servants represent? Explain, "gather them up." What is meant by the harvest? Who are the reapers? What represents the world in the parable? What true Christians? What refers to the last day? What is employed to represent false doctrines? How are the angels spoken of? What is Christ termed in the parable? (b). What lessons can you draw from this parable? Wherein is the long-suffering of God shown? What shows the watchfulness of Satan? Where is it shown that those who have joined together to trouble_the Church, will receive the same punishment? W. M'L. ON QUESTIONING. No. II. THE main object of catechetical examination is to make the understanding operate upon the memory. A question may be very materially modified to suit the readiness and capacity of the pupil: it may be an obvious inference from the previous question, or may readily indicate the answer from its minute detail. "Who first gave the name of Hibernia to Ireland?" is a question less explicit than "What Roman Emperor gave the name," &c. "What at last became of Phalaris?" is more vague and indefinite than "In what manner did Phalaris die?" Repeat the names of the four sons of Aaron," is more circumscribed than "Name the sons of Aaron;" here not only the names but the number must be recollected. A young examiner in the course of his daily questioning having caught in the lesson the word house, abruptly exclaimed, with the purpose of examining, "Belonging to the house?" "Furniture" was the innocent, and not incorrect reply, instead of, as was expected by the questioner, the adj. domestic. Every question should be direct and explicit, and without prolixity should rather suggest the answer than leave the pupil to consider, not what the answer should be, but what the question itself is. In the progress of questioning the transition from what is general, to what is specific and minute, is both natural and easy; the most ordinary questions being capable of such gradation, as (speaking of the siege of Troy): What people besieged Troy? Why did the Greeks besiege Troy? Who commanded the besiegers? Some one particular should always form a separate question, which, if complicated, necessarily becomes confused. Conjunctions should never be employed in crowding several details into one question, too many points presented at once to the mind of the pupil distract his attention and render an answer, if not impossible, slow and uncertain. In the question, "Of what shape is the sun; how far is it from the earth; and how many miles is it in diameter ?" the figure, distance, and magnitude of the sun should each constitute a distinct question, and would, no doubt, in that form, make a clearer impression on the learner's memory. "What are the different aspects of the planets, and how many are there?" is a question, in which it might be inquired, whether the number of the planets, or the number of aspects, is meant to be answered. "Who built and destroyed the temple of Diana at Ephesus?" is an interrogative which would imply that its building and destruction were parts of the same process by the same hand. Suggestive questions may readily degenerate into mere statements made interrogatively, and instead of being an intellectual exercise, questioning may thus become an uninteresting and weary iteration; of such the following are examples. "Was not Edward the First very cruel to the Jews?" "Does not the sun revolve on its axis?" Every quantity is the first power of itself, is it not?" "Is not the sum of any two quantities multiplied by their differences equal to the difference of their squares?" "Were the Cloace of the city of Rome remarkable for their size ?" Happily, a mode in which the teacher does not trouble himself to think, nor the scholars to reflect, cannot now escape either observation or rebuke. A teacher of ordinary care and capacity would find no difficulty in making the above questions respectively : How did Edward the First treat the Jews? What motion has the sun? Of what power is every quantity considered by itsel? What is the product of the sum and difference of any two quantities equal to ? What were the Cloace of ancient Rome noted for? Most questions admit of their converse being proposed or at least of some cognate particulars forming a second question; the principal subject thus reproduced, and viewed under a different aspect, is rendered more familiar to the mind. Let us take as an example the most simple and ordinary remark, thus. Four roods make one acre. How many roods make one acre? conversely; in one acre how many roods? What part of an acre is a rood? Whether is an acre or a rood the greater? How many times greater is an acre than a rood? and so In applying the same mode of analysis to an entire sentence in actual oral examination, each word in the question which presents the general fact in a new phase, should be emphasized. on. "Near Runnymede, in 1215, King John granted Magna Charta." Where did King John grant Magna Charta? When did, &c.? Who granted Magna Charta? What did King John grant at Runnymede in 1215. What memorable occurrence took place near Runnymede in 1215? What English monarch granted Magna Charta ? Another method of creating variety and of impressing a fact more deeply on the memory, consists in asking the same question in different words and of thus altering the form, but not the sense of the answer.> Quest. What was the character of Moses? Ans. He was meek. Quest. What Christian virtue was Moses noted for? Ans. His meekness. "The battle of Bosworth was fought on the 23rd August, 1485." Who was victorious at the battle of Bosworth? Who defeated Richard the Third at the battle of Bosworth? Who succeeded Richard the Third on his death and defeat at the battle of Bosworth? W. T. Y. ON TEACHING ARITHMETIC. We have not forgotten our promise to a correspondent to make some suggestions on this subject. The necessity of bringing up arrears on other matters, into which we had fallen, has hitherto prevented us. Even now, however, we do not profess quite to meet the case proposed to us; but we believe we can describe how arithmetic may be taught with success. This we believe, because we think the process ought from the nature of things to succeed, and because we know that in practice it has succeeded. This then is the plan we have to recommend. Let the boys be placed as conveniently as possible at their desks, with their slates or paper before them. We are ourselves partial to paper where circumstances will allow it; for it seems to us that the work is then more neatly done, and habits of neatness are more likely to be acquired. In passing we may ask, whether boys are not often called upon to stand too much and too long at their work. Is not inattention sometimes the effect of physical weariness? When thus placed, let each boy take his arithmetic or algebra, and work away at his own rule or examples; no attempt whatever being made to class them. The teacher meanwhile should walk about among his pupils; and not wait in his seat (as is usually done) till the boys present themselves severally to him and thereby cause no small confusion. By so doing he will easily see that they are all at work; he can encourage and direct those who are equal to what they have in hand; he can help the puzzled over a difficulty, and can take care that the idly-disposed have little opportunity for indulging their propensity. The whole will go on with comfort and profit to the boys, and without the noise and confusion which is inseparable from any other system. Our Trinity College friend may perhaps understand us better, if we add that we are recommending in the outline the plan followed in the Freshman's lecture-room during the mathematical lecture; and it is, we believe, a simple and effective mode of managing the matter. We are constrained however to remark further that to be done successfully this work should be done two hours a day for five days in the week. It should be looked upon, as it well may, and acknowledged to be a substantial part of schoolwork—not a kind of make-weight, to be attended to at odd times or when the boys are wearied with other work, or (as is sometimes the case) during their play-hours. It is this which is so often fatal to the best scheme, namely, putting it in prac tice, now and then only, or for half-an-hour, or as a kind of holiday or playtime. Arithmetic is a very important work; and ought not to be thus treated. We are of opinion that twenty boys are enough for one man to teach at a time in elementary subjects, or indeed in any subject unless as a mere lecturer; and that any number beyond that will more or less diminish success. It remains to be mentioned that one of these five days or the half of two daily periods should be employed in what is called Mental Arithmetic. A most healthy and useful exercise this is, and it will be found an agreeable relief from written work. 'Tis an exercise, however, which we fear is very much neglected, especially in those that are considered upper schools; and this neglect has proved a great injury to the scholars. Questions of the simpler kinds, and by degrees those of a higher order may be given, to the great advantage of the pupils; and the readiness and reach of the answers will soon encourage the teacher, who tries it, to persevere. Multiplications and divisions, Bills of Parcels, all Reductions, some Rule of Three sums, Practice largely, Interest partly, and all the common Rules of Vulgar Fractions are capable of being treated on the mental system. A teacher would also take advantage of such occasions to explain popularly-that is, so that his younger boys would understand him-the use and history of the rules and terms, especially such terms as Stock, Funds, Interest, Discount, Exchanges, &c. This will tend to make the knowledge acquired more real and practical. The ignorance even of big boys and grown-up people in these every-day matters is quite remarkable; and has been already alluded to in this journal. We had almost forgotten to call attention to another important point. In teaching arithmetic or algebra, be constantly turning your pupils back. Frequent going back and repetition of the same sets of examples is the corner-stone of the whole work; and it is probably the neglect of this that makes these subjects, especially the former, so unsuccessfully taught. With this and a sufficiency of time scarcely any system would fail. Never let the boy boast on his return home that he is in Cube Root, when perhaps he could not without prompting work out a single Rule of Three or Practice question. C. P. FITNESS FOR OUR WORK. [We make the following extract from Mr. Ruskin's recent pamphlet on Art, entitled "Pre-Raphaelism," for the sound common sense which it contains, and its universal application, though the subject of the pamphlet does not fall within our range.] Ir may be proved, with much certainty, that God intends no man to live in this world without working: but it seems to me no less evident that He intends every man to be happy in his work. It is written," in the sweat of thy brow," but it was never written, " in the breaking of thine heart," thou shalt eat bread: and I find that, as on the one hand, infinite misery is caused by idle people, who both fail in doing what was appointed for them to do, and set in motion various springs of mischief in matters in which they should have had no concern, so on the other hand, no small misery is caused by overworked and unhappy people, in the dark views which they necessarily take up themselves, and force upon others, of work itself. Were it not so, I believe the fact of their being unhappy is in itself a violation of Divine law, and a sign of some kind of folly or sin in their way of life. Now in order that people may be happy in their work, these three things are needed : they must not do too much of it: and they must have a sense of success in it-not a doubtful sense, such as needs some testimony of other people for its confirmation, but a sure sense, or rather knowledge, that so much work has been done well, and fruitfully done, whatever the world may say or think about it. So that in order that a man may be happy, it is necessary, that he should not only be capable of his work, but a good judge of his work. The first thing then that he has to do, if unhappily his parents or masters have not done it for him, is to find out what he is fit for. In which inquiry a man may be very safely guided by his likings, if he be not also guided by his pride. People usually reason in some such fashion as this: "I don't seem quite fit for a head manager in the firm of & Co., therefore, in all probability, I am fit to be Chancellor of the Exchequer." Whereas, they ought to reason thus: "I don't seem to be quite fit to be head manager in the firm of & Co., but I dare say I might do something in a small greengrocery business; I used to be a good judge of pease; that is to say, always trying lower instead of trying higher, until they find bottom: once well set on the ground, a man may build up by degrees, safely, instead of disturbing every one in his neighbourhood by perpetual catastrophes. But this kind of humility is rendered difficult in these days, by the contumely thrown on men in humble employments. The very removal of the massy bars which once separated one class of society from another, has rendered it ten times more shameful in foolish people's, i.e., in most people's eyes, to remain in the lower grades of it, than ever it was before. When a man born of an artisan was looked upon as an entirely different species of animal from a man born of a noble, it made him no more uncomfortable or ashamed to remain that different species of animal, than it makes a horse ashamed to remain a horse, and not to become a giraffe. But now that a man may make money and rise in the world, and associate himself, unreproached, with people once far above him, not only is the natural discontentedness of humanity developed to an unheard-of extent, whatever a man's position, but it becomes a veritable shame to him to remain in the state he was born in, and everybody thinks it his duty to try to be a "gentleman." Persons who have any influence in the management of public institutions for charitable education know how common this feeling has become. Hardly a day passes but they receive letters from mothers who want all their six or eight sons to go to college, and make the grand tour in the long vacation, and who think there is something wrong in the foundations of society, because this is not possible. Out of every ten letters of this kind, nine will allege, as the reason of the writers' importunity, their desire to keep their families in such and such a "station of life." There is no real desire for the safety, the discipline, or the moral good of the children, only a panic horror of the inexpressibly pitiable calamity of their living a ledge or two lower on the molehill of the world |