32O METHODS IN TEACHING 



dren in the room who are so lawless that they must be re- 

 strained by rules and regulations, for it is noticeable that in 

 every class there are few evil-disposed pupils in proportion 

 to the whole number; but they also reason out very easily 

 that two or three noisy, quarrelsome, or disobedient pupils 

 quickly disturb the peace and happiness of the whole class. 

 Hence the need of restraint. Rules for direction, for train- 

 ing, whether in book learning or in conduct, are for the 

 many ; they are for progress, and all wish to advance. Some 

 need more training than others; consequently, such rules 

 may have to remain in effect longer for some pupils than for 

 others. These thoughts, simplified for childish minds, made 

 concrete by schoolroom examples, talked over in friendly, 

 cooperative manner, prove remarkably helpful in fitting the 

 individual into the social and governmental relations of 

 school life, in arousing a desire for every one to control him- 

 self by responding to conditions, and in direct preparation 

 for self government. 



The children in the first two grades are too immature to 

 be interested in the city government, but they take pleasure 

 in learning the names of some of the public 

 Officials officials nearest to their lives. In talking 



over the school system, for example, it is 

 easy to pass from the class teacher to the principal of the 

 building, then to the superintendent of schools. It is even 

 of importance to give names accurately, writing them upon 

 the board when not well understood. The duties of the 

 teacher, principal, superintendent, can be talked over briefly, 

 so that the children begin to see the interdependence of the 

 parts in a large system and their relation to the well-being 

 of the whole. The mail service is traced out briefly from 



