school have achieved
distinction in the world's affairs, and that, of itself, proves the
validity of the method, according to his way of thinking.

=Mental atrophy.=--It seems never to occur to him that children have
large powers of resistance and that some of his pupils may have won
distinction in spite of his teaching and his methods of examination and
not because of them. His trouble is mental and spiritual atrophy. He
thinks and feels by rule of thumb, "without variableness or shadow of
turning." In the matter of new methods he is quite immune. He settled
things to his complete satisfaction years ago, and what was good enough
for his father, in school methods, is quite good enough for him. His
self-satisfaction would approach sublimity, were it not so extremely
ludicrous. He has a supercilious sneer for innovations. How he can bring
himself to make concessions to modernity to the extent of riding in an
automobile is one of the mysteries.

=Self-complacency.=--His complacency would excite profound admiration
did it not betoken deadline inaction. He became becalmed on the sea of
life years ago, but does not know it. When the procession of life moves
past him he thinks he is the one who is in motion, and takes great
unction to himself for his progressiveness--"and not a wave of trouble
rolls across his peaceful breast." So he proceeds to copy another
question from the text-book, solemnly writing it on a bit of paper, and
later copying on the blackboard with such a show of bravery and gusto as
would indicate that some great truth had been revealed to him alone. In
an orotund voice he declaims to his pupils the mighty revelations that
he copied from the book. His examination regime is the old offer of a
mess of pottage for a birthright.

=Remembering and knowing.=--In our school practices we have become so
inured to the question-and-answer method of the recitation that we have
made the examination its counterpart. As teachers we are constantly
admonishing our pupils to remember, as if that were the basic principle
in the educational process. In reality we do not want them to
remember--we want them to know; and the distinction is all-important.
The child does not remember which is his right hand; he knows. He does
not remember the face of his mother; he knows her. He does not remember
which is the sun and which is the moon; he knows. He does not remember
snow, and rain, and ice, and mud; he knows.

=Questions and ans