A BOYS' BIED EVENING. 



SOME QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT BIRDS 

 AND THEIR HABITS. 



One of my j)leasantest evenings was spent 

 some time ago with the boys of a local associa- 

 tion. The superintendent, who is interested in 

 the mental development of the members of his 

 de})artment, had asked me to talk to the boys 

 on " Fly-aways " — meaning the migratory birds. 

 Instead of delivering a formal lecture, I spoke 

 in a familiar way, frequently interjecting a 

 question as I })roceeded with my descriptions. 

 This method succeeded in keeping tlie class 

 w^ide-aw^ake ; indeed, tliey seemed to be on the 

 tiptoe of ex])ectation, not knowing at wdiat mo- 

 ment one of my questions would be i>roJected 

 into their camp. 



This leads me to remark, by way of ])areii- 

 thesis, that the Socratic method seems to be 

 best adapted to giving instruction to restless 



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