out the day, winter and summer; are fed upon fresh eggs and milk two or three times per day, and are given a good meal at noon; they are under medical inspection daily, and receive treatment when necessary.

The instruction is adapted to the needs of each individual child; the amount of work required is determined largely by the physician and nurse. Many of the children after several weeks' attendance at one of these camps are able to return to school. The average length of stay, so far, has been about ten weeks.

Anemic Children.-A class for anemic children has been established lately in the Mott Street school building, and other classes are to be organized soon in different sections of the city. The main factors in treatment are open air, sunlight, and nourishing food. In the school where the anemic class is established, warm and nourishing food is furnished at a nominal cost.

Deaf Children.-Two years ago a public school for the deaf was opened on West 23d Street. The school was organized to provide an education and training for deaf children whose parents objected to placing them in an institution. The school opened with 48 pupils; it now has an attendance of 160.

The efforts of teachers and pupils are directed to lip-reading and sound production; the fingers are not used as a means of communication. While the work at first is somewhat discouraging, especially in the case of children born totally deaf, the progress of the pupils in learning to talk and to read lips, as well as in carrying on their regular grade work, has been all that could be desired. The school authorities provide car tickets for all children living at a distance from school.

Blind Children.-After a long and careful consideration of the problem presented, the Board of Education a year ago decided to undertake the education and training of all blind children in the city whose parents preferred to have them attend a public day school rather than to have them isolated in an institution. A skilled inspector was secured to train the class teachers, to direct the preparation of books in Braille type, and to supervise the work in all its details. Six classes have been organized,-four in Manhattan and two in Brooklyn. The city

provides car tickets for each child and his attendant when the distance from home to school is considerable.

A teacher selected from the regular corps takes charge of the room and teaches the children to read and write in Braille type. As soon as the children have acquired some proficiency in the use of the Braille slate and the Braille typewriter, they are sent to the regular grade classes where they receive instruction with sighted children in practically all subjects of the school curriculum. Books, maps, and charts in raised type are made by the school authorities so that the children are provided with an abundance of suitable material. All written work of the pupils is interlined by the special teacher in charge of the class, and the work is rated by the regular class teacher. The progress of some of the blind children since the organization of the work has been remarkable.

One of the pleasing features of the work with the blind in our public schools is the sympathetic interest taken in these children by the other children. Each blind child has a guide and companion while in the building so that he may go from room to room quickly and with safety. Each pupil in the school is delighted to have the opportunity of rendering service to his less fortunate associates.

Selection of Teachers.-The problem of problems in all of this work is centered in the selection of the right teacher. The exceptional child must have an exceptionally good teacher. The bright and well-disposed child will make some progress in spite of a poor teacher; the exceptional child, never.

Some of the characteristics of a successful teacher in any of these lines are an even and sunny temperament; infinite patience; quiet tones; tact and firmness; resourcefulness; kind and sympathetic management; appreciation of effort; love for the poor unfortunates; and abiding faith in the work. These teachers must be interested students of the problem before them. They must read the latest and best literature on the subject, and visit other schools and institutions where this particular work is carried on. As Dr. Johnstone puts it, "We need forward teachers for backward pupils.

It is to the credit of the profession of teaching that in nearly every instance volunteers have been ready to teach these special

classes. In some cases it is a pure missionary spirit that animates a volunteer; in other cases, familiarity with similar conditions at home or elsewhere may have led to the choice of work; while teachers of anemic and tuberculous children have volunteered on the ground that it was better for their own health to live as much as possible in the open air.

The Rotten Thread

HELEN CARY CHADWICK

Weaving a mother's fancies,
In and out I sew;

My boys are nearing manhood,
My girls bloom in a row.

The light of fair lands sighted

Is in their happy eyes;

Life's fight, they deem,-life's conquest,
Will be a glad surprise.

I'd rather see them victors,

Or-rather see them dead.

Ah, my thought is rudely broken
By the snap of the rotten thread.

Snip, snap, snip, snap,

The snap of the rotten thread.

Whose boys are they that made it
That should have made it strong?
My eldest son's a worker

He knows the right from wrong.
What will he give, I wonder,

To boys of his? the look
He sends up to the starlight,
His grasp upon a book?
Waits there a mess of pottage
His soul will seek instead?
Ah! my thought is rudely broken

By the snap of the rotten thread!

Snip, snap, snip, snap,

The snap of the rotten thread.

T

JAMES HENRY WILLOCK, TROY, NEW YORK

HE secret of teaching elementary English is so to surround the child in his impressionable and emotionable period with an atmosphere of noble thoughts that he unconsciously absorbs these emotions and assimilates these ideas, resulting in a deep appreciation of the good, true and beautiful in art, literature and the lives of men. With the development of this appreciation of true worth should be inculcated the fundamental laws of grammar and rhetoric,-for without style, ideas however excellent are almost useless, and without broad knowledge, one is incapable of expressing his ideas to the masses. We must then as teachers, give our pupils a liberal knowledge, both of literature and grammar. With this foundation, the child is able without further study to take his part creditably in the world's activities, for he has a realization of the duties and responsibilities. of life.

This definite training in English and literature should begin in the first grade. Here fables, hero and nature stories should be read to the child. His mind eager for new ideas gives earnest attention. Naturally he wishes to share his newly gained knowledge; we use this instinct and encourage oral and written reproduction. By this means he is trained in grammar, spelling, writing, and unconsciously in pronunciation and enunciation, and becomes acquainted with the noble in literature. The oral gives opportunity for correcting vulgarisms, colloquialisms and bad grammar. The written, for correcting spelling, punctuation, grammar and for inculcating neatness. Possibly this last is the greatest lesson to be taught in the elementary school, for it includes so much-concentration, interest and painstaking care.

The teacher should early require neatness in all of a child's work, but particularly in reproductions and other English work. When we reproach a child for lack of neatness, we are