itive pleasure; a pleasure
which his pupils have procured for him, and which consequently they
should share. They should understand that the teacher is engaged in
various plans for improving the school, in which they should be invited
to engage, not from the selfish desire of thereby saving him trouble,
but because it will really be happy employment for them to engage in
such an enterprise, and because, by such efforts, their own moral powers
will be exerted and strengthened in the best possible way.

In another chapter, I have explained to what extent, and in what manner,
the assistance of the pupils may be usefully and successfully employed,
in carrying forward the general arrangements of the school. The same
_principles_ will apply here, though perhaps a little more careful and
delicate management is necessary, in interesting them in subjects which
relate to moral discipline.

One important method of doing this, is, to present these plans before
the minds of the scholars, as experiments,--moral experiments, whose
commencement, progress, and results, they may take a great interest in
witnessing. Let us take, for example, the case alluded to under the last
head,--the plan of effecting a reform in regard to keeping desks in
order. Suppose the teacher were to say, when the time had arrived, at
which he had promised to give them an opportunity to put them in order,

"I think it would be a good plan to keep some account of our efforts for
improving the school in this respect. We might make a record of what we
do to-day, noting the day of the month, and the number of desks which
may be found to be disorderly. Then at the end of any time you may
propose, we will have the desks examined again, and see how many are
disorderly. We can then see how much improvement has been
made, in that time. Should you like to adopt the plan?"

If the boys should appear not much interested in the proposal, the
teacher might, at his own discretion, waive it. In all probability,
however, they would like it, and would indicate their interest by their
countenances, or perhaps by a response. If so, the teacher might
proceed.

"You may all examine your desks then, and decide whether they are in
order, or not. I do not know, however, but that we ought to appoint a
committee to examine them; for perhaps all the boys would not be honest,
and report their desks as they really are."

"Yes sir;" "Yes sir;" say the boys.

"Do you mean that you will