, were returned, to be in readiness for the writing
hour. Thus the first difficulty, the loss of time, was obviated.

"I must make them _industrious_ while they write," was his next thought.
After thinking of a variety of methods, he determined to try the
following. He required all to begin together at the top of the page and
write the same line, in a hand of the same size. They were all required
to begin together, he himself beginning at the same time, and writing
about as fast as he thought they ought to write, in order to secure the
highest improvement. When he had finished his line, he ascertained how
many had preceded him, and how many were behind. He requested the first
to write slower, and the others faster, and by this means, after a few
trials, he secured uniform, regular, systematic and industrious
employment, throughout the school. Probably there were, at first,
difficulties in the operation of the plan, which he had to devise ways
and means to surmount: but what I mean to present particularly to the
reader is, that he was _interested in his experiments_. While sitting in
his desk, giving his command to _begin_ line after line, and noticing
the unbroken silence, and attention, and interest, which prevailed, (for
each boy was interested to see how nearly with the master he could
finish his work,) while presiding over such a scene, he must have been
interested. He must have been pleased with the exercise of his almost
military command, and to witness how effectually order and industry, and
excited and pleased attention, had taken the place of listless idleness
and mutual dissatisfaction.

After a few days, he appointed one of the older and more judicious
scholars, to give the word for beginning and ending the lines, and he
sat surveying the scene, or walking from desk to desk, noticing faults,
and considering what plans he could form for securing, more and more
fully, the end he had in view. He found that the great object of
interest and attention among the boys was, to come out right, and that
less pains were taken with the formation of the letters, than there
ought to be, to secure the most rapid improvement.

But how shall he secure greater pains? By stern commands and threats? By
going from desk to desk, scolding one, rapping the knuckles of another,
and holding up to ridicule a third, making examples of such individuals
as may chance to attract his special attention? No; he has learned that
he is operati