xii NEWS FROM THE BIRDS. 



After tlie child has learned how to observe what 

 is essential in one class of objects he is in a measure 

 fitted to observe for himself all objects that resemble 

 this class. After he has learned how to observe the 

 seeds of the milkweed, he is partially prepared to 

 observe the seeds of the dandelion, the burdock, and 

 the thistle. After he has learned how to study the 

 history of his native country, he has acquired sotne 

 ability to study the history of England and Scotland 

 or France or Germany. In the same way the daily 

 preparation of his reading lesson at school aids him 

 to read a story of Dickens or Walter Scott. 



The teacher of a school will know how to obtain 

 a small sum to invest in supplementary reading. In 

 a graded school of four hundred pupils ten books of 

 each number are sufficient, one set of ten books to be 

 loaned the first week to the best pupils in one of the 

 rooms, the next week to the ten pupils next in ability. 

 On Monday afternoon a discussion should be held 

 over the topics of interest to the pupils who have 

 read the book. The pupils who have not yet read 

 the book will become interested, and await anxiously 

 their turn for the loan of the desired volume. Another 

 set of ten books of a higher grade may be used in the 

 same way in a room containing more advanced pupils. 

 The older pupils who have left school, and also the 

 parents, should avail themselves of the opportunity to 

 read the books brought home from school. Thus is 

 begun that continuous education by means of the pub- 

 lic library which is not limited to the school period, 

 but lasts through life. W. T. Haekis. 



Washington, D. C, Nov. 16, 1S96. 



