the right of suffrage as a patriotic means of co-operating with my fellow citizens for the promotion of social justice, peace and progress.  Should I be called to public office, I will strive for moral courage to exercise authority in accord with justice and humanity; and, whether in or out of office, I will respond freely to every opportunity for public service.

I am grateful for the beauties of nature and for the great works of art, music, literature and science, it is my privilege to enjoy.  These I will seek to understand and appreciate, that I may cultivate broader sympathies and fellowship with mankind, the world, and the Creator of all.

* * * * *

QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS—­CHAPTER XVIII

1.  How does application go to the very heart of teaching?

2.  Discuss the various conceptions of the term.

3.  Distinguish between immediate and delayed application.

4.  Discuss the possibility of intellectual application.

5.  How can applications best be made?

6.  When can applications best be made?

7.  Distinguish between making an application and moralizing.

HELPFUL REFERENCES

Weigle, Talks to Sunday School Teachers; Betts, How to Teach Religion; Brumbaugh, The Making of a Teacher; Betts, The Recitation; Strayer and Norsworthy, How to Teach; Thorndike, Principles of Teaching; Colgrove, The Teacher and the School.

CHAPTER XIX

METHODS OF THE RECITATION

     OUTLINE—­CHAPTER XIX

The question of method raised.—­Danger of an entire disregard of method.—­The case of the “born” teacher.—­Sound pedagogy largely a matter of common sense.—­Danger of being committed to a single method.—­The five possible methods:  The Story Method; Reading ’Round; The Special Topic; The Lecture; The Discussion.

Two of the most practical questions that a teacher ever has to solve are: 

How shall I go about to prepare a lesson?

Having prepared a lesson, how shall I set about to teach it to my class?

The first of these questions has already been discussed in preceding chapters; the second now calls for our consideration.

Is there a one best method?  If so, what is it?  What steps does it involve?  Instead of answering these questions directly, perhaps it will be better to point out the various methods of the recitation, set down their characteristics and relative values, and then formulate a conclusion.

At the outset it may be advisable to sound two notes of warning.  One is against an entire disregard of methods.  There are those persons who believe that teachers are born, not made, and that therefore a discussion of methods is useless.  The born teacher, say these persons, just teaches naturally according to his own personality.  To change his method would be to destroy his effectiveness.  If he isn’t a teacher then the study of methods will not make him one.  In either case work done on methods is lost.