civics 325 



public money can be studied in the fifth and sixth grades as 

 well as in the seventh and eighth. Americans are proverbi- 

 ally careless of public buildings. Instructions concerning 

 their acquisition and care are very necessary. Children often 

 deface public buildings because they are ignorant of the fact 

 that the people themselves must either endure the displeas- 

 ing appearance or they must pay for the renovating. Waste 

 of public supplies, whether by oneself or permitted in some 

 one else should be considered. 



Through the last three years of the grammar grades a 

 class society is very helpful to the pupils in acquiring some 



knowledge of how a meeting should be 

 Societies conducted, and of how to work together in 



organizations. Such a society should have 

 a definite reason for existence; it should not be conducted 

 in a haphazard manner; some recognized set of parliament- 

 ary rules should be followed in all the forms needed by the 

 children. 



In order to become familiar with the needs of government, 

 the difficulties attending a democracy, and the consequent 



necessity for public spirit and unselfish at- 

 Self- 

 Government tention to details let the children of any of 



the higher grammar grades undertake some 

 degree of self-government. By the will of the majority, 

 expressed in regular form, they can make some rules for 

 their own government in school, in the yard, concerning 

 their games; members of the class can be appointed or 

 elected to enforce these rules ; some form of punishment may 

 even be decided upon for any violation of the rules. Such 

 a self-government committee may become the very life and 

 inspiration of a school. The teacher must, of necessity, be 



