Epidemics of leaving the room are especially trying whenever a substitute has charge of a room. If a regular teacher has good control of his room he should send a note to the pupils, to be read to them by the substitute, in which he says something like the following: “I am sorry not to be with you today. Be even more considerate of the substitute teacher than you have been toward me. I am expecting a fine report from him as to your behavior today.” This message will do much to stop irregularities. In case the children are inclined to take advantage of the regular teacher, the following case will be a helpful study. ILLUSTRATION (EIGHTH GRADE) A teacher who found that one of her brightest boys was setting a bad example in this respect, dealt with it in a tactful way which proved entirely successful. She was an excellent teacher, who trusted her pupils very fully. They responded to this trust on the whole admirably, but in one particular case her usual methods did not work. She said nothing to the boy whose restlessness was causing the trouble, but assuming that his frequent absences from the room were caused by ill-health, she called on his mother and asked her to have Robert’s health looked after. The mother promptly sent Robert to the family physician, who made a careful examination but found nothing wrong. All this to-do over his health, together with the trustful anxiety of his mother and teacher, embarrassed Robert exceedingly. He finally went to his teacher and told her that he was “now quite well,” and that she would not be annoyed any more by his frequently leaving the room. He was better than his word, for he stopped leaving the room during the sessions altogether, and when he stopped the other boys almost ceased also. Without having said a word to any boy, without having shown them that she knew they were indulging in a foolish and childish trick, the teacher had cured the evil by dealing with the ringleader in a way that made him ashamed of the quality of his leadership. (3) _Coughing epidemics._ Often pupils indulge in epidemics of coughing. One pupil begins, and by suggestion other pupils join in the annoyance. The usual method of prevention is a scolding which may arrest the outbreak but does not remove the tendency to repeat itself. The very fact that the teacher notices the coughing intensifies the suggestion.