An important part of moral teaching lies in the training of the boy in patriotism—­love of country.  The above plan of teaching the boy to be of service in the little family of the school, will naturally widen out into service in the large family of the nation.  This will also influence the boy in his choice of a profession, for he will think of the nation as his family, and will try to fill a useful place in the national life.  But great care must be taken in teaching patriotism not to let the boys slip into hatred of other nations, as so often happens.  This is especially important in India, where both Indian and English teachers should try to make good feeling between the two races living side by side, so that they may join in common work for the one Empire.

Discrimination may also be shown in the arrangement of lessons, the most difficult subjects being taken early in the day, as far as possible.  For even with the best and most carefully arranged teaching a boy will be more tired at the end of the school day than at the beginning.

Discrimination is also wanted in the method of teaching, and in the amount of time given to mental and physical education.  The care of the body and its development are of the first importance, for without a healthy body all teaching is wasted.  It should be remembered that the boy can go on, learning all his life, if he is wise enough to wish to do so; but it is only during the years of growth that he can build up a healthy physical body in which to spend that life.  Therefore during those early years the healthy development of that physical body must be absolutely the first consideration, and anything that cannot be learned compatibly with that must for the time remain unlearned.  The strain on the boy’s mind—­and particularly on those of very young boys—­is far too great and lasts far too long; the lesson period should be broken up, and the teacher should be very careful to watch the boys and to see that they do not become tired.  His wish to prevent this strain will make him think out new ways of teaching, which will make the lessons very interesting; for a boy who is interested does not easily become tired.  I myself remember how tired we used to be when we reached home, far too tired to do anything but lie about.  But the Indian boy is not allowed to rest even when he comes home, for he has then to begin home lessons, often with a tutor, when he ought to be at rest or play.  These home lessons begin again in the morning, before he goes to school, and the result is that he looks on his lessons as a hardship instead of a pleasure.  Much of this homework is done by a very bad light and the boy’s eyes suffer much.  All home lessons should be abolished; home work burns the candle at both ends, and makes the boy’s life a slavery.  School hours are quite long enough, and an intelligent teacher can impart in them quite as much as any boy ought to learn in one day.  What cannot be taught within those hours should be postponed until the next day.