In the first book of Samuel we find incidents which serve as examples of strong will-power and a determined spirit to succeed. These old narratives teach that whatever the conditions or circumstances one has to fight against, if he hasn't confidence in himself he can never succeed. This is brought out most strikingly in the verse, "And when the Philistine arose, and was coming, and drew night to meet David, David made haste and ran to the fight, to meet the Philistine." The men of David's type are among the minority.

When I first read this I associated it with the "spot no bigger than a pin's head," around which Barrie's play, "The Will," centers. Goliath symbolizes "the spot" and David the man. The decision as to which one is going to win the battle is left entirely in the balance. If the man has a great deal of will-power, confidence in himself, and a determination to conquer the bad quality or spot within, he will win the fight. But on the other hand, if he is afraid of "the spot" and allows it to become master of him, he will have to fight just twice as hard to regain his will power and self-control. As soon as David learned that the Philistine was prepared for a fight he could scarcely wait, but "made haste and ran to the fight to meet the Philistine." If every individual could act as quickly and wisely as David did, the world would be made much happier. Everybody has "the spot no bigger than a pin's head," which will grow quickly unless checked. It would not be so bad if we harmed only ourselves; but according to the Old Testament, "the sins of the fathers are visited on the children," as the sin of Saul on Jonathan and of David on Absalom.

Ethics and the Schoolroom

RUTH ADSIT, SUPERVISOR NORMAL TRAINING GRADE SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING, LARAMIE.

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LTHOUGH the school has for its highest object the moral upbuilding of its pupils, it should be stated at the outset that definite instruction in ethics is but one of the factors we must depend upon in our efforts to produce the desired result. Other factors are: the school environment and atmosphere, that is, the general spirit of the school, the personality of the teachers; the unconscious standard of the school, that is, the reaction of the pupils on one another. The methods of government and of discipline adopted by the school also constitute a very important element in this moral training.

Adverse criticisms are often made of the plan of giving definite moral instruction on the assumption that it involves a series of cold and abstract intellectual exercises; that the feeling and the will are neglected, and the connection between the moral precept and the moral action is weakened. This objection rests on misconception. The appeal of the sympathetic, intelligent teacher who advocates regular and systematic ethical instruction is invariably to the intellect, the feeling, and the will combined, and care is taken to provide outlets for the awakened sense of duty. The result aimed at is not the intellectual knowledge of an ethical system, but rather that the child shall gain an appreciation of and admiration for great and noble actions and shall conceive a disapproval and dislike for what is morally wrong and low. To accomplish this result requires systematic procedure.

A special lesson in ethics should be given at least once a week, and the school life will always furnish opportunities for the child to extend courtesies, to express sympathy, and to render service to the poor and unfortunate.

In a certain school there is a little girl who is deaf. Her tones are loud and harsh, her manner peculiar. At the beginning of the year the children laughed at this unfortunate child, but before many weeks their attitude towards her had changed. When she had trouble in finding the page they exchanged books with her. They stepped over to her and repeated directions which she did not hear. They guided her in their games. Moreover, they requested her not to talk in such loud tones in the corridors. Their attentions were thoughtful, sweet and tender, and given in the spirit of love and helpfulness. They were learning by actual experience the joy, beauty and satisfaction of service. There is. a broader, truer, deeper training in such experiences than can be realized through books, studied, or read aloud.

The ethical instruction given by the teacher should suggest the use of just such opportunities as the little deaf girl afforded. The efficient, observant and spiritual teacher will find specific illustrations in the home, the street, and the school, and will train the child to take the initiative when courage, honor and kindness aie needed in order that right may prevail.

We should take advantage of every opportunity to assist pupils to realize their responsibilities and deepen and refine their moral natures, and to live and practise in the school the principles that characterize the strong, worthy, capable citizen. When a business man tells us that he had to train a young lady who had finished her course in the commercial high school how to use the telephone with propriety and how to dress suitably for business, we are impressed with the fact that the social phase of the girl's commercial training had been neglected; and when this same business man tells us that a graduate from high school who was employed as a clerk failed to realize the importance of courtesy in dealing with customers, we are inclined to think that this business man is in a position to give us some valuable suggestions on the social phases of education.

When we are crowded off the sidewalk by three or four giggling girls who are walking abreast, or when we meet a young man who is too absorbed in his lady-love to step back and give part of the

walk to those whom he passes, we have found practical subjects for informal social conversation with our pupils; when we attend a concert and are annoyed by people whispering, rattling programs, carrying on conversations in an undertone, and preparing to leave before the last number is finished, we are again reminded that we have duties in training the young people still within the school

room.

If we allow the children in our schools to misuse their books and inflict no penalty on them, we need not wonder that there are so many people who have had a dearly prized volume returned to them soiled or torn; we must regard as our superiors in intelligence those librarians and teachers who are making an attempt to train children how to care for books.

"Remember to wash your hands before you read this book," is the label which the Cleveland Public Library pastes on the first page of the text of juvenile books. A more elaborate reminder is the book-plate used by the Public Library in Buffalo. It is pasted on the inside of the back cover of each book of the school duplicate collection, and reads as follows:

The Good Citizen says: "As a citizen of Buffalo I am heir to all her beauty and to her great possessions, her roads and parks, her schools and libraries.

"I resolve never to mar that beauty nor to spoil those possessions and, so far as I may, I will help my companions to a like resolve, for I plainly see that not to do thus must bring loss to them and to me.

"Books from the Public Library will long give joy to every reader if handled with clean hands and in a gentle way.

"I will see to it that the books which I read shall not be the worse for the joy and profit they have given me."

Results will follow when we realize the necessity of regular, well-organized talks on social ethics and citizenship. A list of subjects upon which schoolroom talks may profitably be given is as follows:

Care of public property: streets, lawns, parks, buildings.

Books: opening books, turning the leaves of books, keeping

books clean, misusing books, borrowing books.

Conduct at school.

Manner of address.

Interruptions.

Service.

Sympathy.

New pupils.

Rich and poor.

When schoolmates are ill.

General rules of conduct: behavior on the streets and sidewalk, behavior in public places, sneezing, coughing, etc.

Duties toward self.

Duties toward others.

The teacher should collect stories and poems that illustrate' pointed and forceful moral truths, and should use these as the personnel of her class or the events in the school or the children's world suggest them.

If the truth were known, we believe that there is far more effectual teaching along these lines done in the grades than in the high school, yet high school instructors are almost invariably chosen to give courses in citizenship in summer schools and institutes. The teachers should be chosen according to their experience and their success in giving ethical training rather than because of their general education or standing in their profession.

Observations prove that boys and girls who have been given inspirational guidance in the homes, schools and colleges, count for something worth while when they go out into life to take up the larger trials, difficulties and problems. A concrete illustration follows: A few months past, in the wilds of Canada, a young man who had recently graduated from Cornell, met a sudden death. Aided by gracious friends who saw the possibilities ahead of him, he had worked his way through college and had acquitted himself with honor. But before he had an opportunity to show what he was capable of, he was cut down. He left no name be hind him, or record of great things accomplished, but among his