hour simply to search for a book. He needs that hour for
preparation of other work, and if by some fortunate conjunction of
circumstances his other work is not sufficiently exacting to require it,
he cannot hope to appear in history class with a well-prepared lesson
if an hour of his time has been spent in simply looking for a book.

It is frequently worth while to spend a few minutes of the recitation in
characterizing the epoch in which the events of the lesson take place or
in listening to a brief character sketch of the men contributing to
these events. Care should of course be taken that biography does not
usurp the place of history, but it materially adds to the interest of
the recitation if the kings, generals, and statesmen cease to be merely
historical characters and become human beings.

_His acquaintance with the great men and women of history will be
vitalized_

It is needless to say that characterizations of men or epochs should not
be assigned without instruction as to how they should be prepared. In
the case of a great historical character, what is needed for class
purposes is not a biography with the dry facts of birth, marriage,
death, etc. The report should be brief, but bristling with adjectives
supported in each case by at least one fact of the man's life. These may
be selected from his personal appearance, private life, amusements,
education, obstacles overcome, public services, political sagacity, or
military prowess. The sketch may close with a few brief estimates by
biographers or historians of his proper place in history.

If a characterization of a period of history is to be required, the
teacher should explain that such a characterization should be an
exercise in the selection of brief statements of fact reflecting the
ideals, institutions, and conditions of the period being described. From
histories, source books, fiction, and literature, let the student select
facts illustrating such things as the spirit of the laws, conditions at
court, public education, amusements of the people, social progress,
position of religion, etc. A little time spent in characterizing a
period of history and a few of its great men will assist in changing the
recital of the bare facts given in the text to an intelligent
understanding of conditions and a vital discussion of events. For
instance, the ordinary high school text, in dealing with the French and
Indian war, speaks briefly of the lack of English succes