ong a time, so
uninterruptedly, and so entirely to my satisfaction as this. It of
course will require some little time, and no little firmness, to
establish the new order of things, where a school has been accustomed
to another course; but where this is once done, I know no one plan so
simple and so easily put into execution, which will do so much towards
relieving the teacher of the distraction and perplexity of his pursuits.

In making the change, however, it is of fundamental importance that the
pupils should themselves be interested in it. Their cooperation, or
rather the cooperation of the majority, which it is very easy to obtain,
is absolutely essential to success. I say this is very easily obtained.
Let us suppose that some teacher, who has been accustomed to require his
pupils to ask and obtain permission, every time they wish to speak to a
companion, is induced by these remarks to introduce this plan. He says
accordingly to his school:

"You know that you are now accustomed to ask me whenever you wish to
obtain permission to whisper to a companion, or to leave your seats: now
I have been thinking of a plan which will be better for both you and me.
By our present plan, you are sometimes obliged to wait before I can
attend to your request. Sometimes I think it is unnecessary, and deny
you, when perhaps I was mistaken, and it was really necessary. At other
times, I think it very probable, that when it is quite desirable for you
to leave your seat, you do not ask, because you think you may not obtain
permission, and you do not wish to ask and be refused. Do you, or not,
experience these inconveniences from our present plans?"

The boys would undoubtedly answer in the affirmative.

"I experience great inconvenience, too. I am very frequently interrupted
when busily engaged, and it also occupies a great portion of my time and
attention. It requires as much mental effort to consider and decide
sometimes whether I ought to allow a pupil to leave his seat, as it
would to decide a much more important question; therefore I do not like
our plan, and I have another to propose."

The boys are all attention to know what the new plan is. It will always
be of great advantage to the school, for the teacher to propose his new
plans from time to time to his pupils in such a way as this. It
interests them in the improvement of the school, exercises their
judgment, establishes a common feeling between teacher and pupil, and in