y put a tin can or an old clay
pot on the end of a long stick and blindfold the child who is "It." The
others then run around with the stick while "It" tries to knock off the
can with another stick. But when they are six years old, all little boys
and girls must go to school, and--except in small villages where there
are only a few children to study with one teacher--they go to separate
schools, so they stop playing together then, too.

Little girls jump rope, play with jacks and dolls. Or they play singing
games which act out the parts of kings and queens and princesses. Little
boys are most interested in games with balls, like jai alai or football.

The favorite game of most little boys in Spain is "Torero." In this game
they pretend they are bullfighters, who are called "toreros." Every boy
in Spain dreams of growing up to be the greatest bullfighter in the
world. Bullfighting is one of the most exciting things in life to every
Spaniard.

[Illustration]

Every big city has a great bullring, a round building with many steps of
seats and no roof, called the "Plaza de Toros." "Toro" is the bull. The
bulls are especially bred for the ring, because no ordinary cow or bull
would be able to take part in this colorful pageant. Almost every Sunday
afternoon throughout the year, and at holiday times, there is a
"corrida" or bullfight, and everybody goes to see the toreros fight the
bulls.

Bullfighters in Spain are the same heroes to Spanish boys and girls that
baseball players are to American youngsters. This is the reason why
you'll see all the little Spanish boys playing Torero. One pretends he
is the toro and wears a basket over his head as he charges at the one
pretending he is the torero with a red cape and wooden sword.

Although Spanish children like to play, they are also very serious about
schoolwork, because they know that if Spain is to be a wise member of
the family of nations, she needs educated citizens. During the Civil War
it was very hard for young people to get an education, and some of the
schools and universities were destroyed by bombs or fires. Now the
universities have been rebuilt, and more schools are being built every
year.

[Illustration]

Some boys and girls go to schools run by their church, and they are
taught by priests and nuns. According to law, everyone must go to school
until the age of fourteen. Then, if the family can afford it, they can
go on to higher schools and the university