The children were all interest and excitement over "The Cheerful Carpenter." Our kind friend, Mr. L., had made a morning visit to the Kindergarten, and with one of our high tables for a working bench, had shown us the use of each of the carpenter's tools. When it came to hammering nails into a thick plank, all of the boys were ready to lend a hand, and not a few proved themselves good workmen.

The suggestion of learning a song about the carpenter's tools was greeted joyously, and the first two verses of "The Cheerful Carpenter," (Kindergarten Chimes, Kate Douglas Wiggin, pp. 92) were quickly memorized.

We all had watched Mr. L. so closely that the appropriate motions came as a matter of course, except in the use of the auger, I wonder how many of the grown people can correctly go round. and round with this good tool," without first observing a carpenter?

From that time forth, I could always predict one of the songs that would be sung in morning exercises, for it speedily became a universal favorite.

I was

not slow to embrace this golden opportunity and before many days a lesson began in this wise,-"What does the carpenter use to build with?" General chorus, "Wood." "Where does he get wood?" "From the shop." "From the train." "From trees." Further questioning revealed the fact that trees grew from seeds, and we examined acorns, chestnuts, apple, maple and pine seeds, Albert saying in such an awed tone, And a baby tree is wrapped up in every one of those seeds."

We then looked at some one and two

year-old maple trees, and the children. told me of how tall big maple trees were, and showed me how large around they often grew; also told me of the height and girth of other trees. After they had given me what they could about trees, I told them a story of the Maine woods and the lumbermen, showing pictures of woodchoppers at work, and Deems said: "When all the branches are chopped off, people don't call them trees any more; they're just logs."

Our woodchoppers were at work on a hillside, and the question arose as to how they would get the logs down hill. Laurence's suggestion, "Roll them," met with favor, till the children noticed how thickly wooded the slope was, and realized what an arduous task it would be to roll logs down, under such circumstances. They were perplexed till I told them of the "logging chute" which I had seen on a Maine hillside; then all were eager to represent it, and we did so in group work, with five Fifth Gifts. Place eight whole cubes in a row, running back and front, let a half-cube touch the front cube by a square face, oblong face slanting toward front. Begin one cube from the back and place eight cubes of one-fourths at the righthand side, running back and front. Begin one cube from back, and place seven cubes of one-fourths and one of one-halfs at the left-hand side, all running back and front. Place seven whole cubes atop middle row, one-half cube at front as before; two cubes of one-halfs and six whole cubes atop right-hand row; same at left; six whole cubes atop middle row, one-half cube at front, seven whole cubes on right-hand row,

one

half cube at front, oblong face slanting front; left, ditto. Five cubes on middle row, one-half cube front, six cubes on right-hand row, one-half cube. at front; left, ditto. Four cubes on middle row, one-half cube at front, five cubes each at right and left, one-half cube in front. Three cubes on middle row, one-half cube at front, four at right, one-half cube front; left, ditto. Two cubes on middle row, one-half cube front, three at right, one-half front; left, ditto. One cube on middle row, two at right, one-half cube in front; left, ditto. The three whole cubes remaining are placed in a row running right and left, at the foot of the chute, representing a gate which is closed when the chute is not in use.

We opened our gate, and with twigs two and one-half inches long for logs, had a busy time sending them down the chute, each trying it in turn. In case one can not get twigs, peas-work sticks will do.

We then folded axes from oblong papers and played we were woodchoppers getting more logs ready for the chute; after which each folded a pin-wheel from square paper, which I asked them to leave at Kindergarten till the following day. Next morning great merriment prevailed, as there appeared a large dishpan nearly full of water. A picture was shown of logs floating down stream. We then made a raft of our logs and sent them down an inclined plane into the river (pan of water); the children gathered about the pan and took turns blowing the water, making a current which floated the logs now this way, now that. Meanwhile we had a story of the lumberman's life, illustrating with pictures every now and then. By the time the logs had reached the saw-mill, Deems

was ready to add his mite, telling of "the circular saw which slices logs up." Then with our pin-wheels a lesson in water-power was given, similar to that of Miss Patty Hill's in THE KINdergarTEN MAGAZINE November, 1890, only of course we did not lose sight of Deems' "circular saw." He furthermore told us that the logs were cut crosswise," while Laurence said, "they were cut lengthwise;" so I showed them a picture of logs cut both ways; with eight and onehalf squares we then represented the circular saw, first in planes, then in parquetry.

Next day we decided that our wood was dry enough for the cheerful carpenter's use, and some of the children immediately wished to make chairs, tables, houses, etc.

A piece of wood was shown just as it comes from the saw-mill, and they decided that the carpenter would need to use his tools before he could make much with wood like that." Accordingly, they enumerated the articles which a carpenter would find necessary, and they were written down as follows:

Working-bench, Foot-rule,
Carpenter's-horses, Square,
Saw-horse,

Plane, Auger, Hammer,

Gimlet,

Chisel,

Nails,

Saw,

Mallet.

After singing the song each child was given Third and Fourth Gift, and we proceeded to make the "working-bench." Deems also invented a "plane" which we copied, while singing "Zish, Zish," (Hubbard Songs, page 40). The following morning, with a large one-half inch ring, a lentil and sticks, we represented the "auger," "saw-horse," "carpenter's horse" and the "hammer." We after

ward drew the hammer from a toy model. Next with planes, we represented the foot-rule; at first the children wished it made all one color, like a truly rule," but after trying that, Edith decided to alternate light and dark planes, "so she can read the inches quicker," and the others followed her example. Then came more planes and the "carpenter's square." In clay we modeled the gimlet, chisel and the carpenter's mallet and nails; Pearl spent much time in making some real good shavings," while Lau

Gift sequence, (see KINDERGARTEN MAGAZINE, Dec., 1889), with an appropriate story, after which we sang, "The Carpenter" (Hubbard Songs, page 41).

Next day, with the Fourth Gift, we made some simple forms of furniture "to put in our houses," as Edith said. After games came a general review of our "Cheerful Carpenter" sequence and songs, during which the children grew very enthusiastic, Albert exclaiming: "I tell you what! I'd like to be a carpenter when I'm a man!" So we closed by singing, "O, Builders We Would Like to Be." (Mrs. Wiggin's Book, page 34.)

Children's play, you call it, but if this little sequence has interested one child in the book of nature," has impressed one child with the dignity of labor, it has not been in vain.

New York.

F. E. MANN.

Before Delsarte departs into ways of superficiality and sham,-ways which proceed from the external instead of the internal,--everything he gives us bears upon stillness, quiet, repose; these uniting to make clearness and sincerity of purpose and expression.

What of this can we give to the little children?

Almost everything should be flavored with it. Even play and work of the most vigorous nature is more real, kinder and more genuinely vigorousless nervous-with children whose organizations are trained to the knowledge and habit of true quiet; and in everything besides, the quality of life receives even more benefit.

In very simple ways this training may be given, and many illnesses saved, many impaired senses left perfect, because it brings about a more even distribution of the forces, leaving the child in a far better state for growth and development.

Begin with the babies,-mothers in the nursery, Kindergartners in their Kindergartens.

Nothing can be done unless the leader is deeply imbued with the power of quiet in her own soul. "Still!" must be said with great stillness, a hush in the voice which is quieter than midnight-and this can not be put on. Its embryo must exist in the soul and grow by dint of hourly training. It must have depth to stand the test of conflict of every kind, then alone can it influence children. But if successful the good results can not be numbered.

A baby of six months, or younger,

will succumb to a true influence of quiet, and get real help; do not wait until you need to use the power curatively, but help it gradually to love and to know quiet, as a friend who will always be near in time of trouble. What natures such teaching will develop! Natures which, however sensitive their feeling, will always suffer at the minimum, and give out good cheer at the maximum, because everything brought down to real quiet is so much lessened, so much soothed. We all know how trouble sometimes arouses tumult within until we feel in despair, but if we get calmed how much more bearable all is.

Do not, as was said, wait until baby needs quiet, but take him at a fresh, placid moment and folding the small hands, place your hand over them and say, "Still!" with a bright smile of encouragement.

Be sure not to prolong a second more than the child is ready for, and when the rest is over, speak cheerfully of what the baby is learning. Many an older child trained in this way needs a few moments of "quiet" only, to give it the clearness to see an error and be sorry, rising quite ready to do the right thing. Its own selfish living gets between its true love of good, and quiet removes this condition and leaves the real one opportunity to assert itself.

It can not be too frequently emphasized that all power to give this sort of training to others comes from having it

oneself. The sham will be at once detected if there is any, and by none so quickly as by a little child.

Time is not necessary to acquire the

power of quiet, as practice can be done while resting, while riding, while walk ing, etc. But unless a few moments can be taken directly out of the busy day our progress will not be so rapid. In this case we must be sure to practice before we rise in the morning and before we sleep at night. This makes a great difference with our day's work and our night's rest.

Quiet of this kind, it must be noted, is not merely external; it is like the placidity of the sea, quiet all the way through. For the mature body, it means every muscle loose, every member heavy, every nerve free; to the mature mind, it means every anxiety, desire and impulse laid aside for that time; even the best desires, for who can tell just where the unquiet feeling steals in; just where our love of doing God's service, but in our own way, meet?

Therefore, to lay the whole down for a few minutes gives us a fresh chance, as it does the little child, to become reconnected, and our living continues in better harmony with the best in our

nature.

There is no child so nervous or illcontrolled that he can not be very slowly helped by the "quiet" thought and practice.

As in everything else, begin with the whole body, and then take up the parts, letting the child feel how he must be captain of the whole and must train it to follow his commands. When you find the hands twitching, twirling a corner of apron or dress give the command:

"Hands all-flat-open, heavy!" Continue gently: "These hands need rest, they were doing silly (and to children old enough) wasteful things. them lie still until I count ten," etc.

After such a rest, if the petty actions begin again, repeat your order, adding full stretches for hands and fingers, then a rest; gradually the bad habits will be given up.

Twisting feet will be helped by a reminder to lay them heavy upon the floor.

Wry faces can be smoothed by general quiet in combination with the imagination:

"Let us all close our eyes and be as still as that white cloud we see in the sky." Even were this done for only one contracting face the benefit will go to the whole number of children.

At a time of confusion in nursery or Kindergarten, the "quiet" practice will always bring a calm, if the training in it previously has been thorough, and not superficial. superficial. It will It will also greatly help toward habits of attention and concentration and in all ways make life more simple, for it keeps things down to their reality and makes away with all exaggerations.

It makes the whole of life more noble because it permits the child to be in truer harmony with nature-it can neither see, nor hear, nor feel sensitively without a degree of quiet, and in proportion to its degree is the child's sympathy with

nature.

To lead him to listen or look to the noises and sights out of doors very quietly, very steadily (if tension is warded off by the manner of leading) is helpful for "quiet."

Indeed, when the full spirit of *“the silence" is caught, ways will constantly suggest themselves to bring all that is best to the little children's lives.

Boston.

Let

*Fenelon.

GRACE CALL KEMPTON.