ves. When the scholars are allowed, as they
very generally are, to come, when they please, to present their
pens, some four, five or six times in a day--breaking in upon any
business--interrupting any classes--perplexing and embarrassing the
teacher, however he may be employed,--there is a very serious
obstruction to the progress of the scholars, which is by no means
repaid by the improvement in this branch.

There are several ways by which this evil may be remedied, or at least
be very effectually curtailed. Some teachers take their pens with them,
and mend them in the evening at home. For various reasons, this cannot
always be practised. There may, however, be a time set apart in the
school specially for this purpose. But the best plan is, for the teacher
not to mend the pens himself.

Let him choose from among the older and more intelligent of his
scholars, four or five, whom he will teach. They will be very glad to
learn, and to mend every day twenty-five or fifty pens each. Very little
ingenuity will be necessary to devise some plan, by which the scholars
may be apportioned among these, so that each shall supply a given
number, and the teacher be relieved entirely.

3. Answering questions about studies. A teacher who does not adopt some
system in regard to this subject, will be always at the mercy of his
scholars. One boy will want to know how to parse a word, another where
the lesson is, another to have a sum explained, and a fourth will wish
to show his work, to see if it is right. The teacher does not like to
discourage such inquiries. Each one, as it comes up, seems necessary:
each one too is answered in a moment; but the endless number, and the
continual repetition of them consume his time and exhaust his patience.

There is another view of the subject, which ought to be taken. Perhaps
it would not be far from the truth, to estimate the average number of
scholars in the schools in our country, at fifty. At any rate, this will
be near enough for our present purpose. There are three hours in each
session, making one hundred and eighty minutes, which, divided among
fifty, give about three minutes and a half to each individual. If the
reader has, in his own school, a greater or a less number, he can easily
correct the above, so as to adapt it to his own case, and ascertain the
portion, which may justly be appropriated to each pupil. It will
probably vary from two to four minutes. Now a period of four minutes
s