This time the children laughed more, and two or three put down the couplet before they forgot it, in the flyleaves of their books. Again they teased Mildred at recess, and Mildred began to see that she must overcome her curiosity or endure continual teasing. The next day and the next she studied assiduously, and had good lessons. On the next day, feeling very sure of herself, she fell from grace. When Miss Ware saw her leaning forward eagerly to hear the advanced spelling lesson, she stopped long enough to chant— “Mildred’s class is not in session; Mildred, work upon your lesson!” This was the last bit of doggerel that was needed. COMMENTS The illustration given above was sent to the president of the International Academy of Discipline with the following comment, which was intended to justify the method employed: The correction came in a friendly way, but its form enlisted the whole school (for children love rhymes and will repeat them in and out of season) in the corrective process. The need for well-prepared lessons had not been an incentive strong enough to induce Mildred to overcome her instinctive curiosity, but the ridicule of her schoolmates gave enough additional incentive to stir her will to action. In spite of the fact that the method is supposed to have been effective in dealing with “Mildred Trott,” we can not believe that the method is good enough to recommend. On the contrary, we believe that, in most instances, any such attempt on the part of the teacher to bring ridicule to bear on one pupil is sure to rouse resentment. Hostility between pupil and teacher is likely to cause more trouble to the teacher and be more harmful to the pupil than the habit of listening to others recite. If the teacher finds it necessary to speak to the child at all about the habit of listening to others recite, after she has already made the attempt to interest the child in his own work, she should take the matter up with the child, individually. An effective way to apply the principle of initiative in coöperation is to approach the child with a smile on your face, when he is alone, and in the same breath that you speak of his habit of listening to others, mention the fact that you used to have trouble, too, keeping your mind concentrated. Do not say this unless it is true. But it is true of most of us, and to tell this to the child gets results in most cases. Suggest that he try to concentrate daily. Approve him now and then upon his progress. In dealing with curiosity, the general truth that ideals clearly defined help immensely in gaining control of natural tendencies, holds. Fine and high ideals of the rights of others, of what is appropriate and just, must constantly be kept before young people to help them in directing and mastering their instincts. CASE 100 (FOURTH GRADE) [Sidenote: “Trying on” Clothing]