chanics a vigilant committee was at hand to keep
them true to their better lights. And if the committees themselves
ever became slack, the all-seeing eye of the principal soon detected
it and they in turn were "jacked up." Mr. Washington himself had a way
of leisurely strolling about day or night into shop, classroom, or
laboratory with a stenographer at his elbow. If he thus came upon a
recitation in which no illustrative material was used, that teacher
would receive within the next few hours a note such as this:

_December 8, 1914._

MR. ----: After a visit to your class yesterday, I want to
make this suggestion--that you get into close contact with
some of the teachers here like Mrs. Jones of the Children's
House, and Mrs. Ferguson, Head of the Division of Education,
and Mr. Whiting of the Division of Mathematics, who
understand our methods of teaching and try to learn our
methods.

Your work yesterday was very far from satisfactory, _not
based upon a single human experience or human activity_.

[Signed] BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, Principal.

Three days before he had sent the following note to the head of the
academic department:

_Mr. Lee, Director of the Academic Department:_

I was very glad to see the wideawake class conducted by Mr.
Smith this morning. His methods are certainly good.

On asking questions of the individual members of the class,
I found that about half of the class did not know just what
was to be found out from the measurements. If Mr. Smith will
go to the new Laundry Building, in case he has not done so,
he will find an opportunity to teach the same lessons in
connection with a real building. I hope you will make this
suggestion to him. Nothing takes the place of reality
wherever we can get something real.

[Signed] BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, Principal.

Previous to this he had written Mr. Lee the following letter relative
to the general problem of the teaching efficiency in his department:

_November 24, 1914._

_Mr. Lee, Director Academic Department:_

When you return, I want to urge that you give careful but
serious attention to the following suggestions:

First, I am convinced that we must arrange to give more
systematic and constant attention to the individual teachers
in your department in the way of seeing that they follow
your