uently lacks perseverance; the latter is often tenacious and
persistent. The former unjustly wins applause for his cleverness; the
latter, equally unjustly, wins contempt for his dulness. The teacher
must not be unfair to the dull plodder, who in later years may
frequently outstrip his brilliant competitor in the race of life.

Some pupils think better in the abstract, others, in the concrete. The
former will analyse and parse well in grammar, distinguish fine shades
of meaning in language, manage numbers skilfully, or work out chemical
equations accurately. The latter will be more successful in doing
things, for instance, measuring boards, planning and planting a garden
plot, making toys, designing dolls' clothes, and cooking. The schools of
the past have all emphasized the ability to think in the abstract, and
to a large extent ignored the ability to think in the concrete. This is
unfair to the one class of thinkers. From the ranks of those who think
in the abstract have come the great statesmen, poets, and philosophers;
from the ranks of those who think in the concrete have come the
carpenters, builders, and inventors. It will be admitted that the world
owes as great a debt from the practical standpoint to the latter class
as to the former. Let the school not despise or ignore the pupil who,
though unable to think well in abstract studies, is able to do things.

=B. Differences in Action.=--There is a marked difference among children
in the ability to connect an abstract direction with the required act.
This is particularly seen in writing, art, and constructive work,
subjects in which the aim is the formation of habit, and in which
success depends upon following explicitly the direction given. The
teacher will find it economical to give very definite instruction as to
what is to be done in work in these subjects. It is equally important
that instructions regarding conduct should be definite and unmistakable.

As explained in the last Chapter, there are two extreme and contrasting
types of will exhibited by children, namely, the impulsive type and the
obstructed type. In the former, action occurs without deliberation
immediately upon the appearance of the idea in consciousness. This type
is illustrated in the case of the pupil who, as soon as he hears a
question, thoughtlessly blurts out an answer without any reflection
whatever. In the adult, we find a similar illustration when, immediately
upon hearing a pitiable