204 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



indicated — inadvisable, not only because the teacher loses 

 interest in the stereotyped but because of the danger that in 

 routine work he may be tempted to make too many short cuts 

 for the boy to gain full benefit from the course ; also it must 

 be remembered that increasing complexity and difficulty 

 are necessary, since exercises which soon become automatic 

 are of limited value. Neatness, cleanliness and accuracy are 

 essential ; their neglect brings its own punishment. At the 

 commencement it is usual to suggest a model or two — in order 

 that unnecessary repetitions of instructions may be avoided ; 

 later in the course, occasional suggestions may be advisable 

 but due regard must be paid to the principle that boys should 

 make something in which they are interested, not something in 

 which the adult thinks they should take interest. The following 

 list of varied objects made by a class of about thirty boys in 

 one term illustrates the progress made and the scope and range 

 of the work : 



Chess-boards, string- boxes, instrument-cases, egg-boxes, 

 square and hexagonal trays and vases of various 

 shapes, napkin-rings, a collar-box, wall-corner pockets, 

 letter-holders, a portfolio, stationery-cases, photograph- 

 frames, pocket-books, geometrical models and the 

 ubiquitous aeroplane. 



Much mechanical drawing was done incidentally. In the 

 course of the work, methods of representing and the properties 

 of plans, elevations, developments and the like were investigated 

 and illustrated ; these were readily appreciated. As an example, 

 the various steps involved in making, say, a string-box may 

 be taken. A box being shown, a description of its shape is 

 required. It has, in common with other solids, length, breadth 

 and thickness — these being the terms by which the fundamental 

 conception of three mutually perpendicular directions is 

 distinguished. If these are equal, it is called a cube ; other 

 somewhat similarly shaped solids are called cuboids : the boys 

 easily recognise the fact that a cuboid of any shape or size can 

 be built up from cubes of one size. 



If it cannot be assumed that the boys know how to make 

 a straight line and a right angle by paper-folding or in other 

 ways, this is the place to introduce such concepts. It is not 

 educational to start with the point, line, angle, etc.— mathe- 



