children, which it may
be desirable for the teacher to know. Let it be understood, however,
that these cases are not selected with reference to their being strange,
or extraordinary. They are rather chosen because they are common, i. e.
they, or cases similar, will be constantly occurring to the teacher,
and reading such a chapter will be the best substitute for experience
which the teacher can have. Some are descriptions of literary exercises
or plans which the reader can adopt in classes, or with a whole school;
others are cases of discipline,--good or bad management,
which the teacher can imitate or avoid. The stories are from various
sources, and are the results of the experience of several individuals.

1. HATS AND BONNETS. The master of a district school was accidentally
looking out of the window one day, and he saw one of the boys throwing
stones at a hat, which was put up for that purpose upon the fence. He
said nothing about it at the time, but made a memorandum of the
occurrence, that he might bring it before the school, at the proper
time. When the hour, set apart for attending to the general business of
the school, had arrived, and all were still, he said,

"I saw one of the boys throwing stones at a hat to-day, did he do right
or wrong?"

There were one or two faint murmurs which sounded like "_Wrong_," but
the boys generally made no answer.

"Perhaps it depends a little upon the question whose hat it was. Do you
think it does depend upon that?"

"Yes sir."

"Well, suppose then it was not his own hat, and he was throwing stones
at it without the owner's consent, would it be plain in that case,
whether he was doing right or wrong?"

"Yes sir; wrong," was the universal reply.

"Suppose it was his own hat, would he have been right? Has a boy a right
to do what he pleases with his own hat?"

"Yes sir," "Yes sir," "No sir," "No sir," answered the boys confusedly.

"I do not know whose hat it was. If the boy who did it is willing to
rise and tell me, it will help us to decide this question."

The boy knowing that a severe punishment was not in such a case to be
anticipated, and in fact, apparently pleased with the idea of
exonerating himself from the blame of wilfully injuring the property of
another, rose and said,

"I suppose it was I, sir, who did it, and it was my own hat?"

"Well," said the master, "I am glad you are willing to tell frankly how
it was; but let us look at this case. There a