When you feel assured that, from a health standpoint, a child is unfit to do school work, send him home and as soon as possible thereafter consult with his mother as to his health, giving advice only when you see that his parents are ignorant or neglectful. In the matter of the care of the mouth and teeth, give instruction as to the age a child should be when the several kinds of permanent teeth appear. Name the causes of decay of teeth and show children how to use their tooth brushes to the best advantage. COMMENTS [Sidenote: Rhythmic Drills] Teachers should never send children to a doctor without the consent of their parents. A teacher’s help can be rendered in instituting preventive measures better than in administering or advising curative remedies. The harm done to the teeth by allowing them to decay through the use of improper food, also the proper use of the tooth brush, and the value of a sterilizing mouth wash can easily be taught and come within the teacher’s legitimate province. In many towns she may also secure the coöperation of the school nurse. ILLUSTRATION (FIFTH GRADE) Miss Stow, who taught the fifth grade at Deadwood, made up this motion song which the children sang occasionally, suiting the proper motions to each verse: This is the way we brush our teeth At morning, noon and night, Keeping them free from food and germs, Making them clean and white. This is the way we brush our hair, Making it smooth and clean, Keeping it free from kinks and dust And beautiful to be seen. This is the way we brush our shoes, Making them fairly shine, Then we ever shun dirt and mud And keep them looking fine. When they sang the first verse she let them hold lead pencils in front of their mouths for tooth brushes and had them make the up and down motion that dentists recommend. She noticed a marked improvement in the personal habits of her children after they had learned this song, and they very much enjoyed singing it. CASE 81 (FOURTH GRADE) [Sidenote: Scattering Paper] Merrill MacFarland was elected to a position as teacher of the fourth grade after three years of experience in the country schools. He had found the circumstances in his former situation very unsatisfactory, and resolved that since he was entering upon work in a graded school, he would have some things different. Looking over the room after he had wrestled his way through the first week, and recalling the events of the past five days, he was strongly reminded of his former school experience, since there was really a disgraceful amount of waste paper all over the floor. The janitor had been complaining about the matter, but MacFarland had been too busy with other matters to give attention to it.