erial for weaves of this sort.
This weave may also be used with raffia to make matting for the
dining-room floor.

[Illustration: FIG. 19.--Box house by second grade. Columbia, Missouri.]

Paper mats may also be used as carpets with good effect. Weaving paper
strips is often an easier process to little children than weaving with
textiles, except where very coarse textile materials are used. For paper
mats select paper of suitable color and cut to the size desired for the
mat. Fold on the short diameter. Cut slashes from the folded edge, not
less than one half inch apart, to within one inch of edge of the paper
(See Fig. 20), leaving a margin on all four sides of the mat. For weavers,
cut from paper of harmonious tone, strips equal in width to the slashes in
the mat.

[Illustration: FIG. 20.--Detail of paper weaving.]

Variations of the simple over one, under one weave add interest to the
work and also give practice in number combinations such as over one, under
two, etc. Work of this sort is used in many schools as a method of
teaching number, the teacher dictating the combinations while the interest
of the children centers in the new pattern which develops under their
fingers. While such work has much to be said in its favor, it is open to
criticism, especially in the matter of dictation. All the children in any
one group will not work with equal speed. Some will undoubtedly "get
behind" and others will lose time while waiting for the slow ones.
Accidents are liable to happen in individual cases.

Many of these undesirable features may be eliminated while still retaining
the valuable part of the work by writing the directions on the board
instead of dictating them to the children. It then becomes a lesson in
reading as well as in number. Each child is thrown more completely upon
his own responsibility and can proceed as rapidly and as steadily as his
capacity permits. His rate of progress will often be a fair measure of his
ability for independent thought and action, which is the real measure for
successful teaching.

As the hardest feature in this method is in keeping the right line and not
repeating or omitting any direction, a social spirit may be encouraged by
allowing the children to work in groups and take turns in _keeping the
place_ while the others work. In one first grade where this plan was in
vogue the children discovered a book on the teacher's desk which contained
numerous designs, many of t