"I am an old man, yet most of my troubles never happened,' said the sage and sane philosopher. If you are given to worry hang the above motto over your mantel, wear it in your hat, and in your heart, and the world will grow brighter day by day, the bloom of health return, and life become one sweet song. And it is worth while

your doing this, because the beyond towards which every heart yearns more or less strongly is a land of no worry, a state into which the worrisome may not enter."

THE MOUNT VERNON OF FRANCE

BY J. A. STEWART

France is to have its "Mount Vernon." Where? You have already guessed. No historic spot in France could be dearer to the hearts of Americans and French alike than the birthplace of Lafayette.

For some time a movement has been under way to restore, perpetuate, and dedicate to the public for all time the fine old chateau where Lafayette was born in 1757.

Both patriotic American and French people have united in the plan, which had a strong appeal to all. The purchase was made possible by members of the American Committee of the French Heroes' Fund, associated with many other prominent French and Americans. Chief among those who led the movement are Mrs. William Astor Chanler, president of the French Heroes' Fund; John Moffatt, Theodore Roosevelt, the late Joseph H. Choate, Clarence Mackay, J. G. Millburn, and Presidents J. G. Hibben of Princeton and N. M. Butler of Columbia University.

Alexandre Ribot, Premier of France, Rene Viviani and other members of the French Cabinet are among the members of the French Committee uniting in the enterprise.

The estate was sold by Marquis Gaston de Lafayette, who inherited it from Senator Edmond de Lafayette, the last direct descendant of the famous general. The Marquis Gaston de Lafayette is a grandson of General Lafayette's only son, George Washington Lafayette, who inherited the estate at the death of his noble father in 1834.

The Chateau of Chavaniac descended to Lafayette from his aunt, the Comtesse de Chavaniac. His father, the Marquis de Lafayette (MichelLouis-Christophe-Roch-Gilbertde Motier, Colonel of the Grenadiers of France, Chevalier of Saint Louis) was killed at the battle of Minden July 13, 1757, less than two months before Lafayette was born. The property had long been the home of the Lafayette family, who were just as distinguished for bravery in battle as they were for their principles of justice in council, and for their

fair and kind treatment of the hundreds of peasants on their estate.

Chavaniac is a little village in Auvergne about four hundred miles south of Paris with a population of five hundred people, whose houses nestle close to the big stone chateau on the hill. Built in the fourteenth century, the Chateau de Chavaniac was destroyed by fire, and afterwards rebuilt in 1701. Lafayette was born there September 6, 1757.

In 1791 the Chateau was completely restored by Lafayette, who had then become a famous general and champion of liberty both in America and in France. The architect was Vandoyer, who a year later, in 1792, wrote to Lafayette :

"If I did not raise the tree of Liberty, I built the temple of him who was its defender in America (le galerie Washington), and the sanctuary of him who first brought, planted and protected it in France (your dwelling)."

Just one month after the receipt of this letter, August 10, 1792, the reign of terror began in Paris; and Lafayette, who had been so idolized by the people that his journey from Paris to Chavaniac two years before had been a continual succession of triumphs, was pronounced by the Jacobin-ruled national assembly a traitor to his country. Accompanied by small group of patriots, he fled from Chavaniac (intending to go into exile in Holland), was captured and held prisoner by the Austrians and Prussians for five years. During that time, in 1794, the Chateau was pillaged, confiscated, divided off, and sold as national property. The estate was thus much reduced in size when it was re-purchased in 1795 by Lafayette's aunt, Lafayette's aunt, the venerable Comtesse de Chavaniac.

The purpose of the French Heroes' Fund is to make the Chateau de Chavaniac a complement to Washington's home in Mount Vernon. In it are to be kept valuable records of Colonial days, as well as those of the present war.

Among the Colonial relics to be preserved there are a set of pistols given to General Lafayette by Washington (after the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown) as a token of friendship; and the gold snuff box presented to General Lafayette by the city of New York. These and other rare relics have been given by Captain Bureaux de Pusy (a great-grandson of Lafayette), who received thein from his uncle, Senator Edmond de Lafayette.

The Mount Vernon of France is not only to be a Mecca and museum, but also a practical memoral. In its great halls and chambers will be housed hundreds of war orphans and disabled soldiers who will find there the loving care and protecting shelter of sympathetic, patriotic hearts.

The proportion of studet.ts who may be expected to be A, B, C, or D students has now been pretty well determined. Scientific tests for the final measurement of ability in arithmetic, writing, and other subjects are now available. What mark to give for the recitation or test of today is a problem whose solution is left without much question in the hands of the teacher. Is there any way by which standards may be determined by which justice can be done in the daily work?

It would seem important to establish what learning consists of doing and of how all fields of knowledge have grown. It was long the dream of thinkers to organize each field and then in this final form pass what they could of it on to their pupils. The best that could be hoped was to

details, their relations, and something of their relative importance. These details may be active or passive. The details of a problem in arithmetic or grammar are mainly passive; those in history, domestic science, botany, physics, agriculture and

sociology are mainly active--active forces. Details at one time passive may assume an active state and vice versa. Analysis is always concerned in the effort to grasp the problem. Observation relates to the active elements of the problem and to the effort to determine their habits, laws, and tendencies. Accuracy in

the results of observation calls for some phases of mathematics. It may also mean that it is necessary to check against being misled by coincidence in our efforts to generalize nature's laws. The means

level of the teacher. It made no provision for change or progress-indeed from this point of view there would be neither.

In contrast with this is another point of view. Knowledge has always grown through overcoming difficulties, surmounting obstacles, satisfying needs, desires, and ambitions, and dealing with situations confronting one,-to summarize-by solving one's problems. Organizing newly acquired knowledge into systems is best done by the student himself under the guidance of his instructor. Growth comes through solving one's problems since this increases his range of thinking, his stock of ideas and ideals, generalizations, laws, principles, and standards. These acquired in this way have a significance otherwise impossible. They inspire to continued growth long after the teacher is forgotten.

The teacher is concerned with the measurement of ability, i. e., intelligence of the pupil as shown by the work done in his classes. The teacher is also concerned in measuring the level of intelligence of each of his pupils. Intelligence may or may not be easily defined. "Binet's conception of it emphasises three characteristics of the thought processes: (1) Its tendency to take and maintain a definite direction; (2) the capacity to make adaptations for the purpose of attaining a desired end; and (3) the power of auto-criticism." Terman, p. 45. We may translate this into the more convenient term of the problem if we use that word to signify difficulty, obstacle, need, desire, and ambition. The presence of a problem to be solved implies a desired end, persistence in attaining it, and gathering and adapting ideas for this purpose. Whatever the subject one is studying, its problems differ from each other in the number of their details, and in the number and complexity of the relations between the details. We may measure intelligence by determining how complex and how large problems one can deal with successfully.

Grasping the problem at hand means seeing the

already often at hand. It then becomes a question of classifying the problem as speedily as possible in order to use the laws, analogies, and principles true of that class. Here we bring into play the judgment. Here we can test its accuracy.

Intelligence stands in a definite relation to making mistakes. Their frequency and kind in the thinking of the pupil need to be known. The best thinkers make few, do not repeat them, and profit by them. The less able make more, more or less serious, depending upon his ability, and with less or lesser likelihood of profiting by them.

We are concerned with the rapidity of one's thinking, his ability to meet new situations well, the extent to which he is bound by routine, the accuracy, promptness, and range of his memory and his resourcefulness of ideas and illustrations. Ability to think well is understood to be with reference to the age of the child or adult concerned. An A standard for one age would not likely be such for another. With these suggestions for a background the following are offered as possible standards for the terms A, B, C, and D.

A. Those who should be given this grade are able to grasp and deal successfully with the larger problems of the subject suitable to their age; to comprehend readily how the problems arise; to judge well of the importance of the details; to classify the problem promptly and correctly; to know how problems of this kind have been, and how the given one should be dealt with now and why; to guess, or infer, what outcome may be expected from the situation constituting the problem, and why; to see as the solution progresses what new problems are being raised and why; to generalize accurately on a basis that will not result in error through coincidence; to be resourceful in planning accurately and well to meet the needs of the situation; to make few mistakes and not to repeat them; to maintain presence of mind in both test and recitation; to give evidence

of power to solve the larger problems of the subject suitable for the age of the pupil and his stage of development; and to persist in the face of obstacles and the lack of interest on the part of others.

The number of A pupils in any given class is not large at any time. It might easily happen that there were in some groups none at all. The "intelligence quotient" of this group ranges, according to Terman, from 120 on upward.

The B group is very much larger than the A. It has the same characteristics though in a less degree. Its intelligence quotient will range from 105 to 120. This group can grasp large problems successfully but not the largest. Mistakes are more frequent but not serious. Not frequently those in this group can develop the grasp and power of the A group.

The C group constitutes usually about 40% of the mass of the group. Their intelligence quotient ranges from 95 to 105. The strength of this group lies in doing routine. The new situation, the unexpected, worries such people. They grasp well only the medium sized problems, but their work is uniform in quality and quantity. They remain usually just average without initiative and without originality.

There are two divisions of the D group. First are those that can grasp and deal with only the smallest problems of the subject. They are likely to be slow and plodding, and, like the C student, successful only with routine that does not involve the problem even as large as the average. They can be given small responsibilities only.

Second are those whose work may vary from the best to the poorest, or from the better to the poorer. One never knows what to expect from them. Their ideals and standards are unsatisfactory. They are subject to moods and need sharp supervision. Their interest and their preparation. for their work depend largely upon outside conditions and attractions. Failure comes easily to them, may be something of a habit, and causes very little embarrassment.

Promotion is determined in various ways. It is suggested that one ought to be placed with those whose level of intelligence is as high as his own in order that he may work to the best advantage. It should not depend upon his presence or absence in his school last year.

The desirability of plus and minus grades in addition to the four mentioned is very questionable.

All who know Miss Brady's work and the quality results will rejoice at this high recognition.

achievement has significances unless the quality is absolutely satisfactory. Now she has high specific distinction because of the "Survey" by Dr. William S. Gray of the School of Education of the University of Chicago.

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Rarely does an "expert" think it in good form to find anything praiseworthy in anything or anybody surveyed, but the work of Miss Brady won exuberant praise. He says of the reading in the primary grades of St. Louis: "St. Louis pupils have attained a higher level of achievement in the oral reading. . . . The amount of this periority represents the normal growth which would take place in from one-eighth to one-half of a year, depending on the grade which is considered. It is fair to assume either that greater emphasis is laid on oral reading in St. Louis, or that the effort put forth secures relatively better results. St. Louis places accuracy above speed and permits the pupil to read more slowly. . . . The superior results secured by St. Louis in accuracy are commendable.”

Fred T. Moore, prominent in educational circles in California, succeeding Charles C. Hughes as

the New York office (112 East 19th street) of Row, Peterson & Co. Mr. Moore has had previous successful experience in the service of the public. through the publishers and outside business experience. We are delighted to bear our part in welcoming "Fred Moore" to the Atlantic Coast as he welcomed us to the Pacific Coast.

Miss C. Louise Boehringer, Yuma, Arizona, has purchased the Arizona Teacher and Home Journal and will publish in Phoenix as before, though her home will be in Yuma, where she has a fine ranch property well developed. Miss Boehringer is one of the most efficient and popular educators in the state.

She was one of the most eminent county superintendents in Arizona. Before going there she was a highly appreciated educator in Missouri and Illinois, where she held fine positions in normal schools and in city supervisorship. It will mean much to Arizona to have such a woman in charge of the state paper. They should give her the heartiest support.

Speaking Characters.-Santa Klaus, Mrs. S. Klaus, his wife. One child from each group representing children of the following nationalities: French, German, Belgian, English, Russian, Flemish, Scotch and American. The groups should consist of at least six children although it would be possible to use a smaller number.

The stage represents a room in Santa Klaus' house in all three scenes. The room has a bench on either side of the stage and two comfortable chairs. A chart or blackboard in good view of the audience. A "Peace and Good Will" motto should hang on the wall. Other mottoes or pictures may be used and any articles which will not use too much floor space. The more homelike the atmosphere the better. Cooky jars and a fruit dish should be on the stage. It is suggested that a small stand be placed well forward on the stage near Mrs. Santa Klaus' chair. A potted plant may conceal a small mirror, so placed that Mrs. S. K. can observe at what angle she has placed her cap without the audience knowing that she has this aid. Her knitting should be beside the potted plant. In the third scene these things should be removed and anything that limits the floor space for the actors.

SCENE I.

[The curtain rises while there is growing sound of sleigh-bells, which stop suddenly. A stamping and scraping sound precedes the entrance of Santa Klaus clad in outdoor costume. He is much out of temper.]

Santa Klaus (pulling off his gloves)-Such a world! Such a world! Why, this is the worst year yet. The Christmas business was never so hard before. With all the grown-up folks at war they're almost putting me out of business! Why, right now should be my busy season and I'm just back from my round-the-world inspection and nobody thinks about me at all. (Pause.) Except the very littlest ones, bless 'em!

[Enter Mrs. Santa.]

Mrs. Santa-Why, you're back early! What's the matter? Isn't business good?

S. K. (explosively)-Rotten!
Mrs. S.-Nick! Such language!

S. K.-Well, what other word is there? The first year of the war when I said that you told me to say "business was 'stale.'" The next year you said it was "poor." Last year you admitted it was "bad." This is the worst year yet. I call it rotten!

Mrs. S.-Kris Kringle Nicholas St. Klaus! Control yourself! Why, if you allow yourself to get grouchy at this time of year, you might as well go out of the Christmas business altogether. If you are as cross as the rest of the world you're not going to attract any attention at all. It's being cheerful that makes the Christmas business popular. Your smile is the best advertisement you've had. S. K.—Yes, it used to be, but smiling is all out of style this year. Why, right at home in Germany, where I came from, people are doing everything else but smiling. couldn't smile myself, everything is so changed!

1

Mrs. S.-The children always smile-everywhere! S. K.-The littlest babies do-bless 'em! (Sits.) But the children aren't as happy as usual this year. Why, I don't know what to put in my pack! The children haven't. asked me for any toys at all!

Mrs. S. (with spirit)-Then it isn't toys they want! The trouble with you is you're not up to date. It isn't the Christmas business that is stale; it is you who are

stale. I can see it is high time I made you fewer Christmas plum puddings and took a hand in the business myself. What you want to do is to investigate and find out what people really do want. The reason the children haven't sent you a lot of letters this year is because they want things they think you don't have in stock.

S. K.-Investigate! Now, how would I do that? I don't want people to see me going 'round before Christmas, do I? All the little Americans, and the English children, and the German children, and the French children, and the Russians

Mrs. S. Certainly not! But I know! Get one little child from each country and bring them here to me-I'll find out! You can bring them at night and put them back in bed and in the morning they will think they have had a dream and forget all about it, of course.

S. K. (jumping to his feet)-All right! I'll start right back this minute and I'll catch some of the children that fall asleep after supper before they're undressed for bed and bring them right along in their day clothes. Then they won't catch cold. (Takes both of Mrs. Santa's hands.) You can investigate all you like and order the presents and I won't worry about the business except for delivering on Christmas eve. You can be such a help, Barbara, wife of Kris Kringle Nicholas St. Klaus (strikes an attitude) and partner in the Christmas business! (Regrasps her hands and tries to execute some German dance steps, though Mrs. S. is reluctant.) But there, I must hurry if I am going to catch those children right after supper. Goodbye!

Mrs. S.-Goodbye, don't upset in the hometown snowdrifts.

[Exit S. K., sound of sleigh-bells growing less distinct. Mrs. S. sits in attitude of thought, then rises and arranges either a large chart or a blackboard on the wall with a crayon or chalk with which to write. She then puts on a cap and taking a broom and dustpan leaves the stage by door at the audience left. Curtain.]

SCENE II.

[Same stage arrangement. S. K. enters with sound of sleigh-bells as in Scene I, but this time he comes in quickly and in good spirits, bringing in a sleepy child. S. K. places the child on a bench.]

S. K.-Sound asleep. (Laughs quietly with hands on hips and shaking with mirth.) Never woke up-ho, ho! But I wonder where Mrs. Santa is. I'll just look and see. (Tiptoes slyly to door and peers through the crack. Registers consternation.) Ach, himmel! Her cap is on crooked! Donner und Blitzen! She's in a terrible temper! She always wears her cap crooked when she's cross! Balky reindeer and sloppy snow! With the children here. too! She has it on like this! (Puts his own cap on crooked.) I haven't done a thing, but I'll certainly catch it now!

[Enter Mrs. S., cap over one ear, broom in hand.] Mrs. S. (planting broom in front of her with both hands on it)-Father Christmas, where is my best shaw!? If you took that in the sleigh and got it wet I'll give you no supper as sure as your name is Kris Kringle Nicholas St. Klaus! (Pounds broom up and down on the floor, voice higher.) Why don't you take off your wet boots when you come home? Out of the door with you! (Threatens with the broom. Santa K. tries to point to child, who stirs.) And sweep off the snow-(Sees child.) Why, what's that? (Mrs. S. holds out the broom toward

S. K., but looking all the time at the child as though fascinated). Is it? (Goes toward the child as though to pick it up, but straightens her cap instead. S. K. looks pleased and sets his own a little more straight in imitation.) I do believe it's a little boy-a little French boywith black eyes! (Puts her cap perfectly straight. So does S. K. He repeats his dance step, but sees his boots and the broom and goes out at audience right).

Mrs. S. (drawing child toward her)-Little boy, do you know where you are? (Sits.)

French Boy-No-o-, but it looks like a nice place. (Rubs his eyes.)

[Enter S. K. with two more sleepy children. Leaves them near the door and stands near Mrs. S.] Mrs. S.-Well, my child, do you know who that man is? French Boy-Oh, yes-that's Santy! He used to bring me drums and horns at Christmas time.

Mrs. S. He did! Well, do you want a drum or a horn this Christmas?-No? Well, now, you live in France, don't you? I thought so! Tell me, why don't you want a drum or a horn?

French Boy-They make too much noise. I'm so tired of noise because the big guns have been booming where I live for over three years! Lots of times I can't sleep for the noise of the fighting.

Mrs. S.-Why, you poor little fellow. (Rises, facing audience, and puts her cap crooked again.) The idea! Keeping a child awake! (Pause, then thoughtfully) That's why he slept so soundly in the sleigh because Santa's sleighbells made music instead of noise. (Straightens cap and turns to child). Maybe you'd like a music box to play you to sleep?

French Boy-Oh, yes, Mrs. Santa. I like music. May I have one?

Mrs. S. Well, we'll write that down right now. Music boxes and mouth organs for the French children to help them forget the exploding shells. (Writes.)

[The child runs over to Santa Klaus, who moves into the background with him. A little later they go over to left door and boy goes out left. Santa returns to right entrance and stays near it.]

Mrs. S. (putting down crayon or chalk, turns to Belgian child, who comes shyly forward)-And you are a little Belgian child, I think. You're looking for some toys for Christmas, aren't you?

Belgian Boy (Shakes head positively.)

Mrs. S. (astonished)-Don't you want anything? Belgian Boy-Oh, yes, I'm so hungry. Can't I have something to eat something real filling? (Clasps stomach pathetically.)

Mrs. S. (rising in haste)-Why, the child is starved! What can I get quickest? Something real filling (imitates child). Oh, bananas! (Gets a banana in great haste and also a knife. Child almost grabs the banana.) Oh, wait just a minute-you must always scrape the little white outside part off and the little strings, so it won't hurt you. (To herself) I don't want to make him sick, poor child. (Writes: Good food for the Belgians-bread, potatoes, meat, etc. Walks to front of stage.)

[German child follows plucking at her sleeve.] German Girl-Oh, please gif me some booter. Mrs. S. Some butter? Butter? Oh, you mean some bread and butter.

German Girl-No-(holding up crust) A piece of potato bread I haf, but I'm so tired of it without booter. Oh, something greasy I would luf!

Mrs. S. Maybe your mother doesn't want you to eat fat foods.

German Girl-Nein-they send it to the soldiers. Mrs. S. (setting her cap crooked once more)-So! We'll see about that. Father Christmas, my fresh doughnuts-bring one quick! Well, well, well! (Writes! Doughnuts, gravy fat, butter, etc. for German children.)

[While she is writing S. K. goes out right, returning

at once with the rest of the children. S. K. has a shawl on his arm.]

Mrs. S. (takes both hands of sobbing Russian girl)Ach! a little Russian girl! She's cold! Why, they usually dress warmly in her country! She shouldn't mind the cold even at the North Pole! My child, why are you crying? What do you want?

Russian Girl-Oh, I want some mittens and a shawl and a fur cap-I'm so co-o-o-old!

Mrs. S. (chafing her hands)-So you shall, so you shall-Why, there's my best shawl now! (Wraps shawl around the girl, straightens her cap. Writes: Russians -warm clothes, etc.

[While she writes S. K., Russian girl and American boy go off stage by door on left.]

[The little English boy tugs at her sleeve.] Mrs. S.-Yes, what is it?

English Boy-Aren't you afraid of Zeppelins? Do they let you have lights at night?

Mrs. S. (facing audience)—Listen to the child! Why, when would we want lights except at night?

English Boy-Oh, but they won't allow us to have them in London! We can't have a light on the street after sunset when it's foggy, and so we can't stay out on the street to play. The days are short in winter even when they let you have street lights, you know. Don't you think you ought to pull the shades?

Mrs. S. (indignantly)-How they have frightened the child. It makes me quite angry. (Pulls her cap crooked.) It's bad enough to have made the children afraid of the dark, but when they are afraid in the light that's a grownup crime! (Thinks, straightens cap, speaks to child) Johnny, would you like to be able to make it light or dark just as you choose at night? Would you like to have a little flash light like the one Santa Klaus uses to fill the stockings and find his way up the chimney again?

English Boy-That would be jolly good to have. 1 could light it just a minute if things in the room looked funny, you know, and point it at the clock to see if it's almost morning and too late for the Zeppelins to come.

Mrs. S.-What are you afraid the Zeppelins will do? English Boy-Why, they might hurt mother and grandmother and the baby. Father's gone to the war, you know.

Mrs. S.-Would you know what to do to help them? English Boy-No-o-not much-I'm not a boy scout. Mrs. S.-Well, I could give you a First Aid book to read up by yourself and when you know lots of things to do it won't bother you so much. (To audience) Children, worried! (Feels toward cap, but sees Scotch child play. ing with her knitting.) To Scotch girl-Why are you counting my stitches?

Scotch Child-Oh, won't you tell me how many to make? I started one for Andy-but at home everyone is too busy making things for war to tell me how to do it.

Mrs. S. (hastily)-Take my little book that tells all about it. You can keep it. Now, you children, run into the next room and tell Santa I want to talk with him. Oh, here is another child. (Speaks to the Flemish child, who has been very quiet and shy.) Little girl, what are you going to have for your Christmas?

Flemish Girl-Oh, I can't have any Christmas this year. Mrs. S. (astonished)-Not have any Christmas? Why not, I'd like to know?*

Flemish Girl-Oh, one has to have shoes to put outside the door on Christmas eve to hold the goodies; and I wore my shoes all out hurrying away from the soldiers. Besides, the army cut down all the trees to make bridges and there aren't any Christmas trees left!

[Mrs. S. draws child against her with a hug of one arm while she pushes her cap slightly crooked with the other hand then more crooked, and more crooked, and finally pushes the cap off onto the floor with a vicious jab. Then

Continued on page 466.