Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 39.djvu/60

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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY.

sometimes they bring in wild cats and coyotes, caught in the same way, but they found none that afternoon.

About six o'clock a heavy shower came up, and the foresight of the Indian at once showed itself, for every one of them had his blanket with him, while I was thoroughly drenched. As we returned to the pueblo, many feats of horsemanship were displayed and a number of races run.

The rabbits are given by the hunters to the squaws, who place them on the floor of the house, with an ear of corn between their paws. Bandelier tells us that formerly these hunts were conducted in behalf of the caciques of the tribe, but this custom seems to have fallen into entire disuse.[1]

AN EXPERIMENT IN MORAL TRAINING.

By Dr. MARY V. LEE.

WHILE waiting in a corridor of the Oswego Normal School building, forty or fifty lads and lasses from the practice school marched in quadruple column past me. They were full of life, observant, unaccompanied by teacher, but attending to the duty of the moment in an orderly manner. The company separated, each division passing to its own room. After a brief interval I followed the band, made up of boys and girls from fourteen to sixteen years of age. I found them conversing with their principal in such manner as induced me to tarry. The experiences of that hour seem so full of meaning as to deserve record and emphasis.

Evidently the pupils were for the time unconscious that the gentleman before them was vested with authority; evidently it was his purpose to show no authority, but to talk with the children as heart to heart, as man to man. Freedom, earnestness, and sincerity characterized the interview; in fact, the spirit of the room constantly suggested, "Come, let us reason together."

Below I give a free reproduction of that which I saw and heard:

Teacher. Several weeks ago I left a question for you to think about. What was it? (Each pupil raised his hand thoughtfully, and the teacher indicated who might respond.)

Pupil. You asked how many of us were willing to have those pupils who hinder the work of the class removed from it.

Teacher. Yes. How many have decided? (Each of the nine-teen pupils raised the hand.) How have you decided, Henry?


  1. Ad. Bandelier, Papers of the Archæological Institute of America. American Series, iii, p. 160.