42 



In physiology, when we can not make lessons plain 

 by means of books and charts, we call to our assist- 

 ance the lower animals, — cats, dogs, rats, mice, turtles, 

 frogs, etc. We use the turtle to explain the beating of 

 the heart, the frog's foot and the microscope to il- 

 lustrate circulation, cat's brains preserved in 2 percent, 

 formalin and 6 per cent, bichromate of potash to show 

 the white and gra}^ matter; by hardening and coloring 

 and using a good sharp razor this is easily done. 

 Along with this we teach practical ph3^siology — mak- 

 ing and rolling bandages, winding them on broken (?) 

 arms, legs, lingers, etc., making poultices, the use of 

 antiseptics, vaselines, soaps, water, arnica, how to 

 make splints for broken limbs, what to do in fainting, 

 etc. Perhaps you do not wonder at the opposition on 

 the part of parents and guardians. I must add also 

 that we have parliamentary drills, elections with the in- 

 official ballots. These things I claim are more neces- 

 sary than memorizing dates of wars, births, deaths, 

 etc. We also teach business science b;.' actual work, 

 book-keeping, writing business papers — checks, notes, 

 receipts, monthly statements, due-bills telegrams, 

 mortgages, deeds, coupon bonds, etc. on genuine blanks 

 obtained from those who use them in business. These 

 are also necessar3^ A teacher may talk coupon bond 

 until he is gray, if the pupil does not see one, read it, 

 study it and work it out, he does not know it. 



The good resulting from this class of work is very 

 great. In my school room we are as a large family. 

 We have little use or need for rules usualy observed in 

 schools. We rarely have poor lessons, no tardiness 

 and but few cases of absence. We become the better 

 acquainted with the beautiful things about us, seeing 

 what we knew not of before and in most cases make 

 school life a pleasure where to some it w^as but 

 drudgery. W^e learn to distinguish the harmful plants, 

 insects, birds and animals from the harmless, to de- 

 stroy or shun the former and protect the latter. When 

 reading magazines, journals, papers, etc., we get a 



