ertain types of blackboard
illustrations. The child is asked to change a cross into suffering, a
crown into victory, a red cardboard heart into life, and a picture of
Jesus Christ pinned upon it into regeneration. He does not make these
transformations until reason is more fully developed than in this
period. Lines remain lines, cardboard is still cardboard and spiritual
deductions do not reach his understanding.

The fact that an object or drawing is always interesting does not alter
the principle at all, for being interested and being instructed are not
necessarily equivalent terms. The lesson must always be interesting, but
it must also gain entrance according to the laws of the mind to be
instructive.

INTERESTS

The interests of this period include those of the preceding period, but
they are more diverse and far-reaching than in Early Childhood. They
still center around the concrete, and especially physical activity.
Crude and amazingly heterogeneous collections begin to make their
appearance in boys' pockets and girls' treasure boxes. Dolls are never
so dear to their fond mothers as in this period. Games and active
outdoor sports appeal to both boys and girls, those games being
particularly enjoyable which give the individual an opportunity to
shine. Real team play is impossible at this time, since in honor each
prefers himself. Any scepticism upon this point will be dispelled by
listening to the modest aspirants for office when the positions in a
football game are being assigned. The explanation for this lies
partially in the instinct of rivalry, which arrays individual against
individual, all through the early years of life. When the social
feeling which welds individuals into groups becomes strong, rivalry will
appear between gangs and clubs rather than between individuals.

A significant change occurs in connection with that which the child
desires to imitate. At first, definite acts focused the most of his
interest and aroused imitation, now, interest begins to attach itself to
the actor as well, and the child not only desires to imitate the deed
but also to emulate the doer. Out of this a little later comes real hero
worship, an incentive to action than which life holds no greater.
Another fact in connection with this is also significant; those whom he
desires to resemble need not be in the home circle nor in his
environment, as at first, but may be distant in time and place. This new
interest in peop