is not to be the repressive tyrant, but the freedom-nurturing leader; to train self-directed agents, not to make soldiers." The child should breathe the pure air of hope, confidence, and love. He should be offered nothing as food for thought that will not strengthen his moral nature. His school-days should be filled with positive, constructive, life-sustaining thoughts and suggestions.

In this connection, let us revert for a moment to the doctrine of the subconscious mind and the power of thought. The subconscious mind of the class as a whole should be one of buoyancy, and receptivity to helpful influences. By their inner attitude of mind, principal and teachers should arouse in the child only what is best. Whether fully conscious and expressed, or only vaguely conscious and unuttered, their current of thought should be of such character and force as to stimulate the child to wholesome ideas and expressions, and to the resolve to make these into helpful, character-building acts.

Just here, the teacher, more than half-persuaded, perhaps, that all this is good, may ask how it is to be done. "The fountain cannot rise above its source. A current of power like that described cannot be sent forth except from a powerful dynamo. Here, as previously hinted, we pass over into the realm of the spiritual. We come to the sacred precinct of the teacher's inner life, into which he alone must enter, and which is under his supreme control. If he wishes to make the inner sanctuary the source of a great power for good, he must fill it with all that is holiest and strongest and best. He must himself draw from higher sources streams of living water that may overflow his own heart, and enrich the lives of others. All that is noblest in literature, and nature, and

religion, he must use. His is the inheritance of the past, the rich resources of the present, and the inspiration of whatever is outside of time and space. And if he would teach another, let him be a learner-willing, eager, and humble.

All this is not the work of a day. It calls for repeated effort and endeavor. But great is the satisfaction and happiness of one who knows that thereby he is increasing power within himself, and causing a like power to be developed within the child.

Teaching is not a trade, as some render it by dry, mechanical routine, nor a business, although others may conduct it on generally accepted business lines for profit and success; nor yet only a profession, to be pursued according to well-known psychological and pedagogical rules: but it is a life and a giving of life, in thought, word, and deed. This is intelligible to the real teacher; to others it must seem a Utopian dream. Yet the work of the great teachers has proved it true. Like real artists in every field, they have been conscious of some half-mysterious power in themselves; and have possessed a knowledge of strength that was not boastful and was more than self-confidence, and that somehow made itself a power for good over others. Let the reader think over his own experience, and he will find that the teachers whom he remembers most fondly and vividly, whether in the old red schoolhouse or in college halls, are those who possessed this strange life-giving power, and gave of it freely.

Personal contact is the only sure way of making this power effective. The true teacher will find many channels through which it may be conducted. A word of en

couragement to this one, a friendly inquiry of another, a gentle hand upon a shrinking shoulder, a twinkle of the eye, a musically modulated tone of voice, a hearty hand-shake of congratulation-these are a few of the numberless ways. In a word, the teacher should not be as one exercising brief authority, or one for whom "familiarity breeds contempt"; but one who, teaching the doctrine of brotherhood and service, is himself a big brother and a fellow servant to those about him.

CHAPTER VII

MORAL TRAINING AND SCHOOL INCENTIVES

INCENTIVE is very closely related to character. In fact, the motive back of every one of our acts is an index to our character, if not identical with it. He who would perform a deed with none but right motives, must possess a strong character. Likewise, character is itself strongly affected by motives. The question therefore of the proper incentives to be employed in teaching and discipline, is a most important question; for it bears directly upon the problem of character-building. In deciding this question, the teacher may find guidance in the theory that the education of the child should follow the lines of development made by the race. Thus, in the case of pupils who are undisciplined and incorrigible, fear of punishment might be put to some use-though even with such children it seems to work badly. Possibly a competitive system may be of advantage in arousing interest, for with most children the desire to excel is very strong. Careless and indolent pupils may be aroused by the bestowal of rewards in the shape of marks, and the offer of prizes.

But to continue this competitive system is to appeal constantly to what is purely selfish in the child. The sooner the teacher abandons this course the better. At the very earliest possible moment, he should lead his pupils to love learning for its own sake, or for its value in

making them useful members of society. The first man to abolish all marks and percentages in his schools was Colonel Parker. To-day the schools that are doing the best work are those that do not rely on these false props.

Under an ideal educational system, marks should never be mentioned. Examinations may be given, if desired; but the pupil should be told that they are necessary merely to give just the knowledge of his abilities required to advance him properly. Hence, they should come at irregular times, unannounced, sometimes even without the pupil's knowing that they are examinations. In fact, with a limited number of pupils, under right conditions, a teacher should so thoroughly know his pupils that he would not need formal examinations. As a result, there would be spared for teachers much unnecessary work; and for pupils, much cause for dishonesty, discouragement, and sometimes undeserved defeat.

In New York City, a by-law of the Board of Education compels teachers to furnish a report of pupils' work at least once a month. In one school, however, this requirement is met by simply informing the pupils that the reports are meant for their parents alone, and that it is better for them not to know their ratings or discuss them with their schoolmates. The report cards are sent to the parents in sealed envelopes, and are returned in the same way. When a report is unfavorable, the teacher, in a kind way, informs the pupil of that fact, and encourages him to do better work in the future.

When we have a system that will make promotion possible whenever the pupil is fitted for it, either through advancement by subject or groups of subjects,