It is of the utmost importance that the necessary organization of school-room conduct be established according to principles and policies that are useful to the child at home and in other situations outside of school life. He must be taught how to economize his own time, and the attention of his fellows, how to do necessary things in a way that shall be both effective and unobtrusive. While the handling of waste is a small affair for one room in a school, taken on a larger scale for home, state and nation, the problem of waste is big enough to command the attention of every citizen; therefore, to dispose of the matter properly in school is a valuable lesson in civics and economics. ILLUSTRATION (FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADES) Supt. Kennelworth suffered the inconvenience of moving from an old building into the new one near the middle of a school year. [Sidenote: Bags for Paper] In the final plans for the proper use of the new plant, it had been agreed that each pupil must bring with him a small waste-paper bag to be attached to each desk. There were no very definite rules as to its size, but the warning was given that it must not be too large for the convenience of all concerned. The matter was brought up only once, each teacher making the announcement in his own room according to the superintendent’s instructions. Wallace Jackson made his announcement for the fifth and sixth grades as follows: “Each one of you is to bring a small, neatly made waste-paper bag, barely large enough to hold what you think is the waste paper that gathers at your desk every day. Are there any questions about this?” A hand went up and the question was asked, “Who is going to empty these bags?” “Well,” said Mr. Jackson, “you will empty them yourselves. Just before the close of school each day the wastebasket will be passed; your bags will be laid down upon your desk, and in just a very few minutes every bag will be emptied and placed in your desk. Any more questions?” Another hand and another question, “How are we going to decide who will carry the basket?” This was answered by the statement: “I shall appoint some pupil to this task every day. The method of selection will be announced to you later. The only matter I want now to tell you about is the making of the bags. Further details will be given to you when we actually begin our work next Thursday in the new building.” Owing to the fact that some success in keeping a neat room had been attained already in the old building, Mr. Jackson’s announcement was received without surprise or anxiety. (10) _Imitation of wrong social standard._ There is an imitation of mere precedent which is a sort of social instinct, that can best be handled socially. This is because the responsibility can be fixed on no one individual, and as all the members of the group are equally guilty, all should share in the needed lesson. CASE 82 (RURAL SCHOOL) [Sidenote: Dropping Shot]