5i8 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY, 



ideas tlius used. Later, the fundamental idea of the Boston experi- 

 ment was taken up, and the chief attention directed to the selec- 

 tion of topics and materials for real science lessons. 



In this Avork no effort was made to introduce the vocabulary 

 of the reader assigned to the grade. In February that reader — 

 Appletons' First — was given to the children for the first time. 

 To quote Miss MacChesney's own words: " The interest which had 

 been awakened by the reading of their own thoughts was trans- 

 ferred to the books, and the grade work was completed before the 

 required time — thus more than fulfilling the condition on which 

 the trial was allowed to be made." 



The work in reading went on in this manner during a second 

 year, all other grade work being done in the old ways. During 

 the third year systematic lessons on minerals and plants were 

 given, and work in literature begun ; and the children's sentences 

 were written out on a typewriter. In a letter written at the close 

 of this year. Miss MacChesney says : " Out of a room of forty chil- 

 dren, divided equally into two classes, one class finished the first 

 year's work in eight months ; the other class, with the exception 

 of two children, completed the grade work at the end of the year, 

 besides doing all the extra work ; and the whole was accomplished 

 with ease and happiness on the part of both pupils and teacher." 

 During the first year of trial, another teacher in the Lewis School, 

 Miss Quackenbush, became interested in Miss MacChesney's work, 

 and began a similar attempt with her own class. In a short time 

 she produced excellent results. 



From the first, Mr. Bright carefully watched the progress of 

 the trial, and willingly and patiently waited its results. When 

 convinced of the superiority of the principles involved and of the 

 results obtained, he earnestly championed the cause, and has con- 

 tinued to be its enthusiastic supporter. 



During the second year, teachers' meetings were called, discus- 

 sions aroused, illustrative lessons given, courses of lectures for the 

 teachers projected, and other teachers joined in the work. A 

 teacher wrote me at the time : " I never saw teachers so ready and 

 eager to ' speak in m.eeting ' ; . . . I never saw them so thoroughly 

 awake.'^ Finally the principals and teachers of the Englewood 

 schools generally waked up to the fact that something new and 

 interesting was going on in their midst ; the idea spread, and many 

 visitors came from adjoining towns.* 



* In the fall of 18S8 Miss MacChesney gave a scries of lessons on grasshoppers and 

 beetles. These the children caught for themselves, but she herself killed and preserved 

 them in alcohol. The following summer, while teaching at an institute, she was attacked 

 quite fiercely for this part of her work, on the plea that it was inculcating cruelty. I should 

 like to ask all who bring this plea whether they eschew roast beef for dinner. Shall a 

 million beasts of a high grade of intelligence and finely wrought nervous systems daily wit- 



