2. FLAG SALUTE.

The flag salute is made by the children standing, who after placing their right hands over their hearts, touching their hea is and pointing to the flag, will say: "To our flag, the starry banner, and to our country, which it represents, we pledge our fortunes, our lives, and our sacred honors,'

3. SCRIPTURE READING-Isaiah liii.

4. RECITATION-Christmas.

Over the hills of Palestine

The silver stars began to shine;
Night drew her shadows softly round
The slumbering earth without a sound.
Among the fields and dewy rocks,
The shepherds kept their quiet flocks,
And looked along the darkening land
That waited the divine command.

When lo! through all the opening blue,
Far up the deep, dark heavens withdrew.
And angels in a solemn light,

Praised God through all the listening night.

Ah! said the lowly shepherds then
The Seraph sang good will to men:
O, hasten earth, to meet the morn,
The Prince, the Prince of Peace is born!

Again the sky was deep and dark,
Each star relumed his silver spark,
The dreaming land in silence lay
And waited for the dawning day.

But in a stable low and rude,
Where white-horned, mild-eyed oxen stood,
The gates of heaven were still displayed,
For Christ was in the manger laid.

5. RECITATION-What the Mother Goose Children Want for Christmas.

This is designed for a class exercise. and for one stanza to be recited by each child; though the teacher can adapt it to his school.

Little Boy Blue would like a new horn

For his will not make a sound;

It rusted when he lay so long
Asleep upon the ground.

And Jack and Jill want a waterpail

For theirs has been used so long
For carrying water down the hill,
It isn't very strong.

The woman who lived in the wonderful shoe,
With so many children about,

Says a nice new shoe would suit her well,
For hers is wearing out.

There's Mary Quite Contrary-well,
The things that she longs for most
Are silver bells and cockle shells,
For some of hers are lost.

And Jack Horner wants a large fresh pie,
Well stocked with many a plum
And hopes to find one every time
That he puts in his thumb.

Now what does Little Miss Muffett want?
Why, a bowl for curds and whey,

As hers got cracked when the spider came And frightened her away.

And Simple Simon a penny wants,

To take with him to the fair,

That he may with the pieman trade,
He'd like to taste his ware.

There's Mother Hubbard, the kind, old sou),
She would like a nice, big bone
For that hungry, gifted dog of hers,
Whom all would like to own.

Mr. Peter Pumpkin Eater wants
A much larger pumpkin shell,
For since his wife has worn big sleeves,
She does not fit it well.

Bo-Peep really needs a shepherd's crook,
For when she awoke from sleep
She forgot to take her crook along
While searching for her sheep.

Dr. Foster who to Gloucester went,
In that heavy shower of rain,
Would like a pair of rubber boots
Before he goes again.

But the boy who used to steal the pigs-
That's Tom, the Piper's Son,
Does not deserve a Christmas gift,-
He'll surely not get one.

And that little Johnny Green, who threw
The dear pussy in the well,

Whate'er he wants he will not get,
And so he need not tell.

6. RECITATION.-Washington's Christmas Surprise.

(School in concert.)

All hail, thou blessed Christmas time, When joy-bells ring their merry chime! The time of gifts and sweet surprise, Of smiling lips and beaming eyes.

(Pupil enters and recites the following:) Not enough of Christmas joys Without a Christmas story, boys? Methinks I've just the one for you, And what is better still 'tis true.

Then lend your ears and bright young eyes
While I recount that grand surprise
Of Washington's long years ago,
Amid the winter's cold and snow.

'Twas in our country's stern old fight
For Independence and the right.
Within your minds the date we'll fix-
'Twas Christmas night of seventy-six.
Our army, footsore, weary, sad,
In numbers few, ill-fed, ill-clad,
And fearing much the English foe,
Were spending days in want and woe.
The Hessian camp was all aglow,
And freely there the red wines flow;
Their caution on this Christmas night
In revellings had taken flight.

To Washington was known the way
The Germans oft spent Christmas Day,
And so, while they were free from cares,
He planned to take them unawares.
The Delaware between them rolled,
The night was stormy, dark and cold,
The floating ice blocked up their way,
But on they pressed and morning gray
Beheld them on the Trenton side

Hard spent, but illed with honest pride;
Then on the Hessian camp they fall,—
A thousand prisoners take in all.
With booty, prisoners and all,
They follow at their leader's call;
Again they cross the river wide,
And reach the Pennsylvania side.
Voice-

A brilliant act! a brilliant thought!
And one with mighty issues fraught!
And unto Washington so wise,
We're debtors for that grand surprise.
Voice-

A record of that daring deed,
Just in our country's hour of need
Will ever live in song and fame
While lives the hero's honored name,
And memory keeps, in pictures rare,
That "Crossing of the Delaware."

All

When Christmas fires send out their glow
Across the pure untrodden snow
Let thought go back to that far-time
When rang the bells no merry chime
But one brave heart 'neath wintry skies,
Planned out this Christmas Day surprise.
7. SONG-Great God of Nations.
Great God of nations now to Thee
Our hymn of gratitude we raise
With humble heart and bending knee,
We offer Thee our song of praise.
Here freedom spreads her banner wide,
And casts her soft and hallowed ray,
Here Thou our fathers' steps did guide,
In safety thro' their dangerous way.

8. RECITATION-Ring Out Wild Bells. --Tennyson.

9. DRILL WITH WREATHS. twelve little ones.)

(For six to

(This drill is performed by pupils with wreaths. The wreaths should be made large enough to slip over their heads.)

1. Half the pupils enter from one side, carrying wreaths enclosing faces. The other half enter from the other side with wreaths in same position.

2. March to back of room, turn, march down center of room, holding wreaths above their heads; march up either side of the stage, meet, face about.

3. At signal, wreaths lowered to right side; to left side; raised to encircle faces; held high in right hand; in both hands; in left hand; lowered in front.

4. Separate into two sections, march to back of room; wreaths held high over head; held horizontally in front; sections pass; march to stage.

5. Wreaths to right; encircle face; to left; bang about neck; kneel on one knee.

6. Wreaths lifted; to right; over head; to left; around neck; every other pupil rise; stand behind pupil at his side.

7. Those standing hold wreaths over the heads of those who are still kneeling. 8. All rise; fall into line; march out. (This is only suggestive. The teacher may adopt any form of drill.)

10. RECITATION - Centennial Hymn. - Whittier.

(This for a ten or twelve year old boy dressed as Santa Claus.) Hi! another one! What's the world about? Don't these people know that I'm most worn out?

Millions of 'em coming year by year;
Every youngster wretched if I don't appear.

First they want a rattle, then a ring to bite;
Then a box of sugar plums, then a doll or kite;
Next a story book to read, then a bat and ball,
Santa's back is broad and strong, he must
bring them all.

Gratitude they talk about; not a bit for me. First you know they get so wise, cry out "Fiddle-de-de."

No such chap as Santa Claus, can't deceive them so,

Never find a six-inch sock hanging in the row.

Here's this jolly little chap, scarcely here a week

Don't I know he rules the house, though he looks so meek,

Both his eyelids shut up tight, mouth wide open too,

S'pose he got a look at me wonder what he'd do?

Sleep, away my little man, trouble comes with

years,

You are bound to get your share in this vale of tears.

Rattle is it? Well, all right! Yes, I've got my pen,

Finish out your little nap and I'll be round again.

14. RECITATION-My Country. (For a third year pupil.)

I love the land that gave me birth,
A land so fair to see,

To me the dearest spot on earth,
The land of liberty.

I love to hear the joyful strain,
That rolls from sea to sea,
Echoed from every hill and plain-
The anthem of the free.

Praise to the honored men who died,
Freedom and right to save-
The nation's joy, the nation's pride-
For us their lives they gave.

Long o'er the glorious land they loved-
The loyal and the brave-

May freedom rule, of God approved,
And peace her banner wave.

15. RECITATION-Laus Deo.— Whittier. 16. SONG-America.

Prepared by superintendent of schools of Montgomery county, Ind.

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Send to the Public-School Publishing Co. for their new descriptive catalogue of their teachers' books, and children's books. They are chiefly books on theory and method by eminent Herbartians, and books of material to be used by the children in their school education.

Supt. Irwin F. Mather is leading in the organization of mothers' meetings in Centralia, to study education and learn what is done in the schools. This is a movement that ought to spread to every community. The school, the home, and society must come into a closer union. Every community must bring about this unity of effort in its own way.

The third annual report of the Western Drawing Teachers' Association is a very valuable contribution to this department of education. The meeting was held in Indianapolis last spring. The papers are given in full, and the discussion of each that followed is also fully reported. The chairman of the committee of publication of this report is E. Newton Reser, Lafayette, Ind., to whom all orders should be addressed.

Dr. Charles A. McMurry, of Chicago University, and Dr. Frank McMurry, Dean of the School of Pedagogy of the University of Buffalo, have nearly ready for the press the Method of the Recitation. This is a companion book of Charles McMurry's General Method, which is probably the most popular book of the class ever published. The General Method should precede the study of the Method of the Recitation in a logical course of study in teachers' classes. But each is complete in itself. Many teachers' classes are now studying the General Method, and very many more have studied it since its first publication with universal satisfaction,