34 TEACHING SCHOOL— STUDYING BOTANY 



in difficulty. I could write many pages on my experiences, but 

 will only mention two. The students had to teach in the Model 

 School to show their ability. The third division was the terror 

 of the whole class and one of the dreadful troubles young students 

 had to meet. One morning I was notified to teach it, the lesson 

 was the Pigeon. I came in and found myself in front of a gallery 

 of boys that would average perhaps ten or more years. Pande- 

 monium reigned for a time as every boy wished to tell me about 

 his pigeons. I was nonplussed, but finally got in a word and 

 asked them to tell me something about wild pigeons. This 

 caused the clamour to cease and as no one spoke I asked them to 

 tell what wild pigeons ate in the spring when they came "in such 

 numbers. One boy said "peas," I said that was right, "but what 

 did they get in the woods," no answer, and I said: "I will tell 

 you, the fruit of the elm." I had seen them eat it. At this point 

 the Head Master of the Model School came in and the bell rang. 

 I had never reached the lesson. I believed I was a failure and 

 would get no certificate. Next week a student told me that I 

 was all right for he had seen the teachers' standing in the Model and 

 I stood high. Some years ago I saw a book written about the 

 teaching of that time and the author hinted that the Third Divi- 

 sion was designed to test the teacher's ability to keep order. 



The other episode was different. Dr. John Sangster was our 

 science master and he always questioned us before lecturing on 

 the preceding lecture. He had lectured one day on pneumatics 

 and told the class about the atmosphere. I was absent teaching 

 in the Model School and knew nothing about what he said. When 

 he began to question this day, I took care to not catch his eye. 

 He marked me and immediately asked me what was the weight 

 of the atmosphere. I was taken aback by the question, but 

 promptly answered, if he found the number of square inches on 

 the globe and multiplied them by fifteen he would find the weight. 

 In his usual sarcastic way, he said that would do, but said, why 

 did I not follow his lecture. I said that I did not hear it as I was 

 at the Model. From this time forward I could see his eye twinkle 

 every time he met me. 



Time passed and we formed a football club at the Normal 



