One important means of really interfusing the arithmetical learning itself with these derived interests is to lead the pupil to seek the help of arithmetic himself--to lead him, in Dewey's phrase, to 'feel the need'--to take the 'problem' attitude--and thus appreciate the technique which he actively hunts for to satisfy the need. In so far as arithmetical learning is organized to satisfy the practical demands of the pupil's life at the time, he should, so to speak, come part way to get its help. Even if we do not make the most skillful use possible of these interests derived from the quantitative problems of sports, housekeeping, shopwork, dressmaking, self-management, other school studies, and school life and affairs, the gain will still be considerable. To have them in mind will certainly preserve us from giving to children of grades 3 and 4 problems so devoid of relation to their interests as those shown below, all found (in 1910) in thirty successive pages of a book of excellent repute:-- A chair has 4 legs. How many legs have 8 chairs? 5 chairs? A fly has 6 legs. How many legs have 3 flies? 9 flies? 7 flies? (Eight more of the same sort.) In 1890 New York had 1,513,501 inhabitants, Milwaukee had 206,308, Boston had 447,720, San Francisco 297,990. How many had these cities together? (Five more of the same sort.) Milton was born in 1608 and died in 1674. How many years did he live? (Several others of the same sort.) The population of a certain city was 35,629 in 1880 and 106,670 in 1890. Find the increase. (Several others of this sort.) A number of others about the words in various inaugural addresses and the Psalms in the Bible. It also seems probable that with enough care other systematic plans of textbooks can be much improved in this respect. From every point of view, for example, the early work in arithmetic should be adapted to some extent to the healthy childish interests in home affairs, the behavior of other children, and the activities of material things, animals, and plants. TABLE 9 FREQUENCY OF APPEARANCE OF CERTAIN WORDS ABOUT FAMILY LIFE, PLAY, AND ACTION IN EIGHT ELEMENTARY TEXTBOOKS IN ARITHMETIC, pp. 1-50.