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January, 1917. Elementary Education Circular No. 1. 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. 
 
 i! (bureau OF EDUCATION. 
 
 THE USE OF ACTIVITIES IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
 
 A Report of the First Annual Meeting of the National Council of Primary 
 Education, Detroit, Mich., February 22, 1916. 
 
 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT. 
 
 By Ella Victoria Dobbs, 
 Professor of Manual Arts, UniversUy of Missciirl, Columbia, Mo. 
 
 A few persons interested in tlie organization of primary teacliers assembled 
 at Cincinnati in February, 1915, at the time of the meeting of the department 
 of superintendence. The group consisted of 30 representative women from 
 various parts of the country. Finding tliemselves of one mind, they decided to 
 take immediate steps toward an organization whicli would stand for a greater 
 use of activities in the primary school, more freedom of method, and a closer 
 cooperation with the kindergarten and witli the grades above. 
 
 It was desired to bring together all persons whose interest touches the primai*y 
 school at any point, including not only primary teacliers and supervisors but 
 also teachers of special subjects whose work includes the primary grades, 
 principals of buildings, superintendents, and patrons. That the organization 
 might have the benefit of the breadth of view of these various groups the invi- 
 tation was limited only to interest in primary education. In order to centralize 
 responsibility and avoid the delay which often comes from inability of members 
 of committees living in different places to act promptly it was decided to have 
 but one officer for the first year. This chairman was to have power to call 
 to her assistance any member of the organization, and all agreed to respond 
 promptly. This promise has been faithfully kept. 
 
 It was decided at the Cincinnati meeting to form an elastic organization 
 which would devote itself to informal discussions rather than set programs. It 
 seemed better to make every effort to have the problems in which the organiza- 
 tion was interested discussed on general programs which would be heard by a 
 mixed group of people rather than to concentrate upon additional programs for 
 the narrower group. It was decided also to attempt to bring about a greater 
 cooperation in communities through the formation of local groups for the study 
 of local problems. Several such groups have been organized. It was also urged 
 at a meeting in Oakland that effort be made to investigate the extent to which 
 the various forms of " activities " are in use in the advanced schools of the 
 country. To this end an informal investigation has been inaugurated. 
 70914°— 17 
 
 Collect*! set. 
 
u.<- 
 
 2 USE OF ACTIVITIES IIST THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
 
 EXPERIMENTATION IN THE SCHOOL OF CHILDHOOD. 
 
 By Meredith Smith, 
 Direclor of the School of Childhood, University of Pittshuiyh, nttshingli. Fa. 
 
 The keynote in education in tliis country to-day is experimentation, discovery, 
 searcli for new and better metliods and equipment, and more adequate subject 
 matter. 
 
 Tlie Scliool of Cliildliood of the University of Pittsbvirgh offers an unusual 
 opportunity for conducting an educational experiment. In the first place the 
 teacliers are free to cari-y on the work in the way tliey consider best, unliam- 
 pered by a ready-made course of study or by the necessity for making the work 
 of one year a direct preparation for that of the succeeding ; thus attention may 
 be centered on the needs of the child at each particular period. The school is 
 small and there are no purely administrative problems or difficulties that must 
 be taken into consideration. 
 
 Two years ago the work was instituted witli the younger group, children 
 from 4 to 6 years of age. This year the school has been enlarged and the 
 problem of the primary grade is under way. Tlie plan is to carry tlie children 
 on from one year to the next in tlie endeavor to worlc out a consecutive scheme 
 of etlucation. 
 
 The aim is not to impose adult luiowledge and accomplishments on children, 
 but to afford experiences that appeal to them on their own account and at the 
 same time have educational value and significance. The school situation is 
 one in which things are done, and a form of activity carried on that is con- 
 tinually demanding the exercise of the child's own initiative rfnd power. School 
 studies find their phice in this scheme as the means by which ends may l)e more 
 successfully and effectively realized. 
 
 The material that constitutes school studies. Dr. Dewey has shown, originated 
 in experience ; it grew out of the problems that came up in relation to what 
 l>eople were doing, the activities they were carrying on. In guided educational 
 play the same thing is true in regard to the experience of cliildren. Reading, 
 >vriting, number, phases of physics, nature study, geography, etc.. appear in 
 their experience and liave significance and meaning because of the relation thus 
 afforded to social life and to human wants and needs. 
 
 The usual mistake in education is to give children subject matter that has 
 been absti-acted from experience, organized in a logical, adult way, and then 
 expect them to master this ready-made material just as it stands, unrelated to 
 j:ny use or purpose which it may have. These things have value to adults only 
 in so far as they assist tliem to attain their ends. When school studies are put 
 back into experience where they appear as means to desirable ends, childi-en 
 have a motive for acquiring tliem and mastery is thus facilitated. 
 
 Where things are being done there must be material provided to do with. 
 To meet (his need the primary room and the room devoted to the younger 
 1 hildren are supplied with large floor blocks, peg-lock blocks, trains, dolls, 
 hannners, etc. There is a fair amount of floor space which the children keep 
 about two-thirds covered with their constructive representations the greater 
 part of the time. They preserve what they have made from day to day, 
 adding to it as they work out their ideas more fully. Just now they have 
 wliat they call the " City of Pittsburgh," with its houses, stoi-es, an apartment 
 I'.duso. and all the play and incidental con.struction work that goes with it. 
 Each child has an occupiUion of some kind that he or she is engaged in, building 
 <'.>nstruction, liousekeeping, manufacturing, mercai.tile business, railway and 
 steamship construction and management. 
 
 MAR *16 1917 
 
USE OF ACTIVITIES IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 3 
 
 Very eai'ly in the midst of tliese experiences tlie need for money as a 
 medimn of exchange arose. The ticl^ets for tlie steamship were $1 or 50 cents, 
 according to the location of tlie seat in the bow or stern of the boat. The 
 children made their own money and incidentally learned to make numbers. 
 Some writing was necessary in labeling the tickets and also in labeling the 
 articles in the various stores. 
 
 The problem of transportation was one that abs()rl)ed a great deal of interest 
 and attention. The question of how certain things are packed for shipping 
 was considered, and it was foinid necessary on one occasion to telephone 
 to a grocery store to verify experience and to get further information. Barrels 
 were made of pumpkins, apples, etc., (Mailman heads), and sacks for flour, 
 rice, coffee, nuts, etc., which the children brought from home. 
 
 As the packages brought were opened and examined they led to talks of 
 how different products grow and where they come from. The sacks had to 
 be labeled because when they were tied the contents could not be identified. 
 This made further need for writing and, consequently, reading. The children 
 decided on labels 1 inch by 2 and cut these out with the aid of a ruler. 
 
 One morning a storekeeper was urging the railway manager to send iip the 
 supplies lying in the station which she had ordered, but he persisted in an 
 attitude of stoical indifference and inattention which was finally accoiuited 
 for by this statement: " iTou can't talk to me; I'm 5,000 miles away." The 
 question was asked: " llow can she get word to you?" He replied: "She 
 will have to telegraph." Two stations with telegraphic apparatus were con- 
 structed, thumb tacks being used for keys, the message was sent, and in due 
 time the supplies were delivered. 
 
 Dr. Dewey has analyzed reasoning as a process that takes place when in the 
 pursuit of ends pi-eseiiting some difficulty sve form an inference or hypothesis 
 of possible nipans of solution and, acting on the basis of that inference, we 
 prove or test it, and thus verify or nullify it. This is the method of science, 
 the method of progress, of getting at the new, the unknown. It is the method 
 that is applied not only to scientific discovery, but to every experience in 
 which human beings ax-e adjusting themselves to new situations, or in which 
 they are attainijig new ends or purposes in daily life and occupations. 
 
 In play of this character a continual demand is made upon the child for 
 the exercise of reflective thought or reasoning. A child's ends are different 
 from an adult's and his control of means is slight, but his mind acts in 
 the same way and is develoi)ed by the same process. When a child who 
 is endeavoring to construct a water tank for his engine says, after search, " Oh, 
 this block will make it," he hns formeil an hypothesis for the solution of his 
 problem, and as he acts on this inference, he tests its worth, checks up the 
 reasonableness of his conclusion, and thus develops the power of judgment. 
 
 It would seem from tlie prevailing scheme of education that it is assumed that 
 the child's mind is <»f a very different character from the adult's, that it has 
 somehow a peculiar powei- f>f absorbing a wide variety of facts of knowledge and 
 of storing them for future use. A large part of this knowledge is forgotten, 
 much of it is of no value to children or adults, and phases of it become obsolete 
 by the time the child is grown : yet many hesitate to eliminate any of it for fear 
 l)t>!-liaps the child will not become as cultured as he might have been. 
 
 Any normal adult can at any time gain new facts or knowledge that he may 
 desire, but mental habits and attitudes once formed ai'e difficult to break. It is 
 upon the fornuition of eflicient mental habits and attitudes that attention shoidd 
 he focused, for with this development acquisition of knowledge will tnke cni-e of 
 itself. Even though a child's ends are play ends, this habit of initiating ends, of 
 
4 USE OP ACTIVITIES IN THE ELEMENTAEY SCHOOL. 
 
 forming correct inferences, and of executing purposes, is being formed, and in- 
 creasingly his ends will be more complex, more remote, and thus require greater 
 organization and control of such means as reading, writing, number, etc., for 
 their attainment. Under guidance, after having found a need for the school arts, 
 the children abstract these from experience and enjoy practice or drill on them 
 for the purpose of developing skill. 
 
 The children in the School of Childhood are learning to be resourceful and in- 
 ventive, are developing the power of initiative, ability to conceive ends that are 
 desirable and a mastery of the means that make efficient attainment possible. 
 Each child's action is in the main directed by his own mind, not another's. This 
 does not mean that the teacher is not guiding the situation, but she does it by 
 means of suggestion which makes her guidance just another of those agencies 
 from which children are continually gaining suggestion for activities they choose 
 to carry on. Hers should be more educative because designed for that purpose. 
 It is seldom realized to how great an extent in the majority of schools to-day the 
 child's activity is governed by another mind, by rules and regulations he has had 
 no part in establishing and for which he sees no value. He may not even speak 
 or leave his seat without permission. One is reminded of Rousseau's warning 
 to the parents and teachers of his day. " You will stultify him by this method," 
 he says, " if you are always directing him, always saying to him, go, come, stop, 
 do this, do not do that. If your head is always directing his arms, his own head 
 will become useless to him." 
 
 Besides the intellectual development affoi-ded by this kind of experience, 
 where children are freely playing and working together, there is opportunity 
 for real social development and training. The children recognize the need for 
 adjusting themselves to other persons if they would successfully attain their 
 own purposes, and they learn how to cooperate with others for the advan- 
 tage of all. 
 
 The freedom of movement permitted, the lifting and carrying of blocks from 
 one place to another, together with the use of the gymnastic apparatus, afford 
 opportunity for physical development and bodily control. 
 
 The children will not be able to read as other first-grade children do, but 
 they are gaining what is of more value to them, the formation of mental and 
 social habits and attitudes and the development of physical health and power. 
 Because of this development, ability to read will be attained with much less 
 strain on the part of children and teachers as well. 
 
 A PLAN CONDUCIVE TO GREATER FREEDOM. 
 
 By Anna Logan, 
 Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Cincinnati, Ohio. 
 
 Activities ! Freedom ! We are only on the threshold of freedom. We see 
 these little children coming to the first grade so full of activity — activity 
 which we curb at once by placing them in rows of seats. Yet we hope that 
 they will attain their fullest possibility of development in this artificial environ- 
 ment ! How shall we change the situation ? 
 
 I go back in thought to a gathering of primary teachers and kindergartners 
 years ago in our city, on which occasion there came to us the first suggestion 
 of the possibility of carrying over the kindergarten activities into the primary 
 grades. Although every first-grade teacher looks with longing upon the freedom 
 of the kindergarten, wishing to have the same atmosphere, how does she use 
 that which she has? 
 
USE OF ACTIVITIES IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 5 
 
 Image the crowded conditions in our cities. The rooms are so filled with 
 row after row of seats, that there is little room, little chance for freedom, for 
 activity. Yet the teacher reaches out in the dark. Do you hear her direct 
 the children to get out their boxes of letters to form words and sentences? 
 How wasteful of time and energy the performance is ! It is unnecessary to 
 explain to this audience that it is not only wasteful but harmful. It is bad 
 from the physiological standpoint, because the handling of these letters cjalls 
 for greater coordination of muscles than the child at this stage possesses. It 
 is likewise bad from the psychological standpoint of habit formation, for the 
 child has learned as yet no standards to measure results. Look at his choice 
 of " m's " for " n's," his confusion of " p's " for " b's " and " d's." How does 
 the teacher correct these results? Hear her comment after passing a few desks: 
 " Now, children, get out your boxes, put away the letters, be careful not to 
 drop any on the floor." 
 
 The kindergartens of seven schools were overcrowded. There was a long 
 waiting list of children asking admittance. As there was no vacant room in 
 any of these buildings, it was planned to have morning and afternoon sessions, 
 with different teachers in charge of each. 
 
 The kindergartiiers and primary teachers are on the same salary basis; 
 therefore the number of teaching hours must relatively be the same. Thus the 
 problem arose of filling profitably the time of the kindergartners, who in this 
 scheme would be employed only half a day. None of their accustomed social 
 duties was to be omitted ; home visiting was not to be neglected ; no planning 
 of mothers' meetings was to be changed. These were too important assets to 
 be slighted. Yet with the niothers' meetings, conferences, visiting, etc., there 
 were some unemployed hours. How should these be used? 
 
 The most profitable plan seemed to be to ask these splendidly trained kinder- 
 gartners to help the overworked primary teachers. A meeting was held one 
 .•ifternoon to discuss all sides of this proposition. There was objection on the 
 liart of some of the primary teachers. They said: "We do not want to teach 
 before the kindergartners." The results in most cases, however, have proved 
 that this was an unnecessary dread. For while the teacher is teaching one 
 .iii-ou]) her companion is rendering valuable aid in supervising the other group. 
 But greater good has been accomplished than this. To be worth while the 
 content of the formal school subjects nuist be based on real experiences. The 
 homes and streets of our crowded down-town districts afford an extremely lim- 
 ited horizon for these basal experiences. Now, through the assistance of the 
 kindergartner, excursions are possible. The value of excvirsions had always 
 been known, but there were " too many lions in the way " for them to be 
 feasilile. 
 
 <»iie of the fii-st and most delightful of the trips was to the park in the vicin- 
 ity of the school, where every child had an opportunity last fall to help plant 
 bullis. That may seem insignificant; but who knows what it means to a child? 
 Last September a table in one of oiu- schoolrooms was covered with the prod- 
 ucts of the children's gardens. A little boy stood looking wistfully at the 
 blos-;(in!S. He remarked, " If I had all of those flowers, I should think J was 
 in li^'aven." If each child places a bulb in the ground and has the wonderful 
 experience of seeing it Imd and blossom, it is giving him a glimpse of heaven. 
 
 The next visit was to the niarkets. There the class could see the products 
 thiit had been brought in from the country. They could begin to catch an idea 
 of the source of some of their food supi)ly. The garden and farm are no longer 
 unknown quantities to thoni. 
 
 Another diiy they went to the library to see the pictures of Esldmo laqtls. 
 Books and pictures were shown and a story told by the librarian. One of the 
 
6 USE OF ACTIVITIES IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
 
 chiUli-eu asked, " May we not sing our Eskimo song?" And tlie walls rang with 
 the childish voices as they offered their gift in return for the kindness of the 
 librarian. On the way home a blacksmith's shop was visited. Here a different 
 world was revealed. Through other excursions many experiences have been 
 added which have vitalized the regular school work of reading, language, and 
 arithmetic. 
 
 "When the children returned to their room they were eager to tell or express 
 in various ways what they had seen and done. The results were crude, but 
 were the genuine outgrowth of these tours into the new and fascinating scenes. 
 Through games, dramatization, and handwork again and again were portrayed 
 the pleasures and knowledge gained. The desks and aisles were no great 
 hindrance, the children themselves frequently suggesting adaptations. 
 
 In " tripping across the way to see what his neighbor was doing," some one 
 would propose that instead of playing this, as it was played in the kinder- 
 garten, the aisles would be streets. So back and forth they would skip, repre- 
 senting the various occupations seen. The very limitations and hindrances 
 afforded fine opportunities for arousing initiative. 
 
 When "Puss in the corner" was played, there being no available corners, 
 two or three circles were drawn on the floor. Four children would stand on 
 each circle, calling to the one in the center, " Poor Pussy ! Poor pussy ! " He 
 answered: "Pussy wants a corner!" As opportunity alTorded those on the 
 circle exchanged places. If " Puss " could gain one of the places, the one who 
 lost must be " Puss." 
 
 So it can be readily perceived that greater freedom and more activity than 
 ever existed before in these first grades has been gained, because of the super- 
 vision by the kindergartners, of games, songs, dramatizations, occupntions, 
 and excursions. The primary teachers recognize the help that has come to 
 them. The kindergartners voice their enjoyment in watching the development 
 of the children. 
 
 Though there are many problems not solved in this cooperation, in the at- 
 tempt to make the solution we feel there has been growth ; that the school 
 seems more like life. "The people perish who have no vision." We are hop- 
 ing for at least a glimp.se of the vision that will lead to the wonderful widening 
 of the horizon of these children whose needs are so great. 
 
 ONE PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER'S TRANSFORMATION. 
 
 By Rachel E. Gregg, 
 Supervisor of Trainino, State Normal School, Ilarrisonbitrjj, Va. 
 
 I will tell you this morning of the transformation that has taken place in a 
 teacher in one of our piiblic schools in Virginia. She came to us this year 
 with a very strong recommendation as an excellent primary instructor and 
 supervisor. During the first week of school, when I visited her room, I was 
 very much astonished to see all the children sitting still in their seats and 
 not a single child looking up to smile at me when I came into the room. Wlien 
 I went the next week it was the same; the children were sitting quietly with 
 their hands l)ehind their backs. The next time I went it was before school in 
 the morning, when the children usually are active, talking to each other, and en- 
 joying themselves. There they all sat perfectly still. I said to them : "Are 
 you sick this morning, children? What is the trouble? " But they did not 
 speak, because they had received no permission. I hardly knew what to do 
 with the situation, because several criticisms from students had come to me 
 
USE OF ACTIVITIES IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 7 
 
 about the room. They said: "This is not what we expect in a piininry room; 
 what are we to do when we teach there? " 
 
 In the course of the conversation the teaclier informed me that at her normal 
 school she had been told not to smile or permit any freedom among children 
 during the first month. I suggested to this teacher that she should go to the 
 association meeting in Richmond at Thangskiving, and she did. When she 
 came back she asked me whether I would be willing to have the desks taken 
 out of the room and some tables put in. I told her I would be very glad to 
 have that done and arranged the matter accordingly. But conditions were not 
 appreciably changed when I visited the school again. The children still were 
 seated in their seats very quietly. I remarked : " Why don't you let them 
 build a house? Not a house built for a doll nor a playhouse, but one that 
 will represent a proper plan of a house that a child would want to live in." 
 So then bcf/an to build a house. I would like you to see the transformation 
 that has gone on in that room. I went in the other day ; it was after the 
 o'clock bell had rung, and no one heard me come into the room, so interesu-d 
 were they in different things. The student teacher was in the corner examining 
 something that they had just made. The teacher had really forg(Hten that 
 the bell had rung. Others were over in another corner looking at something 
 which a child had brought to put in the hoiise. The liou.se itself is rather 
 crude. The teacher objected to it at first, but each time I went into tlie i-oom 
 I asked her how much the children had done and how much she had done. I 
 was afraid it might become rather a sore point after a wliile. but now each 
 time she tells me, " I really did nothing except to bring the material here." 
 Other times slie said : " I have not even brought the materhil ; tlie children 
 have brought everything needed and liave planned these particular pieces of 
 furniture for the house." 
 
 This represents a condition exi.sting in many parts of the counti-y. It is a 
 difficult situation, because it is hard to convince teachers of the value to be 
 found in some vital thing of this character rather than in a book. 
 
 Another noteworthy fact is that parents are .so much more intei-esloil in the 
 school work than they were before. Fathers of the children liad sent word 
 that if anything was needed for the house they would be very glad to fui-nisli 
 it. Different articles have been sent from the children's homes. One little 
 child had a box of tools given him for Christmas. The box of tools was 
 brought to the schoolroom, and is being used in the building of the house. One 
 little child had an idea and suggested that it would be better to paint the 
 furniture for the bedroom white. I had insisted that very little money be 
 expended, and that they keep an exact account of every cent which was spent, 
 because I rather feared the tendency of the teacher would be to make a very 
 beautiful house, and I was trying to guard against expense. The little cliildren 
 said, " We want to furnish the bedroom in white. How are we going to have 
 the furniture white?" Next morning when the teacher came in she found a 
 little package on her desk, and upon opening it found a box of white eiiauiel 
 paint and a brush. The child had gone home and mentioned the fact and the 
 father had bought a box of paint and sent it to the school. 
 
 It means a great deal to have that condition existing there. It means a lireat 
 deal if tte parents have an interest in these activities, because the traditional 
 school is the thing in which they believe: but when the parents of cbildren 
 realize that much is gained froiu tlie natural activities of life it is a sfcp in 
 the right direction in the scliooli-oom. It means more to that coinnuiiiity than 
 anytliing else. It means the op;>iiing up of a field of activities liiat are needed 
 
8 USE OF ACTIVITIES IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
 
 in tlie children's lives. It means that parents are willing to have their children 
 play folk games. It means that they will appreciate the value of music and 
 drawing and other phases of education outside the traditional settings. 
 
 COOPERATIVE LETTERS. 
 
 By IsoBEL Davidson, 
 Supervisor of Primary Instruction, Baltimore County, Md. 
 
 This autumn, in addressing a gathering of teachers, I asked, " What can we 
 do to help each other in the solution of this problem of applying the social 
 motive in school \^-ork? How can we help each other to better interpretation?" 
 One of the enthusiastic girls said, " It would be interesting for each one of us 
 l(» write a letter to you, embodying a frank, informal resume of some classroom 
 i'xperience in which the social motive has been significant. Any letter un- 
 usually rich in suggestion could be read or, better still, printed and distributed 
 to the group. This interchange of experience would tend to give us inspiration 
 ;i!i(l renew ^n\]■ courage to better endeavor." 
 
 I replied, " Very good, indeed. But why would the letter help? " 
 
 The ans^\•er came from the group, "A letter is personal, individual, social. 
 We are tired of making formal reports. An informal report would give us an 
 opiiortunity to express ourselves freely quite as if we were talking with you 
 iihviut something which we have enjoyed and wish to share with others." 
 
 As it is pleasant to anticipate letters rather than to be swamped with a deluge 
 of correspondence at one time, it was suggested that the groups be divided 
 into relays, each relay to send in letters at certain designated intervals. Thus 
 it I'egan; a cooperative plan for the purpose of strengthening the entire teach- 
 ing body in the rational application of motivated work. 
 
 Suggestions were given, as follows : Incorporate in your letter your purpose 
 and plan of procedure, showing how you link the child's purpose with your 
 own ; the motivation of each problem and the reaction of the children noted ; 
 evaluate the results ; include samples of children's work, such as letters, oral 
 and written composition, handwork ; snapshots of social situations, if these aid 
 in clarifying your statements; cooperation of other classes, individuals in the 
 conununity and others; anything which will show gain in social efficiency. 
 
 INIany of the letters have proved interesting, showing, as they do, the teach- 
 er's grasp of the situation, strong or weak, as the case may be, dependent upon 
 her point of view, her mode of attack, and — vision. Some have presented the 
 smaller and yet no less significant situation of the socialized recitation, report- 
 ing lessons in reading, language, literature, arithmetic, spelling, nature, etc., 
 indicating the added gain to the school in the social spirit throughout, the in- 
 creased interchange of class groups and grades from the lowest to the highest. 
 Others have taken the larger social situation and shown how the daily class- 
 room work in the various subjects has been motivated in r(>lation to it, as, for 
 instance, preparing for an assembly, a birthday party, a pioneei' l^arty, a 
 '■ special occasion,". Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other festivals. 
 
 A fom-fli-grade class became a coherent working unit, through the prolilem of 
 creating ii play from the Viking tales, at first for their own enjoyment, then 
 for otlii>r cjnsses, and later for invited guests of the community. The making 
 of the play ocfuiiic-d several language and literature periods, with story-telling, 
 oral c-omposition as well as written, taking the form of prologue character 
 sketches, letter writing, invitations, dramatization, versification, music. The 
 
USE OF ACTIVITIES IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 9 
 
 making of costumes, begun in tlie classroom, became an out-of-school activity 
 entirely without urging. All of this served to stimulate the boys and girls in 
 the attainment of better voice control, improved oral speech and reading, and 
 all the rest. But the most interesting thing in tlie whole situation to those 
 of us who were observing the progress of the work was the fact that interest 
 was maintained for a long time after the initial event by the pupils themselves. 
 It had become a part of their lives. They lived the story agiiin -ahA again, l)y 
 means of a bit of costume worn as they went about their work, e. g., to find 
 each little girl transformed into a Gyda bv a golden headband, spread a kind 
 of halo about ordinary doings of the day — and out-of-schdol performances fol- 
 lowed as a matter of course. After an interval of a month or more the class 
 was invited to present the i^lay again, but such dissatisfaction with their 
 product was now voiced by the class leaders that the only solution was revision 
 of the play. This was done. Again the reconstruction niid preseniatlon held 
 class interest, and they felt repaid when snapshots of the various scenes were 
 taken and presented to them as souvenirs of their effoi-t. 
 
 The ever-present doll house was another problem presented ; it showed the 
 results of motivated work extendinig over a long period of time. The doll 
 house serves so many purposes. In this instance it was used to serve as a 
 medium for expression activity along all lines relating to the problem of 
 shelter ; the playhouse served as a basis for the reading, language, handwork, 
 all made fascinating around this center of interest. The school furnislies 
 some material, but not all that is needed, nor shoidd it do so. The children 
 brought hatboxes, bits of lace, cloth, tinfoil, etc., from their homes for tlie 
 purpose. The making of the house and tlie furnishings occupied a period of 
 three or four weeks, possibly six. and culminated in a .school assemldy to 
 which different grades were invited in turn. Not only had they found .i<\v in 
 the work from day to day, not only were they looking forward to the fun they 
 could have with their product, but they were eager to share the results of 
 their individual and community efforts with others in the .school. Second 
 grades came to view. P^ighth-grade students came to hear these little people 
 talk of their achievement, to see the work of their hands. Class spirit and 
 school pride were strengthened by this very simple attempt to interpret in 
 rational terms the social motive in school work. 
 
 Another letter contained a most interesting report of an occasion which 
 might be called " Little Sisters' and Brothers' Day." This teacher conceived 
 the idea of entertaining the prospective " next year's crop," as she graphically 
 termed them. To this end the children of the first grade worked most earn- 
 estly — in reading, to read well ; in story-telling, singing, games, to do their 
 very best when " little sisters and brothers came to school." A bit of sweet 
 was to be served, so little baskets were made and napkins fringed by the little 
 folk now grown big after a year at school. You can imagine the wee guests 
 and all the rest. There was a program, with games in which all could take 
 part; there was a party. The purpose of the teacher wns to give the incoming 
 class a glimpse of that happy place — the school — to establish a friendly rela- 
 tionshiii through this one happy afternoon which would give zest to work when 
 school days really began. It has something in it worthy of consideration. 
 
 The tinest piece of motivated work is resulting from the local history 
 pi-oblem. In this all the teachers and children of the third grade, assisted by 
 some of the teachers of the grammar grades and interested persons of the 
 conmmnity, are working upon the problem of history material for the third 
 grade. A number of pioneer parties or auld lang syne occasions are on the 
 
10 USE OF ACTIVITIES IN THE ELEMENTAEY SCHOOL. 
 
 way toward culmination as the outgi-owth of daily lessons in which excursions 
 to historic spots, use of the camera, history stories, oral and written, original 
 verse, dramatization will play their part. 
 
 Instances could he multiplied but that is unnecessary. Enough has been 
 given to make it clear that there has been an added impetus to a better inter- 
 pretation of the principle of motivation in school work through the coopera- 
 tion of the teachers. The value lies just here, does it not, that the teacher 
 through her own effort and desire to be of service has found a new viewpoint 
 and a new vision? 
 
 CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES CONNECTED WITH THE THREE R'S. 
 
 By Elizabeth Hall, 
 Assistant Superintendent of Svliools, Minneapolis, Minn. 
 
 A question may be raised as to whether freedom of activity is not too 
 frequently thought of as associated with things done with hands and with cer- 
 tain kinds of material which are not conveiUional school material. 
 
 Many children in a room create a problem. About four years ago the first 
 and second grades were divided into three groups instead of two, and the 
 practice was begun of letting these groups go outdoors by turns. When the 
 teacher desired to recall them, some signal was put in the window or a child 
 was sent out for them. Wlien pupils were permitted to go out and play out of 
 doors they would come back refreshed and ready for work, and it was im- 
 mensely better for them than to be handed the usual seat work. 
 
 It was found, too, that the [iarents were delighted with this freedom of the 
 children when they s;iw the advantages which were being gained. Our climate 
 is not the sort that lends itself advantageously to an experiment of this char- 
 actei' because it is extreme for many months of the year. That led to the 
 cleaning out of storerooms and the establishing of playrooms. 
 
 One group is assigned a study lesson, the assignment being partly verbal 
 and partly from directions on the blackboard. When those children have 
 finished that assignment they are at liberty to get up and do something. Be- 
 fore three-quarters of the time of the study period is over, most of the study 
 group of children are not seated in their seats ; one child may be at the black- 
 board engaged in some element in penmanship to which his attention has been 
 called. Another may be working on arithmetic, or working on the cards which 
 lie upon the tnl)le. Two other children may be playing at an arithmetical 
 game on the blackboiu'd, one child coaching the other. 
 
 You will find these little group-: around in every corner ; tliere is not a corner 
 of the building where there are not two or three children working together. 
 They sit do\\'n together in a cosy way in some corner and work together for 10 
 or 15 minutes. This method prevents the nervous strain upon the teacher wliirli 
 comes from a crowded ro(tm, and which has to he looked after all the time. How 
 to break up the routine work and let the little groups scatter out and do this 
 self-directed work Axoiild be the sohition of many of the problems of the primary 
 teacher who knows how to provide the children with something worth while, 
 but who is .so handicapped by the machinery of tlie schoolroom that she has no 
 opportunity to free herself from it. 
 
 There are any number of ways in wliicli to teach children to move about and 
 " do things " and still be doing things which are associated with the " three R's." 
 
USE OF ACTIVITIES IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 11 
 
 PROBLEMS OF ADMINISTRATION AND ORGANIZATION. 
 
 By Josephine F. Lkacii, 
 Direclor of Api)icntice Teaching, Tolclo, Itliio. 
 
 The school system of Toledo is trying to devise measures to gain freedom in 
 the primary grades from the administrative standpoint. The average first-grade 
 schoolroom, with its stationary furniture and equipment, all necessary to accom- 
 modate the great numliers of beginners, is not fitted for the exercise of school 
 activities. ' 
 
 In a small way this problem lias been solved in Toledo. The usual equipment 
 of the primary room consists of 48 or 50 seats. There are not always 50 children. 
 In some of tlie schools where it is knowil that the average attendance never 
 reaches 50 the extra seats are removed, thereby giving the first-grade teacher 
 room for the playing of games and circle activities. 
 
 The setting aside of a 60-minute handwork period, supervised by the super- 
 visor of art, prevented the class teacher from carrying on the work. IMany times 
 the problem for the period was worked out from some central office, and resulted 
 in an activity that was far above primary children from the standpoint of 
 technique. A new distribution of time in the lower grades has done away with 
 this period. A great deal more time is given to handwork, but it is being done 
 as seat work and the motivation for it comes from the other activities of the 
 children. 
 
 Again, it is realized that there are different types of children throughout the 
 elementary grades, therefore special grades are being provided, not for deficient 
 children but for the children who are motor-minded and get things more quickly 
 through the muscles than through the eye or ear. Tliese grades have been 
 started, and it is hoped that next year there will be one for the first grade, where 
 all the work of that first grade will center about industrial activities and yet 
 give to these children the same fundamentals that the children in the other 
 type of work are receiving. 
 
 Fourthly, it has been found in some of the districts, where conditions are 
 crowded or new buildings are being ei'ected, making half-day sessions for the 
 children necessary, that the teacher worked but half a day with her children 
 and brought the slow ones back three times a week for special work. She then 
 had some time left to go into the homes of the district to visit, and actually 
 accomplished more \\ith this plan than did the teacher who had an all-day 
 session. It was realized that at some point in the all-day session there was a 
 waste of time. Now the upper two-thirds of the first-grade children are dis- 
 missed at 10.40 in the morning and the other third remain until 11.30 for 
 helpful work. 
 
 When such problems as these are solved from tlie administrative side of the 
 scliool system the average primai-y teacher will cooperate in bringing freedom 
 into her work. Rut teachers must be brought together and shown what the 
 .social motive means. Last yeai- the kindergarten as.sociation brought Mi.ss 
 Brown from Teachers College to work a week with the teachers. M rlie 
 close of the period the primary teachers were asked to see how much of the 
 work could be carried out in tlie first grade. Every week a group of these 
 teachers met and brought to the conference any project that they were tryijig. 
 
 In some of the foreign districts a doll was placed in the first grade in order 
 to supply the play motive through which might be taught the first laws of 
 hvgiene to these children. The children .^ave the doll a bath aiul saw that a 
 
12 USE OF ACTIVrilES IN THE ELEMKXTAEY SCHOOL. 
 
 c'liild, too, must be batlied once in a while. Now. every teacher who wants to 
 do so is encouraged to have a doll in her first-grade room. And, after all, that 
 is the big thing. The teacher must icant to do it. Tlie play instinct with tlie 
 child is so strong and 'the desire so great that the children immediately begin 
 to sew and dress the doll, and then they make furniture for its home. The first- 
 grade teacher tells witli entliusiasm how tlie children care for the doll, each day 
 dressing it, and each afternoon before school closes getting it rea&y for the 
 night and putting it to bed. One day a visitor lifted the covers of the little 
 bed and found that the doll had been put to bed without a nightgown. The 
 next morning the teacher asked the little boy who had put the doll to bed about 
 it. She asked: "Why did you put Betty to bed without a nightgown?" He 
 looked at her as if he did not realize what she was talking about. She asked 
 him agatn, and at last said : " Don't you know that when you go to bed you 
 have on a nightgown? " And the boy replied : " I don't know, for I never had a 
 nightgown." 
 
 In addition to solving the problem of greater activity in the primary grades, 
 such experiences reveal the home life of the children and prove to us that to 
 educate boys and girls we must enter into their lives and influence their mode 
 of living as well as teach them five hours each day. 
 
 OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTIVITY INHERENT IN THE ORDINARY 
 SCHOOL SUBJECTS. 
 
 By Alma L. Binzel, 
 
 Director of rrncticc Teachiiirj, Minneapolis, Minn. 
 
 There should be fuller recognition of the fact that in the older school sub- 
 jects can also be found occasion for developing social attitudes and habits of 
 cooperation and individual ones of resourcefulness and initiative. 
 
 To teach a small group of children in one subject in the elementary depart- 
 ment of a normal school is one thing; to teach twice and thrice as many, while 
 an equal number are carrying on study at their seats and to teach them all 
 from 8 to 10 subjects a day in a public school, is a different thing. No wonder 
 the new and young teacher feels somewhat perplexed in her first contact with 
 the school system of a large city. With the five young teachers who came to me 
 this fall without experience other than normal-school student teaching, I tried 
 to emphasize the fundamental necessity of training children to persistent habits 
 •of study ; to the prompt and good accomplishment of assignments ; to the avoid- 
 ance of dawdling. The time does not permit of any analysis of all that is in- 
 volved in these three things ; but one procedure that has proved effective may 
 be mentioned ; it should be added to the excellent things that liave already 
 been presented ; it is the self-chosen, the self-directed task. 
 
 This type of task often takes its form and content fi-om dramatic and con- 
 structive activities ; it should as often take them from the conventional s<-h()ol 
 materials. 
 
 There is no reason why children should not move about freely during llieir 
 seat study periods in the accomplishment of necessary tasks and with due 
 regaud for the rights of other children in recitation work. One young teacher 
 succeeds In freeing children during study periods. While she conducts a recita- 
 tion with one-half her group, the other half know that newly assigned work 
 must be done first and well : that upon its completion, the worker is at liberty 
 to choose something else. For everyone there is plenty to do either in perfect- 
 ing some bit of skill, making up some lost time, or forging ahead to new aspects. 
 
USE OF ACTIVITIES IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 13 
 
 The seat study group begins to dissolve. Some go to the wrap hall to en- 
 gage each other in speeding up in accuracy or time their arithmetic ; some go to 
 the storeroom to engage in oral reading; some go to the blackboard to prac- 
 tice penmanship or spelling or arithmetic, each as he feels his greatest need 
 at the time. Frequently the children work in pairs ; sometimes the captain 
 of a " pronouncing-down " team coaches a weak member on his side ; sometimes 
 a child who thinks he has arrived at mastery asks his neighbor to test him 
 out ; sometimes a game is started just for the fun of the game. 
 
 A B 3 grade teacher was the first to experiment with this kind of a seat study 
 period. From time to time her opinion of it has been asked. Her first com- 
 ment was " It makes the order in a room very different from wliat I expected, 
 but I think it helps the children." She would undoubtedly subscribe to the 
 following as effects of removing unnecessary restraints upon children during 
 seat study periods. 
 
 First. It reduces idleness and consequently mischief. Discipline comes 
 through worth-wliile activity ; repressive " don'ts " can be eliminated. 
 
 Second. It stimulates all types of children to ambitious attacks upon their 
 own peculiar difficulties. 
 
 Third. It reveals the children to themselves and the teacher. It makes her 
 look for the changes in the individual child ; it makes her more inteljigent as 
 to his limitations and more appreciative of his efforts. She becomes more 
 hopeful and patient ; he becomes more persevering and successful. 
 
 If the modern movement of measurement has revealed anything important 
 it is that of the varying abilities and achievements of children who are put 
 together and labeled this grade or that, only to find as work is assigned to them 
 each day, that some can not, some can with difficulty, some just can, and some 
 can without exertion, accomplish the task. Any procedure that will aid in 
 adjustment of tasks to individuals is worthy of trial. In the self-cliosen, self- 
 directed task there is one help toward such adjustment. It is believed that 
 it aids in cultivating those traits of independence and cooperation which are 
 also among the goals of the newer constructive and dramatic activities of the 
 primary grades. 
 
 NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS IN ADMINISTRATION AND ORGANIZA- 
 TION. 
 
 By Ada Van Stonk Harkis, 
 Director of Elementary Practice TeachiiKj, Pittsburijh, Pa. 
 
 The principal work which this organization has to do resolves itself largely 
 into a question of organization. A very large percentage of our teachers are 
 eager to do this type of work and are eager to put into their classrooms the 
 broader activity. The majority of the teachers of the country are seeking light 
 and are eager to advance in it, but many of them are working luider such 
 liighly organized systems that it is quite impossible for them to do this work, 
 even though the desire may be very great. 
 
 The large number of pupils per teacher is a serious problem. This organiza- 
 tion should labor to reduce the number of pupils per teacher. Teachers do not 
 have enough freedom in their work ; they are obliged to do certain amount:^ of 
 work in a given time. One thing which has confronted me for many years has 
 been, " Well. I must be at such a place at the end of the semester." Teachers 
 must be released from this condition ; it must be made possible for chiefs, school 
 
14 USE OF ACTIVITIES IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
 
 boards, and school principals to recognize these things, and to give the teachers 
 greater freedom. If a teacher has initiative, give her liberty to exercise that 
 initiative. 
 
 In the city of Pittsburgh during the past two years movable furniture has 
 been installed in the new school buildings in the first and second grades. There 
 are now from 20 to 35 rooms in Pittsburgh which have such furniture. One-half 
 of each room is furnished with kindergarten tables and chairs, and the other 
 half with movable desks and chairs. In that way a teacher is given freedom for 
 carrying out the various activities. 
 
 Teachers must also be granted more fi'eedom in their schedule. A teacher can 
 not do this type of work when she is obliged to follow a time schedule which 
 hangs over her head like an ax, so to speak. 
 
 WASHINGTON : GOVERNMEN'T PRINTING OFFICE : 1917 
 
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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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