APRIL: KINDNESS Tell Grimm's story of "Snow-White and Rose-Red," and dwell on the kindness to the bear. Tell also Grimm's story of "The Frog-King." This story illustrates, not only kindness, but loyalty to one's word, and the teacher can refer back to the stories told in March. The emphatic words of the father of the princess, "You must do what you said you would," can be made impressive by reiteration. Other good stories are: "The House in the Woods," illustrating the kindness of the woodcutter's daughter; "The Queen Bee"; and the story of the princesses from whose mouths dropped toads and jewels. Real stories of kindness are, however, more helpful than those in fairy-tales. A number of interesting ones will be found in White's School Management and Moral Training (American Book Co.), and in Mrs. Julia M. Dewey's Ethics: Stories for Home and School (Educational Publishing Co.). Children are often unkind to other children through lack of imagination. An experienced teacher in Massachusetts found that the little boys and girls were rude toward the only Chinese boy in the class. She thereupon told a story of this kind, with excellent results: THE STRANGER There were once some children who went on a very long voyage across a great ocean. At last they came to a far-off country where everybody spoke a strange language and nobody understood what they wanted. 1 In German Household Tales, Riverside Literature Series (Houghton Mifflin Co.). When the time came for the children to go home, they found to their sorrow that one little boy had to be left behind. He was to be all alone among strange children and go to school with them every day. It almost made him cry to think of it. He was afraid they would tease him and refuse to play with him. But no, the little Chinese boys and girls did everything they could to make him happy. They knew that he must feel lonely, so they asked him to sit near them, and they shared their lunch with him and played with him every day. Then he thought how kind every one was and he was happy again. THE LAME MAN AND THE BLIND MAN1 Retold from Æsop. (This story can be acted by two children.) A muddy road. A blind man stumbles along the Lame Man. Good day, sir! Let me help you up. Blind Man. Thank you, kind sir! This is hard walking for a blind man. Lame Man. It is just as hard for me as it is for you. I am as lame as you are blind. Blind Man. Indeed! Then I can help you. Lame Man. How can you do that? Blind Man. If you will get on my back I will take you to town. You can tell me which way to go. See how strong I am! Lame Man. Good! I will be eyes for you and you shall be feet for me. Blind Man. Up with you! (Lame man mounts his back.) Lame Man. Now we shall get on fast! 1 From Child Classics, II, by Georgia Alexander. Copyright, 1909. special permission of the publishers, The Bobbs-Merrill Company. Used by Questions: Do you know any one who is lame? Any one who is blind? Any one who is sick? Any one who is old? Any one who is very little and helpless? How can you help him? How can you make him feel happier? How can two children help each other at recess? How can a boy help the teacher? How does the teacher help the children? Learn: DAFFY-DOWN-DILLY BY ANNA B. WARNER Daffy-down-dilly came up in the cold, Although the March breezes blew keen on her face, Daffy-down-dilly had heard underground, The sweet rushing sound Of the streams, as they broke from their white winter chains, Of the whistling spring winds and the pattering rains. "Now then," thought Daffy, deep down in her heart, "It's time I should start." So she pushed her soft leaves through the hard frozen ground, Quite up to the surface, and then she looked round. There was snow all about her, grey clouds overhead; The trees all looked dead. Then how do you think poor Daffy-down felt, When the sun would not shine and the ice would not melt? "Cold weather!" thought Daffy, still working away; "The earth's hard to-day! There's but a half inch of my leaves to be seen, "I can't do much yet; but I'll do what I can; For unless I can manage to lift up my head, The people will think that the Spring herself 's dead." So little by little she brought her leaves out, All clustered about; And then her bright flowers began to unfold, O Daffy-down-dilly, so brave and so true! I wish all were like you! So ready for duty in all sorts of weather, Tell Æsop's fable of "The Lion and the Mouse.' Questions: How many times bigger than a mouse is a lion? Could a lion kill a mouse? Could a mouse kill a lion? Why did the lion let the mouse go? Did the mouse forget the kindness of the lion? How did he have a chance to help? How can little people help big people? How can you help your father? How can you help at school? MAY: COURTESY Read the following story: A FOUR-FOOTED GENTLEMAN1 "Open the door quick, Sybil. Don't you see my hands are full? What a stupid you are! Yes, that'll do. Now you can shut it after me." And Archie came for 1 From Five Minute Stories, by Mrs. Molesworth (abridged). ward to the table where his aunt was sitting, with specimens of seaweed that he had been drying and arranging, in his hands. "Since when have 'if you please' and 'thank you' gone out of fashion, Archie?" said his aunt. The boy grew very red, but he laughed good-humoredly. "I did n't mean to be rude," he said. "But Sybil does n't mind. Do you, Sybil?" "No," replied the little girl. "Still I think it is nice when people thank you and speak politely to each other." "I know I should," replied Archie, "but you see, Auntie, I forget, or else it does n't seem worth while." "That reminds me of a little adventure of mine," said his aunt. "I was going to a friend's the other day when my attention was caught by a little dog wandering along in an uneasy, aimless manner. He was very pretty and well cared for, but just now he was evidently in trouble. He trotted up to me, gave a little friendly bark, and then wagging his tail looked up at me appealingly, ran on a few steps, then ran back to see if I were following him. It was as plain as any spoken words: he was asking me to do him a service. And thus he led me down the street, round a corner, and finally stopped in front of a door, looking and wagging his tail. Nobody could have failed to understand him. "Here is my home, kind lady. I have got shut out; please to ring the bell for me.' I rang, of course, and quickly the door was opened and in he rushed, and I was turning away, when - this is the point of my story -I heard a bustle just inside the closing door, my friend's bark, a voice in remonstrance, 'What can he want?' Then the door opened and out he sprang again. As soon as he saw me he gave a quick, cheerful little bark, wagging his tail with the greatest energy, and with still another "bow-wow' turned round and ran in |