and the processes involve some excellent practice in
measurement and design. The processes necessary to obtain these
satisfactory results are, however, beyond the ability of children in the
lower grades. Even fairly satisfactory results are impossible unless an
undue amount of assistance is given by the teacher. In actual practice,
where stiff paper is used a few of the best workers in the class are
helped to make the few pieces needed in the playhouse and the unhappy
failures of the rest of the class are promptly consigned to the
wastebasket.

Very pretty furniture may be made from reeds and raffia, but the processes
are too difficult to be successfully performed by small children. The
reeds do not lend themselves readily to constructions small enough to suit
the average playhouse, and the larger pieces are out of proportion to the
other features of the house.

The use of wood overcomes the most serious of the objections to be made to
other materials, besides being the material most commonly used in "real"
furniture. Wooden furniture is stable, and a great variety of processes in
construction are possible without introducing complications which prevent
independent work on the part of the little people.

The processes necessary to the construction of very simple yet
satisfactory wooden furniture may be reduced to measuring one dimension,
sawing off, and nailing on. Measuring one dimension is quite within the
powers of six-year-olds. _Sawing off_ is not difficult if soft lumber is
used, and it becomes very simple by the help of the miter box. _Nailing
on_ is difficult if the nails must be driven into the edges of thin
boards, but if thin boards are nailed to thick boards, nails may "go
crooked" without serious consequences, and the process becomes quite easy.
These processes have the advantage of being particularly fascinating to
small boys, in contrast to the girlish character of many forms of primary
handwork. (See Figs. 21 and 22.)

[Illustration: FIG. 21.--Furniture from wood blocks.]

[Illustration: FIG. 22.--Furniture from wood blocks.]

_Processes._--For the sake of convenience and clearness in these
directions it will be assumed that the class is provided with pieces of
wood two inches square which will be referred to as 2 x 2. Also with thin
wood in a variety of widths from 1 in. to 6 in. Material of other
dimensions would serve the purpose equally well, and for many of the parts
odd pieces from the s