ble, since the point is in reality an intangible
something, having no one of the three dimensions. This reasoning seems
to be logical enough, and it is surely equally so, to insist that the
child shall at some time derive his own points from the cube and make
them as small as possible, that he may the better understand their
relation to line, plane, and solid. When once this relation is
understood, however, and before it is suggested to his mind, why may
he not use the larger materials, even though they do not illustrate
the point as perfectly? Any lack in perfect representation would
probably be more than compensated by the removal of the strain on the
accessory muscles and the gain in artistic development. This latter
point, indeed, needs special consideration, for there seems no doubt
that the continued use of such small objects for design leads to
accuracy and prettiness rather than breadth and power.

The Marwedel Materials.

If we throw out all the smaller materials used for point-laying, and
it seems advisable so to do, we still have left smooth pebbles from
one half to three fourths of an inch in diameter, and shells of any
univalve, such as the "money-cowry" (_cyproea moneta_). These should
be polished, as free from convolutions as possible, and not less than
half an inch in diameter. To these we may add Miss Emma Marwedel's
wooden ellipsoids and hemispheres, already mentioned, which are
satisfactory in size, and add the delights of color.[80]

[80] _Marwedel's Materials for Child-Culture_. D. C. Heath &
Co.

The hemispheres, which are about one half inch in diameter, come in
eight colors and also in the natural wood, are pierced for stringing,
and are similar to ordinary button-moulds, having of course one flat
side.

The ellipsoids in the six rainbow hues, black gray, brown, and wood
colors, resemble elliptical shells, having one flat side, are also
pierced for stringing, and vary in length from three fourths of to
something over an inch, being nearly an inch wide, perhaps, and a half
inch thick.

The children are invariably delighted with both hemispheres and
ellipsoids, and need no stimulus from the kindergartner in their use.

Mind-Pictures.

In some of Miss Marwedel's pamphlets on the use of these materials,
she speaks of the mind-pictures which can be made with them, and which
are of course quite possible with any of the other gifts. These
mind-pictures, showing form and number gro