o
teach the class, each pledging herself to notify the other of necessary
absences. Don't you see that it will rarely, if ever, happen that one of
the three cannot be at her post? The very sense of importance and
responsibility attached to their office will lessen the chance of
absence, while one teacher in twenty is almost sure to be away. Then we
have those young girls in their places in the Bible class learning to be
teachers indeed."

"But, Miss Wilbur, would not such a work be very hard for the leader?"

"Why harder than the present system in our school? I think, mind you,
that it wouldn't be nearly so hard. But, for the sake of the argument, I
will say, Why any harder? Why cannot her one assistant relieve her in
just the same way that the other twenty are supposed to do now? Is there
any known reason why a hundred children cannot repeat the Lord's Prayer
together as well as have a lesson taught them together? Children like
it, I assure you; there is an enthusiasm in numbers; they would much
rather speak aloud and in beautiful unison, as they can be trained to
do, than to speak so low that the recitation loses half its beauty,
because they must not disturb others.

"Then, I don't know how it is with other teachers, but, theoretically,
you may plan out the work of these young teachers as much as you please,
and, practically, they will do very much as they please; and it is a
great deal harder for me to sit listening to a sort of teaching that I
don't like, and know that I am obliged to be still and endure it, than
it is to do it myself.

"The idea that one hour of work on the Sabbath is so fearfully wearing,
is in my humble opinion all nonsense; those who think so, have never
been teachers of graded schools six hours a day, five days in the week,
I don't believe. However, that is my opinion, you know. I may be quite
mistaken as to theory; but I know as much as this. I am sure I could do
the teaching alone, and I am sure that I can't do it with twenty
helpers, so I just want to give it up."

"Don't give up the subject yet, please; I am interested. There is an
argument on the other side that is very strong, I think. You haven't
touched upon it. I have heard a good deal said, and thought it a point
well taken, about the personal influence of each teacher. A sense of
ownership that teachers of large classes can hardly call out because of
their inability to visit their scholars, and to be intimate with their
little