" (Dates and nuts.) These names were written 
 on the blackboard. The next question, "How many dates do we need?" 
 was answered after recounting the children. For twent^y children, each 
 fihild needing a dozen dates, we would want twenty dozen. "But how 
 do they sell dates at the stores?" By the pound, or better how many 
 dozen in a pound? "How could we find out?" "We could buy a pound 
 and then count." The same suggestions were made in regard to the 
 nuts, though it took some time to decide upon the kind of nuts. It was 
 suggested that peanuts are good and, also, cheap. The children agreed 
 to have the teacher buy the pound of dates, in order that they might 
 find the number of dozens in a pound. In addition to plans for buying, 
 the children decided that they would need aprons. So all carried home 
 
12 TEACHING. 
 
 notes saying, "Bring aprons." These' were written on small slips of 
 paper and pinned to the dress or jacket before going home. 
 
 With hands scrubbed clean we proceeded to find the number of dates 
 in a pound. The dates were laid out in rows of a dozen each. The pound 
 gave us about four dozen dates. So we settled on four dozen to the 
 pound. All the children were anxious to prove that they could count the 
 dozen accurately. With twenty children needing twenty dozen dates, we 
 discovered how many pounds we needed. We had bought one pound and 
 that would furnish dates for four children. Now how many more must 
 we buy? 
 
 Four children stood. , They would need one pound; then four more, 
 another pound, etc., until they found that twenty children would need 
 five pounds. Four more pounds were required. One pound cost thirty 
 cents. What would they all cost? This was a problem to be counted 
 out. So we said, "If one pound costs three dimes, how many dimes would 
 we need?" On the blackboard we placed, "4 pounds cost 3 dimes." This 
 was written five times, and three toy^ dimes were shown each time, the 
 children counted the dimes by threes, as 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 dimes. 
 
 Our peanuts were counted in a similar manner, one peanut furnish- 
 ing meats for two dates. And we then determined the number of pounds 
 of peanuts and their cost. The making of a box just the right size to 
 hold the dozen dates was our next problem. Various sizes were sug- 
 gested and various arrangements fqr the dates, as the one dozen in one 
 row, making a long, narrow box; or the one dozen in two rows, making a 
 box about two and one-half by six inches. One dozen dates were placed on 
 a small plate and then arranged on waxed paper showing the two ar- 
 rangements. All liked the two rows better. They all agreed upon the 
 following points to be kept in mind, in planning the boxes: 
 
 Each box must hold' a dozen dates. We must line the box with waxed 
 paper to keep the dates from "drying out." 
 
 We must make a cover so that the dates may be kept clean. 
 
 We must decorate the box, make it look like a Christmas box. 
 
 We must tie it with pretty ribbon, or use a Christmas seal. 
 
 The first attempt at making the box was unsatisfactory in many re- 
 spects. Inexpensive material was used and the children were given an 
 opportunity to experiment. Later the box was made of good construc- 
 tion paper and covered with "holly paper." The use of the foot measure 
 was encouraged, neat work and correct measurements received favojable 
 comment, and the teacher showed the children's good work to the 
 class as a whole'. The making of this box took two or three full periods. 
 When every box was finished, then the needed amount of dates was pur- 
 chased, and the bill written on the blackboard. Next we had to plan just 
 how to work, so that everything would be done neatly and carefully, that 
 desks and clothing would be protected (not spoiled) . 
 
 One group had counted out the dates in dozens, another had counted 
 twenty saucers, and then a dozen dates were placed in each saucer. An- 
 other group had shelled the peanuts, and a dozen good meats were placed 
 in each saucer by the dates. Knives had been borrowed from the domestic 
 science department. Then with hands scrubbed, jackets and dresses pro- 
 
TEACHING. 13 
 
 tected by aprons, j)aper toweling tied over the hair, and desks scoured 
 with clean paper, the small hands carefully cut open each date, removed 
 the seed and put in its place a good meat from the peanut. As soon as 
 a child had his dates stuffed, he placed them in his paper-lined box, cov- 
 ered them with another sheet of waxed paper, slipped on the lid and tied 
 them with a small piece of red ribbon, fastened with a Christmas seal. 
 
 On the following day, they made Christmas cards to accompany the 
 boxes. 
 
 "What kind of a card!" 
 
 "A Christmas card with a Santa ClauB on it.'" 
 
 "Do all Christmas cards have pictures of Santa ClauB on them!" 
 
 "Some say, 'Merry Christmas.' " 
 
 "I've seen some with holly." 
 
 The children finally agreed to use, "Merry Christmas to Father." 
 This was placed on the blackboard, and the children practiced writing 
 the greeting, effort being made to make the writing clear and even. 
 After deciding on the size of the card to be used, they tried to write this 
 greeting on paper one by three inches, and then on the "good card." 
 Many of the children decorated their cards with bits of holly, cut from 
 the paper such as had been used to cover their boxes. 
 
 The children had been told that we get dates from Gemila's home. 
 One child remarked, "We get some dates from California, that is n't 
 Gemila's home." And such questions followed as, "In what other places 
 da datee grow?" "How do we get them?" Pictures of date palms and 
 other trees growing in tropical countries were shown to the class, also, 
 pictures of men and women gathering and packing dates. All the chil- 
 dren had seen the packages of dates bearing the Dromedary brand. 
 
 We decided to make a picture reading lesson (to give to the second 
 grade in chapel) that would tell them some of the things we know about 
 dates. The following questions were presented by the teacher and an- 
 swered by the children : 
 
 "In what kind of a country do dates grow?" 
 "Who gather the dates?" 
 "Who pack them?" 
 "How do they get to us?" 
 "How do we use dates?" 
 
 STORY. 
 Dates grow in a warm country. (Pictures of tropical countries shown.) Men gather 
 the dates. . (Picture.) 
 
 Women pack them. (Picture.) 
 
 Large ships bring them to New York. (Picture of a ship.) 
 
 The trains bring them to us. (Picture of a train.) 
 
 Here is a picture of father. 
 
 Here is his Christmas box. (Show box of dates.) 
 
 Each sentence was printed on a separate slip, accompanied by a pic- 
 ture to help make the meaning clear. 
 
 The teacher, in planning the foregoing work, had in mind the follow- 
 ing points: What are some of the projects possible for first-grade chil- 
 dren to work when fulfilling the desire to make a Christmas present for 
 father? What might be the educative value coming from each of these? 
 
14 TEACHING. 
 
 The one which seemingly contained most of educative value to the children 
 must be the one to select. 
 
 The following definite lessons grew out of meeting this desire to make 
 a Christmas present for father: 
 
 1. Reading. — (a) The ^ill for the sale of the dates, nuts, and waxed paper (the 
 children suggested later that bread paper would have done just as well), (6) The lesson 
 prepared to give to the second grade chapel. (This might afterward have been made inte 
 a small book.) (c) The slips taken home, "Bring aprons." (,d) The cards containing, 
 "Merry Christmas to father." ., 
 
 2. Writing and Spelling.^— "'ULetiy Christmas to father." 
 
 3. Geography and Language. — ^An acquaintance with tropical or warm countries, and 
 trees and fruits growing there. Picture of people, trees (especially date palms), and 
 fruits found in the warm countries. Gathering and packing of dates. Means of trans- 
 portation. 
 
 (To answer the question, "Where do dates come from?" the teacher 
 must also be prepared to answer the following, "What is the most truly 
 educative way for the child to obtain the answer to his question?" Also, 
 what relation to this best way do pictures bear? Another question which 
 might have arisen, "Where do peanuts come from?" The teachfer should 
 have been as fully prepared to answer.) 
 
 4. Numbers. — 
 
 (a) Practical use of the dozen, also half dozen: Counting dates, counting nuts. 
 
 (b) Counting to twenty: Counting children, counting saucers, counting slips for 
 
 greetings. 
 
 (c) Counting by threes; 
 
 3 dimes 
 3 dimes 
 3 dimes 
 3 dimes 
 3 dimes 
 
 15 dimes 
 (This was followed by a bean-bag game, giving drill in counting scores by threes.) 
 (d) Counting by fours: 
 
 1 pound equals 4 dozen 
 
 1 pound equals 4 dozen 
 
 1 pound equals 4 dozen 
 
 1 pound equals 4 -dozen 
 
 1 pound equals 4 dozen 
 
 5 pounds equal 20 dozen 
 
 There was much counting in trying to find out what the total cost of 
 our supplies was, counting of pennies and dimes from our boxes of toy 
 money. We found this part of the money side difficult for many of the 
 children, but it led to a great interest in dimes and dollars. 
 
 At the close of this work each child in a business-like manner pre- 
 sented his "dime," which was the amount due from each to meet the ex- 
 pense of the "Christmas Box." 
 
 Our large project for the month of November was that of helping 
 others in need of clothing, food and fuel. 
 
 By bringing one large apple apiece, we would have 106 fine apples. 
 By bringing one large potato apiece, we would have 106 fine potatoes. 
 
 The members of our third-grade language class prepared talks telling 
 of the needs of certain people in our city and the assistance we might be 
 able to give them by each bringing one apple and one potato. The child 
 
TEACHING. 15 
 
 preparing the best talk was chosen to speak to the intermediate grades 
 inviting them to help us. This they did and when we (in chapel) meas- 
 ured, in pecks and bushels, the number of apples and potatoes that had 
 been carried to school we had one and one-half bushels of each. 
 
 The children in the intermediate grades invited us one morning in 
 chapel to cooperate with them in bringing coal, each child to bring a 
 small paper bag full. We did this, and the report from the upper grades 
 was that there were "ever so many pounds." 
 
 In the month of December, our attempt was to do something to gfive 
 pleasure to others. So we tried to make' gifts that might be used by our 
 "Good Fellows," t» distribute to little friends in the city on Christmas 
 morning. Our result was five sets of "A, B, C, Blocks," packed ' in 
 boxes (these boxes were also made by the children), thirty-six picture 
 puzzles, enclosed in red envelopes fastened with Christmas seals, one box 
 of toy animals (wood, painted). Besides the above, each child made a 
 present for the "home people." 
 
 Suggested Projects for the Primary Grades. 
 
 A Puppet Show, to raise money for the Red Cross fund. 
 A Bed Time Story Book for a wee girl's Christmas. 
 A Picnic for the Third B Class. 
 A Robert Louis Stevenson Program for chapel. 
 A Rosetti Program for chapel. 
 
 An Entertainment for the First and Second Grades, or for our 
 Mothers, "Christmas in Other Lands." 
 
 A SCHOOL MAGAZINE PROJECT. 
 
 Miss Ruby Minok, Supervising Teacher of English. 
 
 Just how to launch a project so that there is a maximum of purposing 
 and planning on the part of the pupils seems to be one of the most diffi- 
 cult problems of the teacher who is loath to relinquish her position as 
 dictator. Many who are honest in the desire to follow a more modern 
 course are equally embarrassed in selecting a procedure which enables the 
 teacher to be a guide and helper, and permits freedom for the pupil with- 
 out the undesirable license which so often accompanies a mistaken idea 
 of initiative. 
 
 Any attempt to describe a project must of necessity be somewhat 
 futile, as it is extremely difficult to reproduce in a realistic way an at- 
 mosphere which is the result of many personalities struggling for de- 
 veloping and expression. It is this social atmosphere which is one of 
 the desired attributes of the project method. 
 
 The limitations of this article will not admit of an exact reproduction 
 of every stage of development, but it is hoped that the account will be 
 suggestive of possibilities in the field of English. 
 
 The first week of school was spent in activities conducive to becoming 
 acquainted with the pupils, that the varying interests and capacities of 
 the different classes (4B-6A, inclusive) might be recognized. This en- 
 abled more efficient planning to meet individual needs, and the use of in- 
 dividual capital to the best advantage. During this first week pupils 
 were given an opportunity to suggest lines of work in which they were 
 
16 TEACHING. 
 
 most interested. Various kinds of reading were suggested, including 
 almost all of the "desired types," but fairy tales, tales of adventure, and 
 history stories were the most popular. Producing plays seemed a unani- 
 mous choice as a favorite activity. No one suggested composition as 
 favorite pursuit. 
 
 During the second week an effort was made to develop a better school 
 spirit, and to launch the project which seemed a possibility to the super- 
 visor. ' I 
 
 The situation was built somewhat as follows : 
 
 Question: If you could have what you would wish, how would you want 
 our school to compare with other schools? 
 
 Pupils unanimously voted that they wanted our school to be the best 
 Some even asserted that it was already the best. 
 
 Question: Why should the Training School wish to be the best school? 
 
 Obvious reasons were suggested, chief of which was the fact that 
 Normal students from over the state were sent to our school for the 
 benefits of observation. As the pupils began to suggest standards of 
 achievement, some time was spent in listing these standards which em- 
 bodied ideals of conduct as well as attainment in subject matter. 
 
 Question : How can we show that we are attempting to raise standards 
 in our school? 
 
 Various suggestions came in response to this query. A few illustra- 
 tions will show the trend of thought. (1) Tell other people about our 
 school. (2) Have people visit us and see what we do. (3) Advertise in 
 the Gazette. (4) Make signs and have a parade. 
 
 Every suggestion was discussed and evaluated by the class. The pupils 
 decided that to talk too much about the merits of our school might appear 
 boastful. The second suggestion seemed best, and led to the question: 
 How can we interest others so that they will wish to visit us? This led 
 to a discussion of what a city does to advertise or interest people in its ■ 
 welfare. The comparison was easily made and pupils suggested that we 
 might publish a paper. 
 
 Since the Normal School and the Junior High School each publishes a 
 paper, it was suggested that we might publish a magazine. The relative 
 merits of a newspaper and a magazine to fulfill our purpose were then 
 discussed and the pupils finalUy voted to publish a magazine as a united 
 bit of work for the intermediate department. 
 
 It should be noted that the term "project" was not used in talking to 
 the pupils. The planning was their own, and grew out of a felt need for 
 our school. It was, therefore, a real project for them. 
 
 Questions now came too fast to be answered. What shall we call our 
 own magazine? What shall we have in it? May we really print it? 
 Who will be the editor? ' How often shall we publish it? What shall we 
 charge for it? When shall we put' out the first copy? May we have 
 illustrations and cartoons? 
 
 These questions were taken up one at a time as problems for discus- 
 sion. Each pupil was encouraged to express an opinion and support it 
 by intelligent argument. In selecting a name considerable originality 
 was manifested. Each of the three grades met separately and by discus- 
 sion and vote selected a name. In the reg^ular assembly period, presided 
 over by a pupil chairman, the final choice of each grade was presented. 
 
TEACHING. 17 
 
 Speakers from each grade previously elected by class vote were invited to 
 speak in behalf of their choice. One representative from each grade was 
 appointed as a committee to count ballots. The parliamentary practice 
 involved in this procedure was very helpful, and gave to the magazine 
 an added dignity in the estimation of the pupils. 
 
 In regular class-room periods a discussion of suitable contents resulted 
 In the following suggestions: Stories, poems, editorials, riddles, tongue- 
 twisters, advertisements, clippings, jokes, essays, current events, car- 
 toons, illustrations, and school news. An editorial staff consisting of 
 one member from each grade was elected by the class vote. The super- 
 visor of English was elected managing editor by the vote of the assembly. 
 
 The largest problem now to be settled was that of printing. After a 
 class discussion of possible ways and means the pupils of the various 
 grades decided to divide into groups and write letters to the various 
 people whose assistance was desired. A much needed drill in the forms 
 of letter writing resulted in very creditable letters to the director of 
 teacher training, the printer in charge of the Normal print shop, the 
 professor through whom the requisition must be made, and the head of 
 the industrial arts department. These letters, with the ensuing answers, 
 were read in assembly and filed as business records. 
 
 In the meantime each class exercise in English turned itself into a 
 "booster" meeting for the magazine. It was discovered that the sixth 
 grade, especially the boys, were much interested in poetry. As a prep- 
 aration for the study of "September," by Helen Hunt Jackson, pupils 
 were asked to list ideas which were to them typical of September. After 
 a fair sized list was placed on the board, the teacher read the poem while 
 pupils listened for new ideas to add to their list. During this study the 
 importance of ideas was emphasized. With the publication of the maga- 
 zine always in mind a pupil suggested that we write a September poem 
 for the magazine. Some were eager to try; others were less confident 
 and feared to try. A little comment on being "a quitter" soon turned the 
 fear of failure into a desire to try. 
 
 The class agreed that to write a class poem in which all could help 
 might be easier. Here again was opportunity to stress the importance 
 of ideas, for we really wished the pupils "to have something to say," in- 
 stead of "to have to say something." Soon different pupils suggested a 
 beginning line, and the clas chose the most promising to write on the 
 board; then everyone worked to get a second line. Before the first stanza 
 was completed criticisms came fast "That does n't sound well." "That 
 is too long." "That has n't any meaning." Then we had to stop to dis- 
 cuss what a poem must have, besides ideas, in order to be poetry. The 
 pupils decided that the words at the end of the line must "sound alike," 
 and that it must be "smooth," "singing," or "swaying." The words 
 "rhyme" and "rhythm" were suggested by another pupil and the class 
 decided to use them in the future discussion. 
 
 It was thought best not to introduce other ideas about poetry at this 
 time, as rhyme and rhythm were so important a part of the poem which 
 we were consciously imitating. (Later the class was delighted with 
 
18 TEACHING. 
 
 some unrhymed lines "full of poetic fancy, which they found in a maga- 
 zine published by another school.) 
 
 The pupils soon discovered that every line need not rhyme. In ^ess 
 time than it has taken to describe it, the class had a first stanza and 
 were eager to begin another. When the poems were completed the pupils 
 suggested that if we could sing our poems we could test their rhythm. 
 A committee from each class was appointed to write to the music super- 
 visor asking her to find an appropriate tune. After a few rehearsals 
 each class sang its poem in assembly, to the delight of the entire de- 
 partment. 
 
 The suggestions then came from the class that each pupil might try 
 to write an October poem. As a class exercise, ideas suggestive of Oc- 
 tober were listed in the assignment books, and with these suggestions, 
 each pupil succeeded in composing a poem. The pupils worked on this 
 individual poem during a supervised study period, the teacher suggest- 
 ing and assisting when desired. Care was taken that real effort was 
 recognized and encouraged. The poems varied in length from one to 
 five stanzas. No one failed outright, but a great deal of individual dif- 
 ference was manifested. The pupils asked for the privilege of helping 
 each other, and a fine social atmosphere was the result. 
 
 The 5A class approached the work for the magazine in a different 
 way, but none the less enthusiastically. Interesting experiences, real 
 and imaginary were developed as oral compositions in class, then were 
 written and criticized in class discussions. The writing was done in 
 class, where pupils were permitted to consult the teacher about spelling, 
 sentence construction or arrangement. This supervised study furnished 
 opportunity for the teacher to discover especial difficulties and give 
 prompt attention to needed habit formation. The best of the rewritten 
 compositions were chosen for the magazine. In the same way descrip- 
 tions of how to play favorite games, and how to make different articles 
 of interest were used as themes. 
 
 During these class discussions standards for oral and written "com- 
 position were developed, and the pupils felt a real motive for improve- 
 ment. In all of this work ideas were emphasized as the most important 
 phase, and the form was discussed as a necessary tool. Great care was 
 taken that impression should precede organization and expression. 
 
 In much the same manner the other classes in the department de- 
 veloped contributions to the magazine. Whenever possible the work was 
 correlated with other subjects, e. g., history stories of Greek gods ; science 
 stories of the microscope; in the news items, reports of interesting 
 phases of all subjects, including music and athletics. 
 
 Several pupils in the sixth grade volunteered to typewrite all articles 
 which were considered available by the editorial staff. As our school is 
 not equipped with typewriters this experience was. limited to a few, who 
 worked at home, but the entire school felt the added touch of reality to 
 the situation. 
 
 In the industrial arts classes the sixth-grade pupils designed and made 
 the wood-cuts for the cover pages and illustrations. This furnished a 
 motive for investigation of principles underlying this work and a stimulus 
 
TEACHING. 19 
 
 for best effort, in order to secure artistic results. As the work proceeds 
 and interest increases it is hoped to study paper making as an industry. 
 
 The art of printing was the theme of informational reading during 
 the literature period in the sixth grade. Reports were prepared by 
 various pupils for the program in general assembly. Letters were 
 written by pupils to the department of visual education, thereby secur- 
 ing a lantern lecture showing the "History of Printing" and "The Mak- 
 ing of a Magazine." 
 
 Talks by the head of the printing department and visits to the print 
 shop made the situation more vivid for the pupils. Different pupils were 
 selected to assist in the shop whenever the work was of such a nature 
 that their help was needed. 
 
 The different classes in arithmetic estimated the cost of the magazine 
 and computed the necessary arithmetical calculations involved in the 
 making. 
 
 When the first number had gone to press the editorial staff issued a 
 bulletin of instructions concerning the rules which should govern all con- 
 tributions. These instructions suggested standards in thought as well 
 as arrangement. The bulletin was read in general assembly, and a copy 
 posted in each room. 
 
 The project has but started, but already the interest is all that could 
 be desired, while a marked improvement is evident in all work in English, 
 and in the general school spirit. 
 
 INDUSTRIAL ART. 
 
 Miss Katheeine Mobbison, Supervising Teacher. 
 
 Most, if not all, of the instruction in industrial art in the interme- 
 diate department is based upon the project-problem plan. Since, how- 
 ever, some of the projects appear to follow this method more closely than 
 others, these have been chosen from the semester's work as typical of 
 the results sought in industrial art. Occasionally the completion of a 
 project occupies the entire semester, while other projects extend over a 
 few weeks only, and still others require but a few days or even a single 
 lesson. 
 
 SIXTH-GEADE INDUSTRIAL ART. 
 
 Under the direction of the supervisor of English the sixth grade pub- 
 lished a magazine to which they gave the name of "Searchlight." The 
 project of illustration and decoration arose and the class voted to sub- 
 mit the art features of their magazine to the supervisor of art. The 
 request for assistance was presented in writing. The reading and ex- 
 plaining of the note called forth an informal discussion as to the best 
 way to plan for such a project and how much and what information must 
 be obtained before operations could begin. 
 
 The question arose as to whether the class should examine the illus- 
 trations already in stock at the print shop and choose from those or 
 make their own designs. The latter plan was unanimously and en- 
 
20 
 
 TEACHING. 
 
 thusiastically agreed upon, and the follo'wing outline in substance was 
 made: 
 
 1. 
 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
 
 5. What a wood block is. 10. 
 
 6. ~ 
 
 Size of- cover. 
 Size of page. 
 Margins. n 
 
 Number of illuBtrations desired. 
 What a wood block is. 
 How B wood block is made. 
 
 What tools are used in making a wood 
 
 block. 
 What kinds of material are used. 
 Our color schemes. 
 What a tail piece is. 
 
 The following information was obtained and reported to the class : 
 
 ' 1. Size of magazine cover 3x6% inches, and pages treated as vertical rectangle. 
 
 2. Pages the same size as cover. This is not true of books as cover always projects 
 over edges of leaves. « 
 
 3. Designs must be made small enough to allow ^-inch margin. 
 
 4. There will be three larger designs and many small ones. 
 
 (a) One large design for cover. » 
 
 (6) One large design for poem September by 6A. 
 
 (c) One large design for poem September by 6B. 
 
 (d) Many small designs to be used as tail pieces. 
 
 5. A wood cut is a block of wood, type-high, upon which a design is cut. This block 
 may be used in a printing press with other type. It looks like a rubber stamp, only 
 thicker. 
 
 6. A design is drawn on paper, then transferred to the block of wood and cut out. 
 The block must be held firmly in a vise or clamped to the table. 
 
 7. A sharp knife, a vise and a gauge are the tools used in cutting a block. 
 
 8. Finely grained wood is used, but this is difficult to cut. A firm, smooth piece of 
 linoleum glued to a block of wood, making it just as high as ordinary type, is more easily 
 cut and absorbs printers' ink readily. 
 
 9. Glass colors gold and vidlei will be used if the materials can be found at the print 
 shop. 
 
 10. A tail piece is a decoration used at the close of a chapter or poem or on the last 
 page of B magazine. , 
 
 Since there are twenty-three children in the sixth grade it was neces- 
 sary for the class to decide whether each member should try out for the 
 designs or whether the class should choose four people to represent them 
 as the art contributors to the magazine. The vote was in favor of the 
 former plan, every one making a design for the cover. Only the 6th, B's 
 tried out foi: the illustration to their poem, and the 6th A's for theirs. 
 The best of these were selected and corrected by, the supervisor. 
 
 One recitation period (55 minutes) was spent in making the cover 
 designs. Many interesting and original ideas were expressed in these 
 drawings. Most of them were realistic representations of searchlights 
 located on high towers, on ships at sea, on airplanes and lighthouses. 
 A discussion and examination of these designs resulted in the following 
 conclusions : 
 
 1. A searchlight is not beautiful in shape. 
 
 2. An object used as a decoration must be beautiful. 
 
 ' 3. Any light-giving object could symbolize "Searchlight," and if 
 beautiful would make a suitable decoration. 
 
 A design in which a candle was used as a decoration was chosen for 
 the cover. It was corrected and assigned to a boy in the class who could 
 cut well. When the block was cut the design was ready for the printer. 
 
 The designs illustrating the poems were worked out in a similar man- 
 
TEACHING. 21 
 
 ner, while only three people cut the large blocks. The small blocks de- 
 signed for tail pieces were cut by the entire class. 
 
 In the final scheme it seemed best to use only one of the tail piece 
 blocks. The others were returned to the children who cut them. These 
 are still serviceable and can be used by hand just as any rubber stamp. 
 
 BELGIUM INTERPRETED THROUGH LOCAL ENVIRONMENT. 
 
 Miss Jennib Williams, Supervising Teacher of Geography, and 
 Miss Ollib Wolf, Student. 
 
 The sixth-grade geography class in summer school,. 1919, was studying 
 Europe. This project was the outgrowth of a study of Belgium. As 
 the work neared completion, the teacher asked the children what they 
 would, like to contribute on Belgium for the benefit of the other grades 
 at their general assembly. One suggestion was that of making maps. 
 This did not meet with approval by the class. As no thought other than 
 what had been used at some previous assembly was suggested, the 
 teacher asked, "How would you like to have a picture show?" Some of 
 the children had taken part in a pageant, a picture of which had been 
 taken by a moving picture machine. The class ask^d with much en- 
 thusiasm, 
 
 "May we have moving pictures? May we take pictures?" 
 
 Teacher, "Yes, if you can work it out." 
 
 Many ideas for pictures came in quick succession. One girl said, "My 
 cousin has a farm north of town. We could show how the people work 
 in the grain fields, because they have wheat. They have a creek right by 
 the wheat field. We could use the wheat straw to show how flax is 
 retted in the Lys river. Oh, yes, they have grapevines, and we could 
 show the people working in the vineyards." 
 
 Another asked, "Who would take the picture?" 
 
 Another replied, "They had to get a man from Kansas City to take 
 that pageant picture." 
 
 A fourth child said, "We couldn't afford to pay a man to come from 
 Kansas City with his moving-picture machine. Can't we use kodak pic- 
 tures?" 
 
 RiCHAED. "I have a kodak." 
 
 Beatty. "My father has two. I'll ask him for the use of one." 
 
 Hakold. "Can't we go out to the farm this afternoon and take lunches 
 along?" 
 
 All (clapping hands). "Won't that be fun?" 
 
 Richard. "Let us go out at one o'clock." 
 
 The afternoon classes prevented our going_ before two-thirty. The 
 children were ready at the appointed hour with kodaks, costumes and 
 lunches for a three-mile hike to the farm. The fact that the thermometer 
 registered around 100 degrees made no difference. On the way out 
 cows were grazing in a meadow. Beatty said, "They have dairying in 
 Belgium. Let us take a picture of these cows." 
 
 Further along sheep were seen in a pasture by the river. "I want a 
 picture of these sheep," said Richard, slipping through the fence to get 
 near enough. 
 
 We passed men threshing wheat. The children cried out, "Oh, let us 
 have a picture of them threshing." 
 
 The teacher asked, "Why do you want that?" 
 
22 TEACHING. 
 
 "We can show the difference between the way they thresh here and 
 the way they do in Belgium." 
 
 Reaching the farm we were glad to see the well. We rested and ate 
 our lunches, watching the while that the sun was not getting too low for 
 taking pictures. 
 
 Upon reaching the wheat field, the children put on their costumes 
 and planned that shocking the wheat would look like the peasants work- 
 ing in the fields. One child looked like pictures of Belgian refugees. He 
 was so named and snapped. 
 
 They carried straw to a sunny spot on the creek bank, arranged it as 
 the^ had seen pictures, and had their pictures taken while at work. 
 The vineyard was the next point of interest. The inviting bunch of 
 grapes, though green, suggested picking them. Thus was the picture 
 taken. 
 
 After eating the remaining bits of our lunches, we turned homeward. 
 Imagination ran riot. A silo midst a clump of trees with a barn as a 
 background loomed up against the western sky like an old castle of the 
 Rhine. 
 
 In the next class period plans were made as to where to have the 
 pictures developed and how the expenses would be met. Each boy own- 
 ing the kodaks took the responsibility of having the pictures developed 
 and printed. The class shared in the expenses. 
 
 How to use the pictures was the next question. One boy said they 
 could be shown with the reflectoscope in the science hall. Plans cen- 
 tered upon this idea. It was decided one child was to explain the pic^ 
 tures. He was to have a pointer to show the details and to signal a 
 change of pictures. Two other boys agreed to run the machine. They 
 thought they ought to practice before giving it before the children. 
 
 Also plans were made for taking more pictures that afternoon. They 
 said the school coal pile would make a good coal-mining picture. The 
 boys planned to come in overalls with picks and shovels. 
 
 Some one offered to bring a wagon, another a dog and some cans, so 
 they could show the dog carts of Belgium. While they were out in the 
 afternoon, taking these pictures, some children passed carrying two 
 Belgian hares. Of course the class wanted a picture of the hares. 
 
 In the third recitation period plans were completed for the entertain- 
 ment. The pictures the children took were supplemented by pictures 
 from the library and arranged as follows : 1. Flag of Belgium. 2. Map 
 of Belgium. 3. A harbor scene in Antwerp. 4. Scenes in Belgium. 5. 
 Liege. 6. Peasants at work in a field. 7. Threshing wheat in Kansas, 
 8. Retting flax in Lys river. 9. A vineyard. 10. Belgian hares. 11. A 
 dog cart. 12. Mining coal. 13. A Belgian refugee. 
 
 In the next study period the class wrote what they thought would be 
 interesting to tell about these pictures. Then the good points from each 
 were selected and one member of the class, Eugene, was chosen as the 
 "lecturer." In the afternoon the "lecturer" rehearsed with the pictures, 
 the two boys learning how to manipulate the machine. The entertain- 
 
TEACHING. 23 
 
 ment was given the next morning. Grades five, seven and eight, the 
 student teachers and parents were invited. 
 This is the talk Eugene gave: 
 
 BELGIUM. 
 
 1. The flag of Belgium is red, black and yellow. Belgium is a very 
 small country with a very small sea coast. 
 
 2. This is a map of Belgium. It is a level country with a few moun- 
 tains in the south. 
 
 3. Antwerp is a great river port. It gets all the sea trade for Bel- 
 gium. The city is about fifty miles from the sea, and trades with all the 
 important nations of the world: Africa, United States, Russia, Brazil 
 and Argentina. Many canals connect Antwerp with other rivers that 
 lead to the sea. 
 
 4. Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is a beautiful city. This shows a 
 hotel there. Brussels is in the center of the country, but it is connected 
 with the sea by a canal. The Brussels carpets are manufactured there, 
 and they make very beautiful laces and lace dresses. 
 
 5. Liege is the important inland city. It is near coal and it manu- 
 factures firearms. 
 
 6. This is a picture of peasants working in the fields. 
 
 7. Here is the way we thresh wheat in Kansas. In Belgium their 
 farms are too small to use such large machines. They raise so little 
 grain that they thresh by hand. 
 
 8. There is much fiax raising in Belgium. It looks like wheat stems 
 with blue flowers on the end. These are Belgians retting flax in the 
 river Lys. 
 
 9. Wine and grape juice are made. This is a picture of peasants in 
 a large vineyard. 
 
 10. The Belgian hare or Flemish rabbits are raised. The peasants 
 eat them, as we raise and eat chickens. 
 
 11. In Belgium most all the carts and milk carts are pulled bv dogs. 
 This is a picture of a dog cart. You can see the old lady with a milk pail. 
 
 12. Much mining is carried on in Belgium. Coal is the most impor- 
 tant, but zinc, iron and a little silver are mined. See these poor boys of 
 Belgium mining coal. 
 
 13. Here is a picture of one of the Belgian refugees. You can see 
 how much he is in need of food and clothes. 
 
 The effort of the children was splendid throughout. The results, al- 
 though somewhat crude, showed ability to manage affairs of value in' 
 everyday life. Children of this age are not of an analytical turn of 
 mind. They do not care to dwell upon how they do things. To reach the 
 end in view is the main issue. Teachers would find it worth while to 
 have a stenographer present to catch the details of the working out 
 of a project. 
 
 A STUDY IN LAWN PLANNING. 
 
 Miss Flobencb G. Billig, Supervising Teacher of Elementary and General Science. 
 
 In the spring of 1918, the campus of the Kansas State Normal School, 
 at Emporia, was undergoing many changes. The administration build- 
 ing had just been completed and, as a result, the campus was in a dis- 
 orderly condition. The eighth grade elementary science class of the 
 Junior High School of the Kansas State Normal became interested in 
 these changes and asked many interesting questions in class. During 
 .the class period these changes were listed on the board by a member of 
 
24 TEACHING. 
 
 the group. After all the changes "which the class had noticed had 
 been discussed, the class, led by one of its members, organized the ma- 
 terials in the following form: 
 I. Thb Peont Campus. 
 
 1. The campus iB being graded south of the main building. 
 
 2. A terrace has been graded southeast of the main building. 
 
 3. Sod has been transplanted on the terrace southeast of the main building. 
 
 4. The annex is being torn down. 
 
 5. Cement steps leading east from the south door of the main building hare 
 
 been laid. 
 
 6. The walk on the north side of and running parallel with Twelfth avenue has 
 
 been lowered for the purpose of making a slight grade south of the build- 
 ing. This will tend to make the main building look higher. 
 
 7. Beds have been dug for the new cement walks and driveways. 
 
 8. Arbor vitse, Austrian pine, and spirea have been planted south of the main 
 
 building. 
 
 9. Sunken gardens are to be made on the site of the old building. 
 II. Thb Back Campus. 
 
 1. The foundation for the new driveway west of the main building is being mads. 
 
 2. The ground north of the main building is being graded with a slope toward 
 
 Wooster lake. 
 
 3. A dam is being made north of lake Wooster for the new lake which is being 
 
 planned. 
 
 4. Shrubs are being planted in the field north of the main building. 
 
 Out of the discussion of the changes which were being made on the 
 campus grew questions such as these: "How did the person in charge 
 of the campus know what changes to make?" "What served as a g^ide 
 to the person in charge of the campus in making the changes which are 
 being made?" From these and other questions the following statement, 
 which incorporates the thought of the various questions asked, was made: 
 "What problems did the person in charge of the campus have to consider 
 in order to plan the arrangement of the campus?" 
 
 A careful study of the campus was then made by means of several 
 excursions, during which time each pupil kept accurate notes of all points 
 which he considered essential in the arrangement of the campus. These 
 problems were then discussed by the group in a general discussion or 
 "clearing up" period. The notes of each pupil were then given to a com- 
 mittee of three persons selected by the class. This group of three mem- 
 bers stated and organized the problems as follows : 
 
 1. How can we make the main building the center of interest on the campus t 
 
 2. How can we make the campus a unit! 
 
 3. How can we make the campus pleasing from a distance! 
 
 4. What principles should guide us in planning u lawn? 
 
 5. What is the purpose of landscape gardening! 
 
 6. What principles should guide us in selecting trees for lawn planting! 
 
 7. What principles should guide us in selecting shrubs and woody vines for planting 
 on the campus! 
 
 8. What principles should be cohsidered in selecting ' herbaceous -plants for lawn 
 planting ! 
 
 9. Plan a home applying the principles of lawn planting which have been worked out. 
 
 While this organization of materials was being made, the other mem- 
 bers of the class worked in the library selecting materials on landscape 
 gardening for future class use. 
 
TEACHING. 25 
 
 The library sectioii of the class and the committee of three then came 
 together in a general meeting at which a report of work accomplished 
 was given. To satisfactorily answer the questions which had been 
 raised, two methods of procedure were suggested by the class: to read 
 books on landscape gardening and thus secure answers to the questions, 
 or to study the homes in Emporia in an effort to discover the principles 
 of lawn planting observed by the owners of the homes. It was agreed 
 that both procedures were essential; that the study of the homes should 
 be made first; and that as a check on the conclusions reached, various 
 books on the subject should be read. 
 
 In an eflPort to learn the principles of landscape gardening, the class, 
 for several lessons, worked as a group in studying homes in Emporia. 
 The first of these excursions was conducted by the teacher, who helped 
 guide the observations of the boys and girls. At the close of this period 
 a list of points concerning the arrangement of lawns was made. Leaders 
 for the following excursions were then selected by the class. In this 
 field work about thirty homes were studied. The work was conducted as 
 a piece of research. All personalities were cast aside while the pupils 
 worked for principles to guide them in lawn planning. Both poorly and 
 well arranged lawns were studied. Both strong and weak points in the 
 arrangement of lawns were discussed. In each case a reason was given 
 for the decision made. When a weak point was considered, an improve- 
 ment was suggested by the pupils. At the close of each period, time was 
 given for each pupil to add to and to reorganize his list of points. An 
 opportunity was also given for the asking of questions or for the dis- 
 cussion of situations which were not clear in the minds of the boys and 
 g^rls. This offered an opportunity for free expression of views, for free 
 questioning by the class, and for suggestions concerning possible ways of 
 improving the poor arrangement of lawns. 
 
 At the close of this study of homes, each member of the class made a 
 summary of his work in some form which he believed gave the result of 
 his investigation in the clearest and most concise form. The following is 
 a copy of a summary of the work made by one member of the class : 
 
 "The purpose of landscape gardening is to carefully work out a plan 
 of planting and arranging a lot in order to make it as attractive as 
 possible. 
 
 "In planning a home, the size of the lot must be considered. A very 
 large house should not be placed on a small lot. _ A very small house will 
 not be attractive on a large lot. The direction in which the house faces 
 is important. The slope of the land must be considered. A terrace 
 offers good drainage and makes the place attractive. The color of the 
 house should blend with the trees, shrubs, 'and flowers. 
 
 "A very important thing to consider is the arrangement of the trees. 
 The purpose of planting trees and of placing them correctly is to give 
 shade and to protect the house, bam, and yard from the wind and sun. 
 If a large space is to be filled, a large spreading tree should be selected. 
 If the space is small and shade is not desired, a spiral shaped tree can be 
 used. A tree should never be planted where it will break the lawn, or 
 break the view from the house, or hide the important windows of the 
 house. Trees planted too close to the house may cause the house to be 
 damp. The distance between trees should be considered. If they are 
 planted too close to each other, they will not develop good shapes. The 
 
26 TEACHING. 
 
 leaves of trees are green, but there are many shades of g^reen. Some 
 trees have showy blossoms or fruits. These points should be considered 
 before selecting trees for planting. A person should know whether the 
 tree desired is a long-lived tree or a short-lived one. The elms and oaks 
 are long-lived trees ahd grow slowly; but when full grown, they are 
 large, spreading, and beautiful. The boxelder is a rapid-growing tree 
 and has a medium length of life. 
 
 "Flowers make the lawn look brighter and add to the beauty. They 
 should not be planted in a cluttered way or in any place to spoil the lawn. 
 The kind of place to be decorated, the location, the sun relations, and the 
 purpose of decoration should determine the tj^pe of flowers to be selected. 
 If the spot is shady, lilies of the valley or violets may be used. If a wall 
 or a fence is to be hidden, a vine or tall growing plant should be used. 
 The color of the flowers selected is very important. 
 
 "Shrubs are used for screens, ornaments, hedges, and for bedding 
 purposes. If a shrub is used as a screen, a tall one should be selected ; if 
 used for a hedge, a shrub like the California privet, which grows dense 
 and is easily trimmed, will be satisfactory. The color of the blossom 
 and the type of foliage should be considered. 
 
 "Some people do not observe the principles of landscape gardening 
 but break the lawn by trees pr shrubs -or build the house very close to 
 the street. People who do observe the rules have roomy, well-arranged 
 lawns with the house, garage, and walks arranged as conveniently as 
 possible." 
 
 As a result of the various summaries which were given, a tentative 
 outline of points observed in lavra planning was made by the class. 
 Three lessons' were then spent in reading books, magazine articles, a^nd 
 bulletins dealing with landscape gardening and in studying pictures of 
 lawns. All new ideas were listed. Following this reading another ex- 
 cursion was made to study lawns for the purpose of observing the points 
 which had either not been observed by the class or which did not agree 
 with the conclusions previously drawn. 
 
 As a result of the study of Emporia lawns, of the reading of books, 
 magazines, and bulletins dealing with landscape gardening, and of a 
 study of pictures of well-arranged homes, the following outline of general 
 principles of lawn planning was worked out ty the class as a group, 
 with one member acting as leader: 
 
 1. There should be a Ion? axis to the plot, (a) It can be made by the arrangement 
 of trees and shrubs, (b) It gives length or depth to the lot. 
 
 2. The house should be the central figure for it is the most important building on the 
 lot. (a) Terraces will help to make the house the most important feature on the lot. (J) 
 Grading the lawn will help to make the house the center of interest on the lot. (c) The 
 planting of shrubbery should emphasize the house, (d) The arrangement of walks and 
 drives will emphasize the house as the most important feature on the lot. 
 
 3. The yard should be a unit. 
 
 4. There should be balance in the arrangement of the lawn. 
 
 5. Walks should lead directly to the house. If it is necessary to have winding walks, 
 shrubs should be planted to make the walk more attractive. 
 
 6. There should be a broad, open, central lawn. There should be nothing to obstruct 
 the view from the main window of the house unless there is something which must be 
 hidden. ' 
 
 7. Plants for lawn planting should be selected with si definite purpose in mind, as 
 screening, bedding, beauty, blossom, color combination, and shade. 
 
 8. The type of planting should harmonize with the style of architecture used in the 
 building, (o) A formal design for the house requires a formal type of planting. (6) 
 The average city home has a graceful design and requires natural, graceful arrangement 
 
TEACHING. 27 
 
 of plants in the lawn. The planting should resemble nature's method ot planting as ob- 
 served along country roads, (c) Planting in straight lines should be avoided. If plant- 
 ing is in straight lines, the loss of one plant spoils the desired effect. In the natural way 
 of planting mistakes are not so noticeable, (d) Mass planting should be used along the 
 Bides of the lot. (e) Shrubs should be planted to hide foundations of buildings. 
 
 After the general guiding principles of lawn planning had been agreed 
 upon by the class, a new question arose, "How did the person in charge 
 of the campus know what plants were best to use in certain places?" To 
 answer this and other questions asked, the group decided that the best 
 results could be accomplished by dividing the class into three divisions: 
 One to study the principles involved in tree planting; a second to study 
 the principles of shrub planting; and a third to study the principles re- 
 garding the planting of herbaceous plants. The members of each group 
 worked independently but met daily with the other members of the group 
 to state the results of their study, and to discuss general problems of in- 
 terest to the group. 
 
 The following is a study of the principles of, tree planting as given 
 by one member of the class: 
 
 I. PuEPOSB Of Tree Plantinb. — (1) Protection: (a) From weather; (6) From 
 sun. (2) Shade. (3) Ornamentation: (o) Purpose of ornamentation: (!)■ To hide or 
 screen unsightly places; (2) To hide or screen porches and back yards. (5) Color: (1) 
 For winter; (2) For summer, (c) Shade. 
 
 II. Length ov Life op Tsees. — (1) Short-lived; (2) Medium long-lived; (3) Long- 
 lived. 
 
 III. Rapidity oi' Growth or Tbbbs. — (1) Bapid growing; (2) Slow growing. 
 
 IV. Location of Trees in YaSd. — (1) Good arrangement of trees: (a) To make the 
 lot look longer; (&) To serve as shelter; (c) To give a finished appearance and a bal- 
 anced effect to the lot. <2) Poor arrangement of trees: (a) To hide important windows 
 of the house; (6) To break an open lawn; (c) To give an unbalanced effect to the lawn; 
 (d) To give a crowded effect. 
 
 Another member of the class considered the problem of tree planting 
 in the following manner: "In selecting trees for lawn planting, one 
 should think of the purpose of planting the tree, that is, whether it is 
 planted for shade, for protection from the wind, or for ornamental pur- 
 poses. If trees are planted for ornamentation, the shape, size, color of 
 blossom, kind of fruit, and the shade of green in the leaves must be 
 considered. If they are planted too close together, the trees will not 
 have their proper shape. The rapidity of the growth of the tree will 
 influence a person in his selection of a tree for planting." 
 
 The following list of common trees with characteristics which will 
 guide in the selection of trees for lawn planting was made by another 
 member of the class : 
 
 Name of tree; Average height; General shape; Length of life; Purpose in plaintina. 
 
 American elm; 75-100 feet; vase shaped; long-lived; shade and beauty. 
 
 White ash; 50-75 feet; pyramidal; medium long-lived; shade and beauty. 
 
 Hackberry; 40-60 feet; broad, rounded crown; medium long-lived; ornament. 
 
 Hard maple; 60-100 feet; broad, round-topped crown; long-lived; wood, shade and 
 beauty. 
 
 Catalpa; 40-50 feet; irregular crown; medium long-lived; ornament and posts. 
 
 Boxelder; 30-50 feet; broad, open crown; short-lived; ornament and shade. 
 
 Cottonwood; 70-90 feet; open, spreading crown; short-lived; shade which is desired in 
 a short length of time. 
 
28 TEACHING. 
 
 White cedar; 40-50 feet; cone shape; long-lived; winter color and hedge. 
 Red cedar; 30-40 feet; rounded crown, pyramidal; long-lived; winter color. 
 White oak; 60-80 feet; broad, open crown; long-lived; shade, beauty and fall color. 
 
 The following study of shrubs for lawn planting was given by a mem- 
 ber of the class: "The selection of shrubs is very important in planning 
 the lawn of a home. Beautiful shrubs help to make the home more at- 
 tractive. Shrubs may be used for screening or hiding something which 
 detracts from the unity of the home. The following table groups some 
 of the common shrubs according to the purpose for which they may be 
 used : ' 
 
 Flower; Time of flowering; Color of flower; Purpose in. plimting. 
 Spirea; spring'; pink, white; screen and hedge. 
 Althea; late summer; pink, red, white, purple, variegated; hedge. 
 Lilac; spring; white, purple; screen and hedge. 
 Flowering almond; early spring; white, pink. 
 
 Oalifornia privet; summer; white; screen, hedge and winter color (green during early 
 winter). 
 
 Japonica; early spring; red, white, orange; screen. / 
 
 Weigelia; spring,, summer; pink, white. 
 
 Arbor vitse (hedge and winter color). 
 
 Syringa; spring; white; screen. 
 
 Snowball; spring; white; screen. 
 
 Forsythia; early spring; yellow; screen. 
 
 Tamarix; spring; pink. 
 
 Sumach (hedge and winter color). 
 
 Beutzia; spring; white, pale rose; screen. 
 
 Another member of the class gave the following study of shrubs: 
 
 Name of ahrub; Height; Time of blossoming; Color of blossom; Purpose in pZantfn^. 
 Althea; 4-6 feet; late summer; pink, red, purple, variegated; hedge, ornament and 
 massing. 
 
 Flowering almond; 4-6 feet; early spring; pink, white; early spring flowers. 
 Forsythia; 1-10 feet; early spring; yellow; early spring flowers. 
 Lilac; 3-10 feet; early spring; purple, white; screen, hedge, flowers. 
 Mock orange; 6-10 feet; spring; white; screen and -flowers. 
 California privet; 3-6 feet; summer; white; hedge and screen. 
 Snowball; 2-8 feet; spring; white; ornament, screen and flower. 
 Spirea; 3-7 feet; spring; white, pink; screen, hedge and flower. 
 Deutzia; 3-S feet; spring; white, pale rose; screen. 
 
 Arbor vitse; 1-3 feet; ; ; ornament and winter color. 
 
 Japonica; 2-6 feet; early spring; scarlet; screen and early spring flowers. 
 Tamarix; 4-5 feet; spring; pink; ornament. 
 
 The following study of herbaceous plants was given by one member of 
 the class: 
 
 Name of plant; Length of life; Height; Time of flowering; Color of flower. 
 < Sweet pea; annual; 1 to 2 feet; summer; assorted colors. 
 Zinnia; annual; 2-3 feet; summer; yellow, red and variegated. 
 Nasturtium; annual; dwarf climbing; summer; yellow and red. 
 
 Aster; annual; 2-3 feet; late summer and autunln; white, pink, purple and variegated. 
 Cosmos; annual; 5-6 feet; fall; white, pink, lavender and orange color. 
 Marigold; annual; 1-2 feet; summer; yellow. 
 
 Bachelors buttons; annual; 1-2 feet; summer; purple and lavender. 
 Candytuft; annual; 6-12 inches; summer; white. 
 Peony; perennial; 1-2 feet; spring; white, pink and i^ed. 
 Balsam; annual; 4-6 inches; summer; white, red and pink. 
 Salvia; annual; 12-18 inches; summer; red. 
 
TEACHING. 
 
 29 
 
 After this careful consideration of the principles of lawn planning, 
 the members of the class wfere anxious to use the principles which they 
 had discovered, in the planning of a home. They wanted to carry their 
 ideas into their own homes in order that they might be more attractive. 
 As a result of this desire, each pupil made a plan for the lawn of the 
 home which he was planning and decorating in his art class. A copy 
 of the plan of the lawn made by one member of the group is given 
 below. 
 
 [ 
 
 Wa/A 
 
 ]D 
 
 i California privet 4 Lilies of f he 
 
 2 Spirea S American elm 
 
 «J Tulips (spring} 6 Boslon ivy ion garage) 
 
 Interest in Measurements of School Results. , 
 
 The growth of intelligent interest on the part of school administrators 
 in the practical application of educational tests to supervision is en- 
 couraging to all who believe in the possibility of the development of 
 really scientific oversight of school work. The rapid accumulation of 
 material making possible reliable standards of accomplishment under 
 varying conditions will soon make it possible for any teacher to deter- 
 mine the efficiency of her own work in most of the fundamental studies. 
 
 We are still suffering in every kind of school activity from the vague- 
 ness of our knowledge, both as to the proper content of our curricula 
 and as to the amount and nature of progress to be expected from the 
 
30 TEACHING. 
 
 class or the individual. The cooperation of a steadily increasing num- 
 ber of school people insures greater definiteness in our own conceptions 
 as to ways of securing better results through their reports of the results 
 of their efforts to make their own educational measurement work func- 
 tion in more skilful teaching. — C. E. Chadsey, in "School and Home 
 Education." 
 
 National Needs. 
 
 The great changes in the conditions of American industry and com- 
 merce consequent upon the war have developed unforeseen needs in the 
 field of vocational education. 
 
 Reconstruction involves a far-reaching readjustment of the trade and 
 commerce of the world. The United States has an opportunity to de- 
 velop leadership in foreign trade; but to do this she must train men in 
 the field of foreign trade and commerce; must train men for places con- 
 nected with transportation on land and sea; must develop a distinctive 
 American design; must prepare large numbers of men for more efficient 
 production in our great industries. There is immediate need for the 
 study and development of adequate methods of education and of suitable 
 courses of study which will prepare workers by the thousands to fill ade- 
 quately the positions which exist and will continue to offer themselves 
 in the development of our commercial and industrial field during the 
 next few years. 
 
 There is need of more active and direct cooperation by the Federal 
 Government with the States in developing their programs, in getting 
 the right kind of classes established, and in setting up an effective co- 
 operation between the State boards and local communities. — From the 
 Third Annual Report of the Federal Board for Vocational Education. 
 
 A Project in Music Appreciation. 
 
 Miss Cathbbinb E. Stbodsb, Supervisor of Music. 
 
 In the seventh-grade class in the Junior High School, we began one 
 day the study of a song taken from Donizetti's "Daughter of the Regi- 
 ment." We had been doing some library work, looking up such masters 
 as Schumann, Schubert, Gounod, and others. The class asked permission 
 to look up Donizetti, which was granted. When the reports were made, 
 his best known operas were mentioned. That led into a discussion of 
 opera. Some of the class were able to tell the chief characteristics of 
 grand opera. The interest thus led to a request to look up the story of 
 "The Daughter of the Regiment," also with a view to finding out where 
 the song then under way fitted into the story. This was assigned to one 
 girl. When her report was made, the song was sung and a record 
 played of the Overture. Requests came to look up each of the others of 
 his well-known operas. Lucia di Lammermoor and La Favorita were 
 assigned, each to one pupil. As each report was made, members of the 
 class supplemented each, showing that all had been at work on it. Rec- 
 
TEACHING. 31 
 
 ords of the best-known numbers of each were played, and the result was 
 a knowledge of Donizetti, of his three best-known operas, and a listening 
 familiarity, at least, with the best-known selections from each. 
 
 Later, in the listening work, the study of opera will be begun as a 
 large topic. The class will find that one unit has already been done. 
 
 Inadequate Support of Normal Schools. 
 
 The training of teachers is influenced not only by the prospective lack 
 of salary for the students but also by inadequate support of these normal 
 schools, particularly in the salaries of the normal school teachers. Few 
 states have a salary schedule for their normal schools which will bear 
 comparison with tne salaries in the better high schools of the state. As a 
 nation we spend as much per student per year to educate any high 
 school pupil or any boy in a reform school as we do for the training of 
 a teacher in a normal school. We spend nearly twice as much for a 
 pupil in a deaf school, more than twice as much for a college or uni- 
 versity student, three times as much for a blind student, and nearly 
 four times as much for the training of a feeble-minded child. — N. E. A. 
 Bulletin. 
 
32 TEACHING. 
 
 Teaching. 
 
 Teaching is sent to five thousand teachers, editors, superintendents, 
 school-board members, libraries of Kansas and the country abroad. 
 
 Recent numbers of Teaching will be mailed upon request. The fol- 
 lowing are available. 
 
 No. 1. German number, August 1, 1914. . 
 
 •No. 2. Ohapel number, October 15, 1914. 
 
 *No. 3. Physios number, November 1, 1914. 
 
 *No. 4. Tbe question of grades, November 15,, 1914. 
 
 *No. 5. The teaching of nationalism,, December 1, 1914. 
 
 *No. 6. Playground number, December 15, 1914. 
 
 *No. 7. School-board number, January 15, 1915. 
 
 *No. 8. Mathematics number, February 1, 1915. 
 
 *No. 9. Summer-school number, February 15, 1915. 
 
 *No. 10. Testing the teacher, March , 1, 1915. 
 
 No. 11. Superintendent's number, March 15, 1915. 
 
 *No. 12. Vocational education, April 1, 1915. 
 
 No. 13. Vacation activities, April 3 5, 1915. 
 
 *No. 14. Scientific methods, Mav 1, 1916. 
 
 No. 15. T. W. 0. ,A=. number, May 15, 1915. 
 
 *No. 16. Fiftieth anniversary, November 1, 1915. 
 
 No. 17. Correspondence-Btudy number, November 15, 1915. 
 
 *No. 18. High-school survey number, December 1, 1915. 
 
 *No. 19. High-school curricula, December 15, 1915. 
 
 No. 20. Eural-school equipment, January 15, 1916. 
 
 *No. 21. Household physics, , February 1, 1916. 
 
 *No. 22. Folk-dance number, February 15, 1916. 
 
 *No. 23. School and nation, March 1, 1916. 
 
 *No. 24. Grade-school arithmetic, March 15, 1916. 
 
 No. 25. Defectives in school, April 1, 1916. 
 
 *No. 26. Some problems in curriculum, April 15, 1916. 
 
 *No. 27. Kindergarten in Kansas, May 1, 1916. 
 
 *No. 28. Grade-school reading. May 15, 1916. 
 
 •No. 29. Play and education, September 15, 1916. 
 
 *N'o- SO. History in the grades, October 15, 1916. Index of volumes T and 11. 
 
 *No. 31. Some aspects of primary education, November 15, 1916. 
 
 •No. 32. The school library, elementary and rural, December 15, 1916. 
 
 •No. 33. Political education in the schools, .January 15, 1917. 
 
 •No. 34. The civic core in the school curriculum, Februarv 15, 1917. 
 
 •No. 35. The Wyoming plan of military training in the schools, March 15, 1917 
 
 •No. 36. Geography for children, April 15, 1917. 
 
 •No. 37. The school and the small town. May 15, 1917. 
 
 •No. 38. Socialized Latin, September 15, 1917. 
 
 No. 39. The professional institute, October 15, 1917. 
 
 No. 40. Oral English in the high school, December, 1917. 
 
 No. 41. The school and the war, April, 1918. 
 
 No. 42. Community recreation, September, 1918. 
 
 No. 43. Methods in physics and elementary science, October, 1918. 
 
 No. 44. Science: Biological and physical, December, 1918. 
 
 •No. 45. Examples of project-problem instruction, Februarv, 1919. 
 
 No. 46. The commerce course, April, 1919. 
 
 No. 47. The high-school library. May, 1919. 
 
 No. 48. Some new ideas in education, October, 1919. 
 
 No. 49. The parent-teacher association, December, 1919. 
 
 No. 50. The pr oject method of instruction, .Taru'ary, 1920. 
 
 * Exhausted. 
 
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