vocabulary. She read an advertisement from a label removed from a box of some new chemical to put on firelogs. The children picked out the words that made pictures: rainbow, dancing figures, ballet, and others. The teacher then said, "You are to be advertisement writers. Write the advertising copy for one of these: a new spice cooky, sports car, plant food, stereophonic set, or fabric. Then, if you enjoy the experience, you may go ahead and write some other advertisements that you especially want to do.

Enthusiasm ran high. "Is there a deadline?" asked one. "There's no deadline," replied the teacher. "That sometimes keeps the thoughts from flowing when we are trying to be creative. Tomorrow we'll see how much we've done."

Physical education. The special teacher announced that any sixth-graders who wished to might join the fifth-graders for square dancing that the others would do social dancing. They needed to practice the cha-cha, rumba, swing step, and polka. In order to mix boys and girls, names were written on colored slips for drawing. The teacher explained to the observer that many devices are used for this purpose, among them backing into each other, and drawing shoes from the circle. (For the latter, each child removes a shoe and puts it into the circle.)

The social dancing proved a joy to observe. Here, too, special gifts appeared as the children showed their sense of rhythm, coordination, skill, and general release from tension.

Our schoolroom is a cozy place, bright with the laughter of the children. The wall of windows welcomes the sun. Three green walls echo the hum of children at work. Blackboards line two walls with gay decorations, adding color. At the front of the room the flag hangs proudly, looking glorious and wise, and guarding us all. The teacher's desk stands close by, like a mother hen surrounded by her little chicks all anxious to learn to peck. Bulletin boards, with their displays, add to the brightness of our room. Yes, our schoolroom is our delight.

These I Have Loved

The noise of the classroom,

Fat books, small books,

Sleep.

The bumping of milk bottles,

Cars rushing past me,

The ticking of the clock.

The funny look of eraser dust.
Blankets, so warm and tender.
These I have long cherished.

A Day on the Water

There's nothing I like so much as a sunbath on the deck of a moving boat. Here I was, getting all the sun I could ask for. Slowly my eyes closed. I could still feel the gentle swaying of the boat. Suddenly I heard cheers! I could hear children saying that we were now passing the Statue of Liberty. Now the clicking of cameras was steady. From shouts I could tell the Williamsburg Bridge was straight ahead. The next thing I heard about was the U.N. I really wanted to open my eyes and see it, but the sun was too luxurious to make me even bat an eyelash. The Yankee Stadium came next, I was still taking a sunbath. Then I heard a boat's whistle and I realized we were passing a tugboat. Suddenly I heard movement all about me, and I realized the boat was ready to dock, and children were hurrying off. It was now time to open my eyes and end my sunbath. I will admit I didn't see the sights, but I got a wonderful suntan!

Responsibility Follows Privilege

In the U.S. we are fortunate to have certain privileges, such as freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and the right to vote. With these privileges there is responsibility. We have the right to vote and it is our responsibility to exercise this privilege. We must elect the people who are qualified to keep this nation free and democratic. We should always take advantage of our rights.

Don't Be Afraid To Speak Up

It takes a lot of courage to tell the truth when the truth isn't popular. Our Democracy depends on people telling the truth and facing the

consequences.

Brotherhood

If everyone believed in Brotherhood,
All wars and quarrels would cease.
Then all the people of this world,
Would have everlasting peace.
We'd devote our time and effort,
To peace instead of war,

And we would have smiling faces
And peace for evermore!

About an Unusual Winter's Day

Rumbling roller skates pounded away at the road Nature had made a mistake by letting spring come early.

the air purred like a sleeping cat.

. . . The sun shone brightly and cast fingers of shadows against the pale green grass.

About Night Darkness

When I look into the blinding black night, each dim light startlingly stares me in the eye, and I get a quivering feeling of fright.

I felt deserted in the bleakness-like a bird heading into nowhere.

There was just one star out, and I guess it felt like me all alone and worried.

The night is a big black top hat; it covers the goldness of the day. Christmas Shopping

Oh me, oh my, oh gosh, oh gee!

I have to buy a Christmas tree.

I only have a dollar-nine

And I still have loads of cards to sign.
I'll check my lists and write my checks
Then buy my gifts at Sears and Hecht's.

Window shopping is lots of fun

But I'm usually glad when it's all done.

I'm not saying I don't like it now;

But I guess that I just don't know how.

Every time I go into a store

When I come out I haven't any money any more.

We use catalogs to help us buy

But usually prices are too high

For little children's weekly allowances,

But that's the way the old ball bounces.

Enchanting Sounds

Do you have a favorite sound? Is it sharp and piercing, flat and blunt, hissing and squeaky, gentle and soft?

I like the soft and mellow sounds of the wind. It is like the sweetness of a lullaby, the song of a music box. When I'm outside on a spring day and there is just the calm sound of a breeze, I could sit and listen all day.

It is hard to believe that soon this soft sound of the breeze will become the sharp, piercing sound of a winter storm. My ears dread the winter and await the spring. I wish we had calm sounds all year round.

IV

How Teachers Characterize the More

W

Able Children

HEN "GOOD" TEACHERS are asked what characteristics they observed in the more able children-especially the more academically able-they say that "bright" children are interested in everything: they want to find out, want evidence, seek proof, have depth, travel fast, usually achieve easily; are persistent, sticking to a subject until they understand it; are selfdirecting and responsible. One teacher in grade 6 said, "It's hard to keep up with them-sometimes I have to apply the brakes in order to pull the loose ends together and catch my breath." They want to work, and want work separated from play. They do many things well, like to study hard things, interrelate subject matter readily, are more verbal, want more books, show more initiative. Many like to make outlines and can use them well; many enjoy writing and produce stories that demonstrate creative ability. Many form their own interest or work groups to attack problems, and for this purpose, rather than limiting themselves to pals, they seek classmates with abilities that will be helpful to the project in hand.

These traits, said the teachers, are not entirely consistent among the more able children. They are not always easy to teach. In fact, some are difficult to teach. This is true of children with narrow or all-consuming interests; they are usually difficult to motivate in areas outside their interest fields, and sometimes even in the fundamentals of the very subject of their interest. Some, with high potentialities as indicated by IQ's, seem to lack the imagination or initiative to become self-propelling, relying constantly on others to lead the way. Many having this lack perform well if they have constant direction. A very fine teacher, after working with a group of able children (from whom those showing initiative had been removed) said, "The class was a dead weight; there were no leaders among them-no one to inspire them, to show them the way. They were always waiting to be told what to do and how to do it."