and Laboratory Methods. 



2305 



as is the fashion in some places, or he may check what may prove a useless 

 employment of the time of a pupil who puzzles over some meaningless detail, 

 or finally, the teacher may read test answers in the report with a view to criti- 

 cizing the accuracy, the clearness and the form of the answers. All these things 

 can be done and done well with classes which do not exceed thirty-five in mem- 

 bership ; with more than thirty-five the strain upon the teacher becomes too 

 great, and the effectiveness of the class work correspondingly less. When the 

 report on the locust is finished it is set aside, and preparation is made for the 

 drawing. No drawing or sketching is permitted in the report, because we 

 believe the pupil should recognize the value of being able to tell about some- 

 thing without the necessity of making a sketch to show what he means. The 



energy that might be dissipated through a half-dozen sketches is saved for one 

 very formal and complete drawing of the lateral aspect of the insect. The effect 

 of this policy may be appreciated, when we remember that a good drawing is 

 far more impressive than any number of diagrams, and indeed, quite as valuable 

 in its reactive influence, as a well written description. 



We consider time well spent if two forty-five minute periods are taken to com- 

 plete a general drawing, approaching in excellence the one shown in Fig. 1 (p. 

 2803) of the locust. Of course, we usually are obliged to accept results much less 

 satisfactory than those indicated. While the boys are engaged in drawing, the 

 teacher's time is fully occupied with individual criticisms (class criticisms do 



