the idea so well. This topic means the method by which the unit serves us personally. For instance, in the case of the fire department we get personal service by ringing the fire alarm. The boys make a detailed study as to what those services are. Such methods of procedure as the obtaining of granolithic sidewalks in front of one's residence come under this topic.

Much less time is spent on Civics as pertaining to state affairs and still less on national; for beyond voting at election time the average citizen is little called upon to direct them. However, for cultural and broadening effect as well as patriot reasons, he should trace each one of these units through the state and national levels. When teaching the level, Civic Problems, we bring up the important questions of the day with regard to each unit. These of course vary with the time and place. Very often these questions have been previously spoken of and their development watched. Time should now be taken to marshall all the facts and arguments on both sides. The teacher should not force his opinions on the pupils, but confine his efforts to showing the boys the need of looking on both sides of an argument before making a decision.

Having formed our outline or plan of study, the next thing is to formulate our methods of teaching. In starting the work the teacher must hold himself ready to give plenty of thought and labor to make the work of interest to the boy. He should endeavor to make the work practical and to instill the right attitude towards it. Upon the teacher rests the solemn duty of training a part of our future citizens, upon whose shoulders rests the welfare of our land. Although this influence may at first seem meager, it may be spreading in eyer widening circles for either right or wrong impressions.

All the work in the New Bedford school is handled with the idea of no compulsory home work. However, if a boy wishes to do outside study or reading he is encouraged to do so in every possible way. Most of the actual work is done in the class period. The most common method is class discussion. Topics for discussion are placed on the blackboard and then various ones are called upon to give some phase of the subject. Each boy has something different to tell and thus they gain much from each other. They also gain in their power of expression and ability to get up and talk before the class. The interest of all the boys is held because each is interested in the experiences of their classmates.

When questions arise which no one in the class can answer, it is referred to the next lesson. There are various ways of settling these questions. A boy may be selected to look it up in reference books while the rest of the class goes on with the work. Later he reads or orally reports to the class. The whole class may be asked to find out by questioning elders at home or some one boy, who has special opportunities, may be asked to find out. A more formal way is to choose a committee of two or possibly three to go directly to the persons concerned and inquire and then report to the class. This last method must be followed with a great deal of care. Permission must always be secured from the authorities beforehand. The committee must be small so as not to be an intrusion and to make the responsibility felt by the boys.) It is wise to talk to the boys beforehand as to how to ask for the information and they must distinctly feel that a favor has been done them by the officials. In most cases the city officials are very glad to coöperate with the school. This method if carried out to include all the boys at some time has some very good results. It develops responsibility, interest in the subject at hand, ability to meet people easily, and a personal knowledge of some of the city's departments. Certainly more information is retained by the boys than by reading a chapter on the same subject in a text book. Even those boys who have not served on a committee will remember the work more easily for its connection with their own city, government about which they know more or less personally.

Occasionally, if there is a definite object in view, the whole class may be taken to visit an office or department, but this is hardly worth while for a sight-seeing trip. Last term I took a class to one of the fire stations. There a fireman explained by connecting alarm boxes how to ring an alarm and the mechanism of the system. This I considered an important object for a class visit as it was information every citizen should possess and could best be obtained in that way. Usually, however, the class time is too valuable to be spent in such a manner.

Parliamentary Rules which are considered with Civics in our school are taught chiefly by the supervision of the boys' organizations. The athletic association is the most fruitful result of this, as it takes in all the boys and teachers. Everything is conducted according to strictest rule, all the teachers coöperating to see that

this is done. If there is time, it may be well to use several class periods in teaching the principles and methods of starting a new club under Parliamentary Rules.

In connection with the Civics also comes the responsibility of the weekly speakers at the school. These are men of responsible civic or business positions who speak about their work to the boys. It brings a new view-point to the work that the boys have been studying all the week.

The use of text books has a place in the work, but to rely on them as is the usual custom will weaken the course. An ordinary method of teaching not only Civics but many other subjects has been, I believe, to select some text book on the subject and beginning with the first chapter cause the pupils to read and later recite without books the facts presented therein. In some such manner the whole book is covered; the work made more or less interesting according to the personality of the teacher. No matter how much interest is put into the work by the teacher or how well learned the facts may be, the text book method cannot teach all that the subject should give to the pupils.

This is particularly true in the case of teaching Civics. To make the subject vital and worth while to the boys it must be kept up-to-date. Civics is predominantly a study of conditions in the present and a text book even though published last year, will not give the problems of this year's election, for an instance. Furthermore, in the survey of the subject we decided that the larger amount of time should be devoted to local affairs and to conditions in our home city in particular. Now an examination of the usual text book will reveal the fact that the arrangement is almost directly opposite. Much space is given to the national government at Washington, nearly as much to state government, while that devoted to city and town conditions is very meagre and quite general in character. So it may be seen that books of this character do not lend themselves readily to the study of Civics according to our outline. Neither will a book written for use in one specific city be adequate because of the difficulty encountered in making it up-to-date. Therefore I recommend that the text book be used as reference only.

In taking up the work let the basis be the topical outline. It should be worked out very concisely by the teacher

and kept as a guide by the boys in their note-books. After the discussion of the topics on the outline, place as many different text books as possible in the hands of the boys and ask them to read all they can find upon the subject. Drill the boys in the use of the index and the table of contents.

This method of

using the books teaches them how to look for information that they wish to acquire; gives them a broader outlook of the subject matter; and by comparison of the books shows them the value of using more than one authority. The use of text books in some such manner as this, combined with other devices suggested in this article, will make the Civics course much more vivid to the boy.

Besides the many books and pamphlets used as references, there is much other material which may be collected. The newspapers are ever full of interest. The boys should be encouraged to read newspapers and select that which is true news. They should be taught of how little real importance the sensational divorce and murder stories are. Items and articles on development in city, state and national affairs should be cut out and brought into class. A large bulletin board on which thesc articles can be posted is advisable. Many magazine articles and pictures may be used, as well as specimen ballots, tax bills, etc. These may be kept in a large scrap-book under appropriate headings or by some system of filing. They will prove very valuable for the pupil if kept open at all times for his use.

Methods such as described, with some such outline, will cause much more mental labor on the part of the teacher than the old book methods of study and recitation. Unless one is a mental shirk the rewards will more than repay. The greater interest stimulated will cause Civics to be studied not only during class time, but all the time. For the boys' ears are always listening to the things their minds are interested in, whether it be in the class room or in their homes. Furthermore, the teacher's influence will be directly felt by this method, leaving its impress to go on through the years as a guide to true patriotism.*

A carefully prepared series of Outlines in Community Civics, embodying the main ideas set forth in the above article, has been recently published by the Publishers of Education-Editor.

The Future of Latin and Greek

IRVING WRIGHT SMITH, PRINCIPAL OF HIGH SCHOOL,

T

SIMSBURY, CONN.

HE future of Latin and Greek is to be the subject of this paper. Are we taking part in the last sad rites attending the funeral of a well-beloved but very dead pair of subjects; or are we rather suffering the travail which precedes the birth of a new life for Latin and Greek? Are we witnessing the end or the beginning?

My purpose is to show the present relation of the classics to the most important educational tendency of the day, then to show what that relation may, and probably will, be in the future.

It is not necessary to call attention to the fact that the greater portion of "this dim spot which men call earth" is shuddering in the throes of an agonizing war, in which, we are told, autocracy is fighting democracy, notwithstanding the paradoxical position of Russia. Some assert that the conflict is between Kultur and Culture; a Kultur of materialistic efficiency but lacking in spiritual elements, a Culture which has the loftier elements but lacks efficiency. For the sake of argument grant the truth of these assertions. Such being the case, I maintain that a similar conflict is being waged in the educational world today, a conflict between autocracy and democracy, a conflict between immediate efficiency and ultimate well-being and happiness, namely, the conflict between the practical, or bread-winning, studies and the cultural subjects.

To compare our educational controversies with this great war in which the two bitterest enemies are autocratic Germany and Democratic England, may seem strange to you. But it is still more strange, if we consider the immense contributions to classical learning made in the past by Germany, to note the "bated breath and whispering humbleness" with which the advocates of the so-called vocational subjects refer to modern German educa