COLOR PHOTOGRAPHS AND CONVERSATION LESSONS. 
INCE Nature Study Pub- 
lishing Company, in Jan- 
uary, 1897, put before the 
teaching world the first 
accurately beautiful rep- 
resentations, not only of the forms of 
nature but of the tints and colors also, 
the brightest minds have been active 
in noting the effectiveness of the color 
photograph in school. Thousands of 
teachers have vied with each other in 
applying them in nature study with 
most gratifying results. 
An important discovery has been 
made almost at the same time by 
many of them. The lively interest 
aroused by the bird presented, the 
agreeable sensations the child experi- 
ences in relating incidents and hear- 
ing from his mates and teacher about 
its habits, and the reminiscences of 
delightful outdoor experiences, all 
tend to warm the child to enthusiasm. 
This point of warmth is the supreme 
opportunity of the teacher. Instruc- 
tion given under such a glow is in- 
tensely educative. A few minutes of 
such work is worth hours of effort 
where the child is but indifferently 
aroused. 
Many of the best first primary teach- 
ers do not begin to teach reading dur- 
ing the first few weeks of the child in 
school. They aim, first, to establish 
a bond of sympathy between them- 
selves and their pupils, to extend their 
range of ideas, and to expand their 
powers of expression. Expression is 
induced and encouraged along all lines, 
by words, music, drawing, color work, 
and physical motions. 
The common things of life are dis- 
cussed, experiences related, and the 
imagination brought strongly into 
play. Songs and recitations are given 
with the actions of birds, animals, per- 
sons, or machines, imitated joyously 
by groups of children. Gaines calcu- 
lated to train the senses and the 
memory are indulged in. The whole 
nature of the child is called into play, 
and perfect freedom of expression is 
sought. 
Experience shows that intelligent 
training along these lines is profitable. 
The time of learning reading and 
spelling is somewhat deferred, and 
number work is delayed, but the chil- 
dren who are skilfully trained in this 
way outstrip the others rapidly when 
they bring their trained powers to bear 
upon the things that are popularly 
supposed to be the business of a school. 
Superintendent Speer has shown that 
pupils whose technical instruction has 
been deferred for several months in 
this way are found at the end of the 
second year far superior to others of 
equal promise, who have been put at 
reading, spelling, and number work 
directly. 
To conduct a conversation lesson 
requires some tact. Not tact in ask- 
ing questions, nor in "talking down" 
to the level of the children. Direct 
questions are of doubtful value in the 
first grade. In fact, the value of the 
lesson may sometimes be judged by 
the absence of such questions put by 
the teacher. The question mark and 
the pump handle resemble each other, 
and often force up perfunctory contri- 
butions, and sometimes they merely 
produce a dry sound. Children do 
not care to be pumped. 
Here are a few questions that give 
the children little pleasure and less 
opportunity for expression: Isn't this 
a very pretty bird? Do you see 
what a bright eye it has ? How many 
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