OF EDUCATION 9 



tions of their own classes to female pupils, while the teacher 

 sits by as an observer or engaged in reading. 



To such a puerile slur as this I consider it un- 

 necessary to make any formal reply. The design of 

 the writer is everywhere obvious. But he sets the 

 matter right in the next sentence and nullifies his own 

 objection. 



Upon careful consideration your committee regard this 

 method of teaching as an advantage to the young ladies who 

 act as teachers, but as injurious to all who do not. It is 

 beneficial to those who least need assistance and injurious to 

 those who most need it. 



Then it is clearly an advantage to every one in the 

 senior class, and every one in the junior class, for all 

 alike have stood before the class to conduct the exer- 

 cises, one just as often as another. The recitation is 

 never wholly entrusted to the pupils, but only so 

 much of it as I have deemed advantageous to them. 

 During that part of the recitation conducted by the 

 pupils, I have endeavored to have the class feel that 

 the whole responsibility rested on them. This form 

 of recitation is for the purpose of inculcating self- 

 possession, self-reliance, dignity, easy manners and 

 thorough scholarship. The pupil questions the class 

 upon the lesson without the book, that is, asks orig- 

 inal questions. This makes the best possible test of 

 a good lesson on the part of the questioner. It also 



