y, as far as the rural districts are
concerned, it might be well to divide the years from twelve to eighteen
into three standards--twelve to fourteen, fourteen to sixteen, and
sixteen to eighteen. The age grouping, however, will never be reliable
in achieving results, as the individual physical development varies so
much.

The height and weight standard is more scientifically correct than the
age standard, although it has not been tested out enough to warrant any
authoritative declaration in its favor. If this method is used for
grouping, the standards for athletic competition among the boys might be
used; that is, all the boys of ninety pounds and under might be put
together, the same being true for those under one hundred and ten, one
hundred and twenty-five, and one hundred and forty pounds. If height is
used, boys of fifty-six and a half inches in height and classifying
under ninety pounds in weight might be grouped together. Also boys of
sixty-three inches in height and coming within the one hundred and ten
pound weight. This standard will doubtless become the real basis of all
groupings in the future, but as yet it needs more demonstration in order
that the various classifications may be made accurately.

A simple and rather satisfactory way of grouping is by the school boy
or wage-earning boy standard. If the boy happens to be in the grammar
school he may be grouped with boys of his own educational advancement;
so with the boys who are in the secondary or high schools, and the same
may be said of working boys who are forced to earn their own livelihood.

Possibly the best and most satisfactory way of grouping boys is by their
interest. Some boys will be mutually interested in collecting stamps,
riding a bicycle, forming a mounted patrol, working with wireless, in
music and orchestra work, etc., and boys grouping together according to
such kindred interests as they manifest has proven most satisfactory in
general boys' work.

=Problems of Boy-handling Simplified by Natural Standard
Grouping=

Grouping the boys according to natural standards makes the problem of
handling them much simpler. Boys between twelve and fourteen are in the
age of authority, and the word of the Teacher will settle most
difficulties that arise. Boys between fourteen and sixteen are in the
age of experience, and an opportunity must be given them to check up
what they are told by what they are experiencing. Between twelve and
fourteen