1. Interesting the pupils in their studies. There are various principles
of human nature, which may be of great avail, in accomplishing this
object. Making intellectual effort, and acquiring knowledge, are always
pleasant to the human mind, unless some peculiar circumstances render
them otherwise. The teacher has, therefore, only to remove obstructions,
and sources of pain, and the employment of his pupils will be, of
itself, a pleasure.

"I am going to give you a new exercise to-day," said a teacher to a
class of boys, in Latin. "I am going to have you parse your whole
lesson, in writing. It will be difficult, but I think you may be able to
accomplish it."

The class looked surprised. They did not know what _parsing in writing_
could be.

"You may first, when you take your seats, and are ready to prepare the
lesson, write upon your slates, a list of the ten first nouns, arranging
them in a column. Do you understand so far?"

"Yes sir."

"Then rule lines for another column, just beyond this. In parsing nouns,
what is the first particular to be named?"

"What the noun is from."

"Yes; that is, its nominative. Now you may write, at the head of the
first column, the word _Nouns_, and at the head of the second, _Nom._,
for nominative. Then rule a line for the third column. What shall this
contain?" "The declension." "Yes; and the fourth?" "Gender." "The
fifth?" "Number."

In the same manner the other columns were designated; the sixth, was to
contain case; the seventh, the word, with which the noun was connected,
in construction; and the eighth, a reference to the rule.

"Now I wish you," continued the teacher, "to fill up such a table as
this, with _ten_ nouns. Do you understand how I mean?"

"Yes sir;" "No sir;" they answered, variously.

"All who do understand may take their seats; as I wish to give as little
explanation, as possible. The more you can depend upon yourselves, the
better."

Those who saw clearly what was to be done, left the class, and the
teacher continued his explanation to those who were left behind. He made
the plan perfectly clear to them, by taking a particular noun, and
running it through the table, showing what should be written opposite
to the word, in all the columns; and then dismissed them.

The class separated, as every class would, in such a case, with strong
interest in the work before them. It was not so difficult as to perplex
them, and yet it required attention and care