146 THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA 



identical. In the seven classes in grade? 4 and 5, the automatic 

 spf'lling exercise came first four times, and each time the median 

 score for rational spelling was slightly higher. In the same classes, 

 the rational spelling exercise came first three times, and each time 

 the median score for automatic spelling was slight'y higher. This 

 might indicate that the pupils in grades 4 and 5 were more influenced 

 in their spelling by the general newness of the situation than they 

 were by the kind of exercises used. It also shows that fatigue was 

 no<- an important clement in the experiment. 



While the data are meager, they tend to substantiate the con- 

 clusions reached in the Ceveland Survey, namely, that there is very 

 little difference in spelling accuracy due to using either the rational 

 or automatic method. This is contrary to the rather common notion 

 that automatic spelling is less accurate than rational. 



XXXIII. THE MAGNETISM OF THE MAP 



Sophie Ravitch Altshiller Court 



Norman, Oklahoma. 



A French writer once said : "Le temips le mieux employe c'est 

 celui qu'on perd," — "The time best spent is the time we waste." 

 This is true in many respects, but the ttuth of this saying is espe- 

 cially important when applied to children. We map out the day's 

 schedule for them and we dole out to them so much for arithmetic, 

 so much for reading, so much for physical exercise, so much for re- 

 creation. And all the time the child tries to break these bonds, to 

 do something else, to "waste time," as we call it. Yet, watch a 

 thoughtful, intelligent, active, normal child during the moments 

 which it has for itself legitimately or illegitimately. As a rule it 

 learns during this "wasted" time more than during the time of 

 imposed study. Unfortunately, there are so many definite facts, 

 the knowledge of which our complicated life demands imperatively, 

 that we cannot leave the children to gather their information in a 

 hap-hazard way and must teach them systematically. 



But our children are comparatively free before school age. It 

 is then therefore that we can reap a rich crop of psychological 

 truths by observing their natural inclinations, the methods they use in 

 getting acquainted with the outer world, the problems they become 

 interested in, and the ways in which they solve them. Thoughtful, 

 bright, precocious children are of special value from this point of 

 view, because they approach in their pre •;chool age problems and 

 subjects which we find necessary to bring before other children at 

 a later age. 



