response of any kind. In still other cases the class smile or giggle
when several have been called upon and have failed to recite, thus
taking the failure as a joke.

Of course such a lack of standards proclaims the previous teaching to
have been weak and bungling. It shows the effects of a teacher without
standards or skill. But the immediate question is how to remedy such
an evil situation when one finds it existing in a school.

It is probable that low standards come as often from work that is too
difficult or too great in amount as from any other source. If the
child fails to understand the lesson, or has not had time to master
it, he cannot recite, however much he may desire to. All that is left
for him is to decline when called upon. He may be chagrined at first
over his failure; but if failure follows failure, he soon ceases to
care when unable to recite. The remedy suggests itself at once; assign
lessons that are within the child's ability, and also within the time
available for their preparation. Then _insist that the work be done
and the recitation be made_.

If the failure comes from laziness, lack of study, indulgence in
mischief, or any such cause, the remedy will be a different one. But a
remedy must be devised and applied. No school can run successfully
without good standards well maintained for the recitation. The teacher
who feels that the standards of the school are too low in this
particular should never be satisfied until the cause for such a
condition is discovered, and worthy standards instituted. This will be
one of the hardest tests upon the teacher's ingenuity and skill.

The public opinion of the school must be brought to take the