Class. Book. COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT V^x p.^ THE ART OF D mm - BY- W. T,.. YOUNG .X 77/ A' SCJiOOL nrLLh'IlX J'L'niJCATlONS.- Tlie Science of Education. 1. Outlines of Pedagogics. By W. Kein, Director of the Pedagogical Seminary at the University of Jena. Translated by C. C. and Ida J. Yan Liew, Avith Notes. 16ino, pp. 232. Cloth, ,^ \.. $1.;25; Jilauilla, 50 cts. / \ This is a translation of the standard ^ '^. German text-"book of the Ilerbarlian system, and is the only complete edition. The present discussion over this system and its widening adoption make this book an absolute necessity to the teacher. "If we mistake not, this work will do more for Ilerbart in America than anything that has hitherto appeared. It is clear, as ti'anslated Ilerbart has not always been ; it is inspiring as few trauslation.s or ni<> acquired by the pupil, is dr.iwn out, and by which he is made to thinkP Thus rhe author begins his pref- ace to the oriiJfinal edition, published in 1853, and his lirrle work has been of great value to those fortunate enough to obtain it. For years it has been out of print, and in preparing an American edition I have taken tlie liberty of making some revisions, seldom altering the author's language, and never changing his meaning, but making it simpler and typographically more attrac- tive. I think it deserves to stand beside the well-known monographs on the subject- of Fitch and Hughes. C. W. Bakdeen^ Syracuse, Aug. 26, 1895. CONTENTS Page- The province of questioning 9 Definition _.. 10 The interrogative particles 11 Questions should require knowledge 13 Catechisms _ ...13 They should require thought .14 Inferential questions 16 Capacity of the pupil -.17 The teacher catechised 18 "Yes" and "No" questions 19 Impossible questions .20 From particular to general 30 Questions should be simple 31 Converse questions _. _-.31 Varied form. _ 33 Prepositions 34 Misconceptions 35 The question restated. -. 36 Clearness and connection 37 Needless information ..38 The teacher's manner _ 39 Conversational questioning. 30 Insist upon attempt at answer ..33 An art in questioning. 33 8 THE AET OF PUTTING QUESTIONS Page Adaptation to the pupil 85 Frivolous interpolation 3d Redundant and high-sounding phraseology 8(5 Some questions only observations 36 Obscurity mistaken for brevity 87 Make every question explicit Hh A question should not end with ' ' what " 4' Elliptical questions _ 4 In reading lessons _ .46 Examples. _ 47 ■Questions corrected. _ 55 The Art of Putting Questions Words, figures, and facts, are the pre- The province of liminarj elements in whicli questioning ^^^ ^upiVs thoughts are formed and exercised ; laws and principles are left to occupy his riper judgment, and to form the basis of opinions and convic- tions. Since much of the business of the school is necessarily routine and mechani- cal, since the memory may be burdened, while the intellect remains comparatively dormant, it becomes the part of an educa- tion, wisely conducted, to promote the healthy development of all the faculties, and — what is indeed the main object of catechetical examination — to make the un- derstanding operate upon the memory. Besides, to bring under the cognizance of the master the amount of the pupil's at- tainments and to make the pupil himself (9) 10 THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS more thoroughly sensible of his deficiencies, a daily and systematic questioning is essen- tial. By this alone faint impressions are made indelible, and crude half-formed ideas deepened into reflection. Without attempting to form — what is sometimes a matter of diffi- Definition i n » • cuity — a perfect dennition, a question may be considered an interroga- tive ellipsis ; the art of questioning, con- sisting in giving as much of a proposition as makes the answer returned the comple- ment of that ellipsis. The antecedent of the compound relative -w^Aa^, which includes also the simple relative, is that which in the great majority of questions, is supplied by the answer. When we resolve the question, ^' What is algebra?" into the affirmative form, it becomes '' Algebra is, what ? " which, how- ever faulty, is a form of question by no means unfrequent, the compound relative in the question taking the place of the answer. THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 11 To take another example, " "What were the first manufactures of Southern Eu- rope ? " — in the affirmative form, " The first manufactures of Southern Europe were,, what?" When what is placed before a noun it Theinterroga- becomes demonstrative, and tive particles \\^q question turns upon some jparticular of which this noun is a general name. In the question, '' What circum- stance rendered the Norman Conquest of England an advantage ?" the answer ex- tended to a complete statement, specifies what circumstance, thus: "The circum- stance that rendered the IN^orman Conquest of England an advantage was, the intro- duction of the advanced arts and wiser laws." When^ or at what time, where^ or at what place, who, or what person, how, or in what manner, why^ or for what reason, their use in questions being quite obvious, require no illustration. The single particle is to be preferred to the adverbial phrase, the latter being in questions somewhat 12 THE AET OF PUTTING QUESTIONS pedantic, except in the case of the two adverbs whence^ from what source or from what place, and whither^ or to what place, re^^arding which the reverse holds true. Which should never be used interroga- tively for what. Which is correctly used in the question, " Which of the Saxon suc- cessors of Egbert was most distinguished % " and incorrectly in, "Which occurrence caused the death of Kichard the First % " Which is employed where the answer re- quires that one thing of several, or several singly, should be named. Generally speak- ing, which requires in the answer an enu- meration ; what., a definition or description. *' Which are the ascending signs?" would be answered by repeating the six seriatim. " What are the ascending signs ? " by de- fining them to be those lying north of the equator. As a first requisite in the art of question- Questioning re- ing, it must be borne in mind quires knowl- ,i , ^-t i j edge that on the one hand a ques- tion cannot be properly proposed, nor on 4;he other an answer readily returned, where THE AET OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 13' the knowledge of the subject is not accu- rate and minute. In his examination of a class, the teacher is not less tested than his pupils. To multiply remarks in continu- ous instruction from point to point, or from subject to subject, demands neither the exact knowledge nor the vigilant readiness required to frame questions consecutively without any awkward hesitation. The popularity which some years ago catechisms and "con versa- Catechisms . ,, i , • i i i tions obtained as school- books, arose from the neglect of frequent extempore questioning in schools. The absurdity of the scholar^s committing to memory the question, with its correspond- ing answer, was not only tolerated but com- mended, although such inseparable associa- tion of question and answer, in which the latter becomes the adjunct of the former, proposed too in the same unvarying order, defeats the objects of examination. These,, in fact, were the formularies of catechising, adhered to by the master with all the per^ tinacity which convenience and dispatch 14: THE AET OF PUTTING QUESTIONS suggested, and faithfully followed by the pupil as a mode, not the most troublesome, of throwing off the burden of his tasks, which, acquired to-day, were parrot-like repeated and forgotten on the morrow. It is no unfavorable symptom of progress in teaching, to observe among school-books the gradual disappearance of ready-made interrogatives. That mode of questioning alone can aid in expanding the intellect, which brings the pupil to a reflective pause ; smatterers are generally ready answerers, and even smartness is not unfrequently the fiign of superficiality. As questions may be materially modified Answers should ^^ ^uit the readiness and ca- require thought pacity of the pupil, they should in general be so framed, that no answer can be given that is not the result of some reflection. All questions partake in some measure of the nature of a prob- lem, the idea contained negatively in the interrogative being the data, and the an- swer the solution. In any ordinary sen- tence or proposition, consisting of several THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 15 particulars or conditions, that which, being made elliptical, the answer supplies, and the particulars of which constitute the question, there is a direct appeal either to the reasoning powers, or to the memory. . In addition to the remarks made in the outset, it may assist in compre- Examples i j. 2.1 j. x bending the nature oi a ques- tion, to consider the following examples, in which, from three particulars or conditions, any two in the question require the remain- ing one in the answer. A line passing through the centre of a circle, bisects a chord, or is perpendicula/r to one. From any two of these conditions the third follows. Q. If a line passing through the centre of a circle, bisect a chord, what is the position of the line to that chord ? A. Perpendicular. Q. If aline perpendicular to a chord, pass through the centre, what point of the chord will it intersect ? A. The point of bisection. Q. If a line bisect a chord, to which it is drawn perpendicular, what point of the circle will it pass through ? A. The centre. The Tweed, which partly separates England and Scotland, falls into the German Ocean. 16 THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS Q. What river partly separating England and Scotland falls into the German Ocean ? A. The Tweed. Q. What two countries does the Tweed partly separate ? A. England and Scotland. Q. Into what ocean does the Tweed fall ? A. Into the German Ocean. Those subjects, in which the answer is Inferential deduced from the questions questions proposed, should hold a prom- inent place in the curriculum of school studies, and that mode of questioning should be esteemed the best, which tends to exercise the greatest amount of thought. Among this class of questions, which may be called the inferential, those in simple proportion, worked mentally, in which the ratio of the first and second terms is in- tegral, offer an excellent exercise. It must, however, be remarked, that there are questions, direct and concise, which, essential to the elucidation of a les- son, can neither be substituted nor omitted. Thus: If 8 yds. cost 75 cts., what will 32 yds. cost ? THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 17' Name tlie principal sea-port of the country which lies to the south of that country whose chief town is built on the Spree. If one angle of a triangle be right, and the two remaining angles equal, what is the value of each ? ' If 20 grs. make 1 scr. and 3 scr. a drachm, how many grs. in a drachm ? If 7 is contained 6 times in 42, how many times^- is the half of 7 contained in the double of 42 ? If 63 gals, make 1 hhd. and 2 hhds. a pipe, what part of a pipe is a tierce, in which there are 42 gals. ? Name the town built at the mouth of the largest river which flows into the gulf lying to the south of the country whose chief town is built on the island of Manhattan. If 9 is contained 8 times in 72, how often is 9 con-- tained in 9 times 72 ? Here, as indeed in every other point of Capacity of the questioning, much depends on ^"^^^ the good sense of the catechist, in observing a proper mean between a sim- plicity which falls below, and an abstruse- ness which goes beyond the capacity of the pupil, to avoid an abruptness in the pro- posal of a question, and an irregularity in the succession of subjects. 18 THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS In speaking of the necessity of a correct The teacher ^odc of questioning by the •catechised master, the importance of his reversing at proper times the position of the examiner and the examined, by invit- ing his pupils to suggest for answer any •questions or doubts upon the subject in hand, should not be overlooked. A dis- tant and magisterial authority may be thus agreeably changed into a familiarity not less restrictive, and a respect not less in- violable. By this means, the master is brought into terms of greater intimacy with his pupils, among whom no small -emulation is sometimes excited for the honor of proposing a query to the master, who, in resolving these doubts and difficul- ties, adds immensely to his importance in the eyes of his pupils. The master, how- ever, should be careful that this privilege may not degenerate into pertness and ob- ^trusiveness with pupils, not, perhaps, re- markably distinguished for refinement of 'manners or a sense of honor. THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 19 A question should never be prefaced bj, ■*' Yes " or " no " " ^^ J^^ kuow ? " or " Can you .questions ^^^ j^^ ^ » rpj^^g^ CXpreSsioUS merely ask the pupil his ability to answer, and can strictly produce only a yes or no. Although allowable, and sometimes neces- sary, questions which can receive for answer only a negative or an affirmative, should be proposed but seldom, as the merit of correctness is frequently gained by guess- ing ; and the disgrace attending an inabil- ity to answer being less marked where the answer consists of but one or two monosyl- lables, never acts as an incentive to the negligent, l^or should questions be asked which admit for answer an alternative be- tween two words. Thus : Q, Was London founded by the English ? A. No. Q. Are the ruins of Babylon still visible ? A. Yes. Q. Does a proper fraction multiplied by another iproper fraction become less or greater ? A. Less. Q. Is the length of the largest European river 20 THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS" greater or less than the height of the highest Euro- pean mountain ? A. Greater. An effective mode of testing a child's ac- impossibie quirements, consists in fram- questions in^ a question in such a man- ner that certain things are assumed as facts- which have no actual existence, as : Where did Elijah die ? What is the figure called which is formed by two' right lines ? Name the sea-ports of Bavaria. How far must parallel lines be produced before they meet ? To which of the two poles is Quito nearer ? In the progress of questioning, the grad- From general to ^^^ advance from what is gen- partieuiar gj.^] ^^ what is Specific and minute is both natural and easy, the most ordinary questions being capable of such graduation. Thus (speaking of the siege- of Troy) : What people besieged Troy ? Why did the Greeks besiege Troy ? What was the result ? Who commanded the besiegers ? Name some of the fugitives. THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 21 When a question requires a complicate answer, some one particular ^Simplicity should be selected to form a separate question. Conjunctions should never be employed in crowding several de- tails into one question ; too many points presented at once to the mind of the pupil distract his attention, and render an an- swer if not impossible at least slow and uncertain. In the question : Of what shape is the sun ; how far is it from the • earth, and how many miles is it in diameter ? the figure, distance, and magnitude of the sun should each constitute a distinct question, so as to make a clearer impres- sion on the learner's mind. Most questions admit of their converse Converse being proposed, or at least of questions ^^^^ cognate particulars form- ing a second question ; the principal sub- ject thus reproduced and viewed under a different aspect, is rendered more familiar to the mind. 22 THE AKT OF PUTTING QUESTIONS To take as an example, the simplest re- mark, thus : Four roods make one acre. How many roods make one acre ? (Conversely) To how many roods is an acre- equal ? What do four roods make ? Four of what denomination ? Four roods make how many acres ? What part of an acre is a rood ? Is an acre or a rood the greater ? Name the chief town of Chili. Of what country is Santiago chief town ? It is rarely that any questioDiDg less ex- plicit than this is wholly successful in fix- ing and multiplying ideas. In applying the same mode of analysis in actual oral examination, each word in the question which presents the sentence in a new phase should be emphasized. Thus : Near Bunnymede, in 1215, King John granted^ Magna Gharta, Where did King John grant Magna Charta ? When ? Who granted Magna Charta ? What did King John grant at Runnymede in 1215? What event took place near Runnymede in 1215 ? THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 23- Here the answers to these direct ques- tions, are nothing more than the re-state- ment of the sentence itself, in which the circumstance, with the particulars of time and place, appears distinct and prominent. Another method of creating variety and Varied form of ^f impressing a fact more question deeply on the memory, con- sists in asking the same question in differ- ent words, and of thus, in some instances, altering the form but not the sense of the answer. Whose son was Jolin the Baptist ? Zacharias. Who was the father of John the Baptist ? Zacharias. What was the character of Moses ? He was meek. What virtue was Moses noted for ? His meekness. By the battle of Bosicorth, Henry, Earlof Bichmond,. became Henry VII. of England. Who was victorious at the battle of Bosworth ? Who defeated Richard the Third at the battle of Bosworth ? Who gained the English crown by the battle ol: Bosworth ? -24 THE AET OF PUTTING QUESTIONS Who succeeded Ricliard the Third on his death and defeat at the battle of Bosworth ? Name an island in the Mediterranean belonging to the British ? What island lies to the south of Sicily ? Of what is Valetta the chief town ? It will thus be seen, that in numerous instances, the answer remains the same, while the question itself admits of every variety of construction. Each question in this class of questions should be indepen- dent of the others, and should be proposed without any hint or intimation that it re- fers to the same thing. Those prepositions which precede who, which, or what, in the ques- Prepositions . -^ tion, precede it, expressed or understood, in the answer, and should al- ways be given with it. Thus : By what right did John succeed to the crown ? By the will of his brother Richard. In which zone is Jamaica ? In the Torrid Zone. Of what do the Atlas mountains consist ? --Of terraces rising in succession from the sea. THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 25 In delivering a lesson upon any subject, remarks should never be extended to any length without making them the subject of examination. The consciousness of being held responsible for what he hears acts as an excellent restraint on the listlessness of the pupil. When their number is considerable it is well for the teacher to say, Frequent ^"^ ' questions a ^\\ ^j^q (j^n auswcr may raise their hands." The teacher can then select a boy he considers among the least likely to answer, and without intimating whether the first answer is right or wrong, can refer to another boy, who, if attentive, will con- firm the first answer if right, or correct it if wrong. Whenever an answer is not in itself in- coherent, but applies wholly Misconceptions . ,, , . . t to some other question, the teacher should at once remove the misap- prehension. If a boy asked to name a Dutch sea-port says Valencia, he or some other boy who can, should at once be made to point out the last-named sea-port, and 26 THE AET OF PUTTING QUESTIONS should be reminded that it is in Spain and not in Holland. The teacher should always endeavor to show a boy who answers wrongly in what respect his answer is incorrect, and should never manifest any impatience at the irrel- evancy of an answer ; much less should he, as is sometimes done, wholly discourage a boy by exposing him to ridicule. It is not alone the vacuity of ignorance the teacher has to replenish, but numerous misconcep- tions which he must patiently and labori- ously remove if the progress of the pupil is to be at all perceptible. After the question has been put to sev- Question ®^^^ boys and no answer found, re-stated q^q qj, ^^q boys among the most negligent should be made to re-state the question asked, and their inability to answer is usually a proof of inattention. If the entire class has failed to grasp its meaning it should at once be repeated in a more suggestive form. To take an example, were the question, " What is the cause of the seasons ? " pro- THE AKT OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 27 posed without obtaining the answer, it might be approached by some more sug- gestive form as, "What position of the earth's axis causes the change of seasons ? " The pupil who fails to answer in defining what a thing is, will generally be able to tell what it is not ; for example : What kind of a line is a curve line ? (No answer.) Is it a straight line ? No, Sir. Well, then, if it is not a straight line what kind of a line must it be ? Crooked, Sir. What sort of a, line does a bow make when iti&- strung ? A bent line. Or an . An arched line. Whatever the subject be which is selected Clearness and ^^^ examination, the catechist connection should keep in view the prin- cipal points of the subject, and should ob- serve that the pupil understands, both the idea he expresses, and the language in which that idea is conveyed. Generally speaking, the answer received should sug- 28 TBE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS gest the succeeding question, the examiner at the same time observing that the several parts of the lesson are taken up in succes- sion, together with a collateral questioning explanatory of the answers received. The pupil should never be allowed to make in the answer any unnecessary repe- titions of the words of the question, as in answer to the question, "Who was king of the Jews under the Koman emperors ? " to say " It was Herod who w^as king of the Jews under the Roman emperors." It is the practice of some teachers while Needless examining a class to make al- information most cvery question they pro- pose follow some uncalled-for observation, which, to a class already informed, is cer- tainly a needless expenditure of time and labor, and to one requiring information a most irregular method of imparting it. Nor is this all that is objectionable since many are disposed to consider that remarks so introduced are vainly intended rather to display profundity than to communicate knowledge. J^o more should be attempted THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 29* bj the teacher when there "are other listen- ers than his pupils than what forms the daily duties of the school, and nothing less exact or methodical should be practised with his pupils than the eye of authority prompts him to perform. The following may suffice as an illustration of what has been remarked. The destroying angel passed over the houses of the Israelites ; now how did the destroying angel know how to pass over the houses of the Israelites ? After the flood the ark rested on the top of a high mountain ; what mountain was it ? These questions should be : How did the destroying angel know which were the houses of the Israelites ? On what mountain did the ark rest ? In questioning the teacher's manner is The teacher's ^ot infrequently communi- manner cated to the scholar, the in- difference or vigor of the former creating in the latter a corresponding negligence or energy. Ease of manner must not be suf- fered to languish into supineness, nor vigor to degenerate into haste. Any awkward peculiarity or ungainly mannerism in the 30 THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS teacher's gesture, tone, or language by ar- resting the attention of his pupils who have a keen perception of the ridiculous, is sure to divert their minds from their proper business and so to interrupt the work and order of the school. One remark which will be found of Conversational ^^01*^ Service than a multi- questioning p|.^j^^ ^^ j,^^|gg^ is, that in al- most every case questioning should par- take more of the nature of an easy conver- sation than of a series of formal interroga- tives. So much depends upon a discreet, judicious method of questioning, which is after all only a means to an end, that mis- takes arise more from an over-weening de- sire to do great things than from actual in- ability in the examiner, who, carried away by what has been pointedly called " a sense of performance," gratuitously exposes himself to the remarks of the invidious. Not long since, in the hearing of the writer, a teacher, animated by the desire ■of making a good impression, startled his rclass into a momentary attention, by asking THE AET OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 31 them to tell him a thing that flew through the air with a tail. There was silence deep as death, And the boldest held his breath, For a time, till one boy unexpectedly answered " A comet.'' " Yes, of course," said the monitor, mak- ing a reluctant admission, " that's one thing." " A cloud," answered another boy, who was stigmatized by the monitor as very foolish. A pause at length ensued, when the monitor, surprised at finding no answer, announced to his class that it was, " A bird, to be sure." As the answer is considered with refer- Keep the answer ©ncc to what it indicates of m mind ^j^^ pupil's acquirements so the question should be proposed with a view solely to the answer, for of the master's questions and the pupil's answers, the for- mer are important only in so far as they contribute to develop the latter. 32 THE AKT OF PUTTING QUESTIONS The teacher while himself observing, Insist upon at- should also enjoin upon his tempt at answer njonitors the necessity of not passing from the boj questioned without obtaining at least the best attempt at an answer. Among the younger classes of the school, there is in general a slowness in thinking, and a diflBdence in answering, unknown in classes more advanced. The teacher is consequently induced to pass from those who are unable, to those eager to answer ; the dull thus unexercised are suffered to retrograde, and the lively by frequent exercise made more vigorous. Here, tact and application become em- inently essential in rousing the apathy of the indifferent, and at the same time insur- ing full scope to the energetic. " What is meant hy to wish f " asked a teacher, without obtaining an answer. " Whafs to wishf'' she repeated from boy to boy round the whole class without an answer. The principal, who overheard the ques- tion thus ineffectually re-iterated, inquired THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 33 of the boy first asked if he ever wished for anything. " Yes, sir," said the boy. " Tell me something you ever wished for," continued the master. — "A top, sir," re- plied the boy. — ''Did you get the top just by wishing for it? "— " ]S"o, sir."—" Then what do we do when we wish for anything we do not at once get ? " — " We long for it," observed another boy, not by any means distinguished for his acuteness, but whose mind had thus been directed closely to the question and hence nearer to the answer. To draw out that knowledge which is First steps in intuitive, to make the child education conscious of his own ability to think, and so lead him, by little and little, to self-reliance and reflection, are the first important steps in the work of education. It must be allowed that a natural capac- ^, . . . ity for teachinaj, and a love of There IS artm J "' questioning the work will do much; but these, aided by art and method, can, with less labor, effect more. The mere natural talent, depending on the mood and the humor of the hour, is, like the magnetic 34 THE AKT OF PUTTIN(i QUESTIONS needle, subject to many variations, which, to unskilful observers, cause an indication -of the cardinal points in sometimes very wrong directions. When it is considered that from hour to hour amongst the several degrees of at- tainment and the endless diversity of tastes and dispositions in the class, order has to be maintained and fifty minds kept not only occupied but exercised, and through- out all, a moral influence like an atmos- phere kept continually circulating, by which the noxious under-currents of indo- lence and self-will are neutralized, the nec- -essity becomes obvious of employing right methods of engaging the thoughts. It is possible to make the pupil feel as much pleasure in following the solution of a diffi- cult problem in science as in the attractions of a novel. To exercise is to interest the young mind, and whatever tends to sustain this interest diminishes the necessity for ■ other modes of discipline. THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 35 Instruction by lecture or statement, dur- Adaptationto i^g which the young class re- r the pupil mains passive, soon results in promoting sleep in one corner and riot in another. It is not sufficient that the sub- ject be merely presented to the mind of the scholar, — this can be done by a text-book ; there must be a ready and skilful adapta- tion of the subject to the learner and of the learner to the subject ; it must be made plain, he must be interested. The teacher ought to be not only master of the school and of his subject, but, so to speak, of the will and the intelligence of his pupils, and this he should effect not by constraint, but by sympathy and co-operation. When the lesson is protracted without sufficient variety, the attention flags, and the continuous tones of the master's voice produce sometimes a mental inanity by no means unpleasing to the uninterested. It is thus that the silence of a class is not al- ways an evidence of its attention. This is easily and effectually remedied by the master's suddenly stopping short and fix- 36 THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS ing on one boj, asking him in the hearing of the whole to repeat the remarks last made. 1. Do not confound a frivolous with a simple question^ as "Does flag grow in the ground or come down from the clouds ? " 2. A question should never he loaded with redundant words or' high-sounding phraseology ^ as, "For what practical pur- pose of oral communication is accent placed on syllables of words?" which would be shortly and correctly stated, " What is the use of accent ? " To take another example, " To what countries does the Khineroll on its way to the ocean 'I " Untrained examiners sometimes ask, " What do / mean by so and so ? " " What do you mean by so and so ? " " What am Zto understand by so and so ? " Such inter- rogatories seem rather to be hurled at the head of the unfortunate pupil than plainly and simply directed to his understanding. 3. Some expressions meant as questions are 7nere observations uttered in an inter- rogative tone. — In such expressions as the THE AET OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 37 following the most thoughtless could not miss the necessary yes or no : Was not Edward tlie First very cruel to the Jews ? Does not the sun revolve on its axis ? Is not the predicate of a more complex nature than the subject ? The city of Jerusalem remained for some time after the publishing of the Gospel, did it not ? 4. Do not mistake ohscurity for hrevity. — A young examiner, in the course of his daily questioning, having caught in the les- son the word house, abruptly exclaimed, with the purpose of examining, " Belong- ing to the house?" " Furniture," was the innocent and not incorrect reply, instead of, as was expected by the questioner, the adjective " domestic ". In neglecting this caution in many ques- tions, the expletive do — not very elegant in affirmative sentences, but of unquestion- able use in the interrogative — is from an idea of simplicity omitted, as: "What means ocular demonstration ? " for " What does ocular demonstration mean ? " Or again : " What promised God to Abra- 38 THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS ham? " for "What did God promise to Abraham ? " When the question relates to a verb, a double expletive is used, as " What did the Creator do on the seventh day ? " This caution is consequently neglected where only one of the auxiliary verbs is employed, as in the question : "What did Eve after she had eaten the forbidden fruit ? " The neglect of this caution is also observ- able where the subject of the question is not placed between the parts of the pas- sive verb, as : " What is called a word of five syllables ? " for, " What ism2i word of five syllables called? " or, " By whom was founded the empire of the Greeks ? " for, " By whom was the empire of the Greeks- founded f " 5. Every question should he direct and explicit^ and, without prolixity, should rather suggest the answer than leave the pupil to consider, not what the answer should be, but what the question itself is. Idiomatic expressions and particular re- THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 39 marks should never be turned into broad and general interrogatives, as : What is it said we all do in Adam ? What did God put man upon ? "What are the different aspects of the planets, and how many are there ? " is an interrogative in which it might be doubted whether the number of the planets or the number of aspects is meant to be answered.. " Who built and destroyed the Temple of Diana at Ephesus ? " is a question which would imply that its building and destruc- tion were parts of the same process by the same hand. A question belonging to this incongru- ous class, and which is very frequently proposed, is one regarding some person, in which the examiner, viewing this person in some distinct office, makes his question with that single idea, and although several different answers may be allowed to be relevant and proper, none is considered correct except that which corresponds with the one idea in the mind of the examiner.. 40 THE AET OF PUTTING QUESTIONS Such examination as the following is not uncommon : Who was Joshua ? The son of Nun. No, no ; I mean what was Joshua ? The leader of the Israelites. Well, yes ; but what was he in relation to Moses ? He was no relation to Moses, sir. Well, but in his office what was he ? (No answer.) Boys ! was he not the successor to Moses ? Then follows a loud " Yes^ sir ", and a -considerable confusion and clearing of throats. 6. What should never end a question. Where the question consists of several clauses, however, it is not objectionable that what be placed in the last clause, pro- vided it is the first word of that clause. The clause preceding what in such a case rather defines the conditions of the ques- tion and leads nearer to the answer. Such a question as, " The first principle of all religion is, what ? " is both inelegant in construction and ineffective in use. But it is proper to ask, " When Moses remained THE AET OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 41 on the mount, what did the people propose to do?" and, "When the Israelites kept the manna over the night, till next morn- ing, what happened to it ? " For young children, the elliptical method Elliptical ^^s ^^^ advantage of being a questions combination of question and statement, and forming an available vehicle, not only for eliciting, but also for com- municating ideas. At the same time it keeps hold of a scholar whose attention is every moment liable to be dissipated by a passing trifle, and to whom, for the most part, amusement is dearer than instruction. With such, merely to impart information, however useful, without at the same time taking advantage of youthful impulses, al- lows a healthy mental energy to sink into restlessness and caprice. It may be taken as a rule, that where di- rect questioning tends rather to astonish than to interest the young pupil, the ellip- tical method, which "leads the learner into the knowledge of truth as it were by his own invention," may be profitably used. 42 THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS The very homely ellipsis of prompting an answer by proposing the first letter or syllable should not be mistaken as a part of the elliptical mode ; nor does the repe- tition of the answer in all except the con- cluding words leaving these to be filled up by the pupil, constitute a proper ellipsis. That which is left for the pupil to com- plete should be some important word or leading particular. Thus : What figure liave I put down here ? . , . ^ Jim. What does that single figure really stand for ? (No answer.) How many ones does that stand for ? .... For five ones. Or five . . . .units. There are some numbers greater than five and some numbers less ; name me some of them. Yes^ two or three are numbers that are less. Yes, less than five, and quite right, six or twelve or seven are numbers that are greater tlian fim. Now I have made the five much. . . .larger than it was be- fore, and the five is now a. . . .just a five, sir. Why,, much larger, and only a five still ?. . . , Yes, sir, it's just the same shape, and then it's just the same figure. If I were to make two drawings of any one of your faces, one drawing very small and another very large, would that make the face itself any larger or smaller ? No ; it would make no difference. Then the same figure counts the same, whatever its ... . size he. THE AET OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 43 Kow-I know some boys who make figures very badly ; they make some fives like sixes and some sevens like nines, Now, in making figures, what should we be very particular about? To make tJiem nice. No doubt we ought to make them nice, and take care to make them the proper, . . .size. Something yet we must mind more than the size. That's it, speak well out, the shcqoe I shall write down a nine and a ten. I have got one figure to make a. . . . nine, and .... two figures to make a ten. The two figures that make the ten are... a one and... a nought. Look well at the ten, and see the side of the nought the one is on ... . It is on the left side. Exactly so. Some numbers are so great that they take two, and three, and four, and very many figures, so that to find correctly what a number is we must look at the .... shaxje, and then at the place of each figure in the row of fig- ures. Every figure for every place it is put to the left counts .... ten times greater. I have here put down a nought, and I have put .a one to the left of the nought, and %h.Q. . . .one with the nought counts ten. How many tens ?. . . . One ten, or ten. . . .units. Putting the one to the left of two noughts, it counts one, . . .hun- dred, and so on for every place to the left counting .... ten times greater. I wish to put down, as one number, four thous- and and six hundred and fifty and five. Now the lowest place of these separate numbers is units. How many units ? Five. This five then is to be 44 THE AKT OF PUTTING QUESTIONS made the first figure, sir. On the left or on the right ^. . . ,0n the right. What number must I put ■in the next higher place ? . . . . Six hundred, sir. Why six hundred? Because, sir, six is greater than five. Now we must look carefully at what we have to do. I said the next higher place to units .... Tens. Now then, can hundreds be put in the same place with tens ? JVo, sir. Why not ?. . . .Because hundreds are greater. If a crow, or any other large bird, were put into a robin's nest, would the crow find itself quite snug ? JVo, sir. Why not ?. . . . The croio would be larger than the nest. So putting hundreds in the place of tens would be just like. . . .putting a crow in a robin's nest. What num- ber then must I put in the place of tens ? The Jifty. Which is how many tens ? Five tens. So now we can easily find the proper place for the .... J'our thousand and six hundred. The following is an example of the ellip- tical mode applied to objects. What object is this?.... J. button. What kind of a button is it ? A brass button. Then this but- ton is made of brass. There are some other things made of brass besides buttons ? . . . Tes, fend- ,ers to put before the fire, the handles of doors, musical instruments, some candlesticks, and snuffers. When I press this button between my fingers, I find it very different from pressing a piece of clay or a piece of bread ; the button, when I press it, feels very hard. Now, when I press the handle THE ART OF PUTTING QUKSTIONS^ 4^5 of the door, I feel it also hard. I know It is; hard by. . . .feeling it, or by the sense of . . . .feelings There is something more you can tell me about this brass button you could not tell me by the sense- of feeling. I see the button is very Iright, and that the color is yellow, by seeing it, or by the sense of. . . .seeing. This penny is made of. . . .copper, this box of . . . ^ tin, and this key of iron. Now the copper and tin and iron, like the brass, look very ... bright, and feel very .... hard. You have told me before that a substance is . . . .very right : what we make things of, and that what anything is made of is called the (one boy) . . .the substance, or the. . . .(no answer.) You know when the baker makes bread, he makes it by mixing. . ..j^(9?(^r, duXidi. . . .icater, and salt, and ... yeast. These then are the things the bread is made of, or, in one word the That is it, let the whole- class hear you — the materials. Well then, do we get these bright hard substances, or ... .materials^. from animals or from plants? Right; from neither, but from the earth. From the top or- deep down ? Deep down, by digging pits. Pits or . . . mines. And those things which we get out of mines are called from that word mine .... minerals. Then copper and tin, brass and iron, be- ing got out of mines, are. . . .m^inerals. But there are different sorts of minerals, and. we found that those we were speaking of were botlk hard and .... bright ; and the most of such min- 46 THE AKT OF PUTTING QUESTIONS erals are called. . . .metals. Metals then are . . .min- erals, which are. . . .hrigJit and hard. A great deal of iron comes from mines in ... . Pennsylvania and Alabama ; copper from. . . .Miclii- ,gan; tin from.. . . .Ejigland ; and brass from,... (Teacher, with assumed surprise) No boy able to name ■^ country noted for mines of brass ! Well, I cannot wonder at your not telling me, for brass is not got ■out of the earth at all, but is made by mixing cop- per and tin or zinc together. Brass then is not it- self dug out of . . . .mines, but the two . . .substances — the two metals — which make brass are . . .dug ■cut of mines. You will now be able to tell me a little more than "when we began. The substance of which this but- ton is made is a. . . .mineral substance, and is also a . . . .metal, which is made by. . . .mixing copper and zinc. You can also tell me by feeling it, that the brass is . . . hard, and by looking at it, that it is ... . bright and yelloiD. You were able to tell me those three things about brass by the... sense of feeling, and the sense of seeing. The teacher in examining a class in the In reading Ordinary reading lesson, should lessons gj,g|^ ggg ^]^^i \\^q pupil Com- prehends the sense and general scope of the passage read ; and should, in this case, as nearly as possible, let the language of the lesson be that both of the questioner and of THE AET OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 47 the answerer. He should next examine on the particulars relating to the principal sub- jects mentioned, and to the more minute facts or other points of the sentence. Egbert during the remainder of Ms reign and Ms m^ccessors Ethelioolf, Ethelhald, Ethelhert and Ethelred were engaged in unceasing struggles with these fierce invaders, and at the time iDhen the great Alfred suc- ceeded Ms brother Ethelred in the year 871, the Mng- dom was reduced to the brink of ruin. First — The sense and general scope of the sentence. What were Egbert and his successors chiefly en- gaged in ? What was the condition of the kingdom when Alfred succeeded his brother ? What kingdom ? When did Alfred succeed Ethelred ? Who was the predecessor of Alfred the Great ? Whom did Alfred succeed ? What relation was Alfred to Ethelred ? Second. — Particulars regarding the principal sub- ject. Who was Egbert ? What was Egbert ? How did he become King of England ? Whom did Egbert fight against ? Name a remarkable successor of Egbert ? How was he related to Egbert ? 48 THE AKT OF PUTTING QUESTIONS If the same sentence were used for pars- ing, he might ask : What part of speech is Egbert ? To what verb is it nominative ? What are those parts of the sentence called which come here between the nominative and the verb ? How many kinds of clauses ? Name them. Parse the word remainder. What verb is it formed from ? The root of remain ? Another noun from the same verb ? The adjective ? Parse the word successors. Is the noun applied to persons or to things ? What is a successor ? The verb from which this noun comes ? Its meaning ? To those who would for themselves un- dertake the following exercise, or prescribe it as a task to others, one or two examples are offered. Not only will such an exercise, prosecuted with perseverance, assist con- siderably in perceiving the sense of a pas- sage for the purpose of examining on it, but it will at the same time form an im- portant exercise in English composition. The passage selected should be copied out. THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 49^ and questions upon each particular with their answers written below ; the question properly combined with its answer should^ then be formed into sentences and the pas- sage thus reconstructed should be compared with the original. In this way whatever is extraneous is at once detected, and the lead- ing particulars more readily distinguished. Three separate short accounts of the siege of Calais have been selected for illus- tration. After the battle of Gressy, Edioard lay all night on the field and marched next day to Calais, of which he at once formed the siege. It held out a year all but a montli ; whicli so filled Edward iDith rage that he would not grant terms to the iilace, in which famine and dis- ease raged, unless six of its chief men would come to his camp with halters round their necks that he might Jiang them. It chanced that his queen arrived in camp the same day that these good men came out of the- town ; for the best men in Calais had claimed the right to die for the rest. She at once prayed the king- to grant their lives to her and he did so. Wliat did Edward do on the niglit after the bat- tle of Cressy ? Lay all night on the field. What did he do next day ? Marched to Calais and besieged it. .50 THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS How long did Calais liold out ? A year all but a month. What effect had this resistance upon Edward ? He was filled with rage. What were the terms of submission which Ed- ward imposed on the inhabitants ? That six of their chief men should come to his - camp with halters round their necks. What was the state of the city at this time ? Famine and disease raged in it. What fortunate circumstance took place on the . same day ? The queen's arrival in the camp. What did the queen at once do ? She prayed Edward to spare their lives. What followed ? The king granted her request. The passage reconstructed from the ques- tion and answer. After the battle of Cressy Edward lay all night on the field, and next day besieged Calais, which held -out a year all but a month. This resistance so filled Edward with rage that he would not grant terms to the place, unless six of its chief men would come to his camp with halters round their necks, ready to be hanged. At this time, famine and disease raged in ^-Calais, Fortunately the queen of Edward the Third .arrived in camp on the same day on which these .^ood men came out of Calais to die for the rest. THE AET OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 51 She at once prayed Edward to spare their lives, and the king granted her request. Edicard having resolved for the future to secure an ■ eoysy entrance into France laid siege to Calais, inhich was defended hy John de Vienne, an experienced com- marider, and swpiilied icith every thing necessary for . sustaining a siege. These operations, though slow, were at length successful. It was in vain that the governor made a noble defence, and that he expelled all useless 2Jerso?is from the city, v^hom Edward generously permitted to ptass through his camp and supplied with money for their journey to some place of safety. Ed- ward, however, resolved to reduce Calais hy famine, and it was at length taken after a ticelve months' siege, the defenders having been reduced to the last extremity. He resolved to punish the obstinacy of the townsmen by . the death of the most considerable citizens, icho offered : themselves loitJi ropes round their necks to satiate his 'oengeance ; but he spared their lives at the intercession of the queen. What was Edward's object in laying siege to Calais ? To secure an easy entrance into France. , Who defended Calais against Edward ? John de Vienne. What was his character ? An experienced commander. What was the condition of the city when the siege began ? 52 THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS It was supplied with every thing necessary for- sustaining a siege. Whom did the governor expel from the city ? All useless persons. How did Edward treat those who were thus ex- pelled ? He permitted them to pass through his camp,. and supplied them with money for their journey to- a place of safety. How was the city finally reduced ? By famine. How long did the siege continue ? Twelve months. "What cruel resolution did Edward form ? To punish the obstinacy of the townsmen by the- death of the most considerable citizens. What did some of the citizens do when they heard this ? They offered themselves with ropes round their - necks. What became of them ? He spared their lives. • By what means were their lives spared ? By the intercession of the queen. The passage reconstructed from the ques-- tion and answer. Edward, having for his object to secure an easy entrance into France, laid siege to Calais, which was :. THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 53 -defended by John de Yienne, an experienced com- itnander, and which was supplied with every thing necessary for sustaining a siege The governor ex- pelled from the city all useless persons, whom Ed- ward permitted to pass through his camp, and sup- plied with money to assist them for their journey to a place of safety. The city was finally reduced by famime, the siege having lasted twelve months. Edward resolved to punish the obstinacy of the i;ownsmen by the death of the most respectable citi- zens, some of whom, having heard this, offered themselves with ropes round their necks ; their lives, however, were spared by the intercession of the queen. Aftei' the mctory of Cressy, Edicard besieged Calais, which sustained a siege of eleven months, and yielded in consequence of the defenders having suffered the ex- tremities of famine. They at last offered to submit on their lives being spared, and Edward, full of wrath at their obstinate resistance, agreed only on condition that six of their most considerable citizens should be de- livered up to him barefooted and loith ropes about their necks ready for immediate execution. This cruel de- mand struck the inhabitants with terror, in the midst of which Eustace de St. Pierre, one of the principal ■citizens, came forward and offered himself as one of the victims. His example loas instantly followed by five others; and these six self -devoted men entered Edward's camp in the manner prescribed, and laid the keys of the city at his feet. He ordered them to be 54 THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS executed ; but his queen PTdlippa interceded, and hy^ Tier tears and entreaties iwocured tlieir pardon. The surrender of Calais took place on the Ifth of August ,^ 1347. When did Edward besiege Calais ? After the victory of Cressy. How long did the siege continue ? Eleven months. What caused its submission ? The defenders having suffered the extremities of famine. What offers of surrender did the inhabitants make ? To submit on their lives being spared. What caused Edward to impose severe condi- tions ? Their obstinate resistance. What were those conditions ? That six of their most considerable citizens should be delivered up to him. What was the effect of this cruel demand ? The inhabitants were struck with terror. Who came forward and offered himself as one of the victims ? Eustace de St. Pierre. What was the effect of his example ? Five others instantly followed. Where did they go ? They entered Edward's camp in the manner pre- scribed. THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 55- What did Edward command regarding them ? He ordered them to be executed. Who interceded in their behalf ? His queen, Philippa. What was the result of her intercession ? She procured their pardon. When did the surrender of Calais take place ? On August 4th, 1347. The passage re-constructed from the question and answer. After the victory of Cressy, Edward began the • seige of Calais, which lasted eleven months. At last, the defenders having suffered the extremities of famine, offered to surrender on their lives being spared. Their obstinate resistance, however, having provoked the king, caused him to listen to no other • conditions than that six of their most considerable citizens should be delivered up to him. While the inhabitants were struck with terror at this cruel demand, Eustace de St. Pierre came forward and offered himself as one of the victims. Five more instantly followed his example. Entering his camp in the manner prescribed, Edward ordered them to be executed, but the queen, interceding in their be- half, procured their pardon. Questions Coeeected 1. Who, and how many were the chil- dren of Isaac ? • Name the children of Isaac. ^66 THE ART OF PTTTTING QUESTIONS 2. Which is the largest, a rood or a square chain? Is a rood or a square chain the larger ? 3. The shadow of what body occasions an eclipse of the moon, and what is its ^hape ? What body is it whose shadow causes an eclipse • of the moon ? What is the shape of the earth's shadow ? 4. Who did Herod the Great marry ? Whom did Herod the Great marry ? 5. What said the Prophets of the calling of the Gentiles ? What did the Prophets say of the calling of the ■Gentiles ? 6. Who was he that delivered the Jews from the captivity of Babylon ? Who delivered the Jews from the captivity of Babylon ? 7. What are the length, breadth, and population of England ? Bemark. The extent of a country and its popu- lation should form separate questions. 8. How is Europe situated with regard to Asia and Africa, that is — is it to the N., E., S., or W. of them ? THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 57 Remark. The relative situation of Europe and Asia and that of Africa should be distinct questions ; the specification of the cardinal points of the com- pass adds to the confusion. 9. What did Nebuchadnezzar to the three companions of Daniel ? "What did Nebuchadnezzar do to the three com- panions of Daniel ? 10. What observations can jou offer about the position of Great Britain and Ireland ? Remark. All the observations that can be offered by a pupil regarding the position of Great Britain and Ireland — certainly not all the misconceptions that can be formed from such a question — are, that they are insular, which would be the answer to the direct question : ' ' What is the position of Great Britain and Ireland ? " 11. What is the end of Grammar ? What is the object of grammar ? 12. Does not the word circle mean both the space and the circumference ? To what two things is the word circle applied ? 13. Did not Saul marrj his second daughter Michal to David ? Whom did Saul give in marriage to David ? 14. How varies the image of an object? How does the image of an object vary ? 58 THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 15. Whether is Elgin or Inverness the most northerly ? Is Elgin or Inverness the more northerly ? 16. There are only three countries which produce diamonds ; which are they ? What three countries alone produce diamonds ? IT. What is the largest river of the most northern nation of Europe ? Bemark. There may be the river of a country but not of a nation : or there may be characteristics either of a nation or of a country. 18. What is the deadly enemy of elo- quence ? By what is eloquence opposed ? 19. Paper is made from what? What is paper made from ? 20. Does America extend more to the North than Europe and Asia, and more to the South than Africa? Does America or Europe and Asia extend the further north ? 21. How do you instance it? Give an example. 22. Then portions of the circumference are the measures of angles ? What parts of the circumference are the measures of angles ? THE ART OF PUTTING- QUESTIONS 59 23. What must be the ground-work on which to raise the superstructure of a good speaker ? What must be observed to make a good speaker ? 24. Then lines drawn from the centre of a circle to the circumference, divide the space round the centre and the circumfer- ence of the circle all in the same direction ? Remarh. Example of a question in which the sense can perhaps be best made intelligible by the framer. 25. Can you draw any conclusion from that? What conclusion is drawn from that ? 26. How is England bounded, what is its capital, and on what river is the capital seated ? Remark. The boundaries, the capital, and its situation should be separate questions. 27. Who was Jehoshaphat, and how long and in what manner did he reign ? Remark. Each particular connected by a con- junction, forms a distinct question. Questions in which the answers are returned in writing, cannot even in such an example as this form an exception. 60 THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 28. On what design was the tower of Babel built ? With what design was the Tower of Babel built ? 29. Who did Jesus first appear to after his resurrection ? To whom did Jesus first appear after his resur- rection ? 30. What did Peter after the betrayal of Christ ? What did Peter do after the betrayal of Christ ? 31. Define what is meant by the unity of a sentence ? Remark. This interrogatory is redundant, the question without the command being sufficient, ' ' What is meant by the unity of a sentence ? " 32. Grive some examples in which par- ticiples perform the office of substantives. Give some examples in which participles are used in place of substantives. 33. What does orthography teach, and what are the general objects of its cogniz- ance ? Remark, The answer required by the second part of the question is the same as that required by the first, and is therefore redundant, besides being somewhat grandiloquent. THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 61' 34. What resulted from the study of these several arts ; namely, rhetoric, gram- mar, and logic ? What resulted from the study of rhetoric, gram- mar, and logic ? 35. What modes conduce to the improv- ment of a language? or, what practice tends to enrich it? Remark. The question which requires a supple- mentary explanation is not fit to be asked. "We do not here object to a question being proposed in Ian- guage different from the lesson : on the contrary, it offers, at least with advanced classes, a surer test of the degree of attention bestowed on the sense of the passage studied, and in the hands of a judicious teacher, may contribute largely to correct thinking and elegant expression. Were the subject of ex- amination the Revolt of the Ten Tribes, the ques- tion might be very properly proposed, "What caused the dismembering of the Hebrew monarchy ? " 36. Which great event took place in the reign of Yalentinian ? What great event took place in the reign of Yal- entinian ? 3Y. Of what description is the climate- of the West India islands ? What is the climate of the West India islands ? 62 THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 38. Do you know where Ismael is? Where is Ismael ? 39. In what position is the earth while performing its annual motion ? Is its axis upright ? What is the position of the axis of the earth to the plane of its orbit ? 40. Was not George the Third celebrated for the encouragement he gave to the arts of painting and sculpture ? What arts in particular did George the Third en- courage ? 41. How long did David reign ^'n all ? What was the entire length of David's reign ? 42. What other name has the Black Sea got? What other name has the Black Sea ? 43. You told me that Moses was a law- giver to the Jews or people of Israel — pray how came he by those wise and holy laws which he gave them? How did Moses receive those laws which he gave to the Israelities ? 44. How did Joseph carry himself to his brethren in his advancement ? How did Joseph in his advancement behave to Ihis brethren ? THE AKT OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 63 ■ 45. There is another entrance to the sea of Marmora besides the Hellespont ; what is it? What other entrance has the sea of Marmora be- sides the Hellespont ? 46. Form a question on the particular^ here italicized, making the other partic- ulars part of the question, and keeping the sense of the sentence complete: "The silk-worm feeds on the leaves of the mul-- herry tree^ On the leaves of what tree does the silk-worm feed ? 47. Form a question on the following sentence, observing the same limitations as in the preceding : " Linseed oil is obtained from the seeds of i\\Q flax plants From the seeds of what plant is linseed oil ob- tained ? 48. Make the following question more specific by naming some other particular.^ Where was our Saviour crucified ? On what mountain was our Saviour crucified ? 49. What does monarch spell ? What word does monarch make ? -64: THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 50. Form a question on the following, -observing the limitations already named. "Ivory is an animal substance." What kind of a substance is ivory ? 51. What is a fog made of ? What does a fog consist of ? 52. Form separate questions on the fol- lowing sentence, observing the preceding limitations : " Twice a year to every place within the tropics the sun's rays are per- pendicular." How often are the sun's rays perpendicular to every place within the tropics ? 53. Form, etc. " Twice a year to every place within the tropics the sun's rays are perdendicular." Where are the sun's rays perpendicular twice a year ? 5tt. Form, etc. " Twice a year to every place within the tropics the sun^s rays are j?erj>endicular.'^ What is the direction of the sun's rays twice a year to every place within the tropics ? 55. Make more specific, the question : -" Who invaded Britain 55 years B. C." What Roman general invaded Britain 55 years JB. C? THE ART OF PUTTING QUESTIONS 65 56. Repeat the question, changing the language of the last clause. What Roman general invaded Britain upwards of half a century before the Christian Era ? 57. Make more specific the question : '* From whom was Abraham descended ? " From which of the sons of Noah was Abraham descended ? THE SCHOOL BULLETIN PUBLICATIONS.- Biographies of Great Teachers. 1. A Memoir of Roger Ascham, by Samuel Johnson, LL.D. ; and selec- tions from the Life of Thomas Arnold, by Dean Stanxet. Edited, with In- troductions and Notes by James S. Car. liiSLE. 16mo, pp. 252. Manilla, 50 cts. ; Cloth, $1. Besides the biogi'aphy of Ascham in full this volume contains selections from "The Scholemaster," with fac- simile of the ancient title-page. We also publish Ascham's Complete Works in four handsome volumes at $5.00. From Stanley's " Life of Arnold '- those- chapters have been taken which THOMAS ARNOLD. refer to his work as a teacher, and are published without change. Thus the book gives in small compass and at a low price all that is most important in the lives of these two great teachers. " No better reading could be selected for the teacher, none more stimu lating,none more softening, than the lives of these two men, so conspicuous for their achievements as teachers." — The Evangelist. 2; John Arhos Comenius, Bishop of the Moravians ; his Life and Edii^a tional Works. By S. S. Laubie. 16mo, pp. 232. Manilla, 50 cts.; CIot,h, $1.00. 3. A Biographical Memoir of Samuel Ilartlib, with Bibliographical No- tices of works published by him. By IL Dircks. Cloth, 12mo, pp. 124, $2.00. It was this Hartlib to whom Milton addressed his "Small Tractate of Education," and who brought Comenius to England.' He was foremost in educational movements of the time, and this rare volume, of which we purchased the remainder of the edition, is of great value. U. An Old Educatio-nal Befomxer. Br. Andrew Bell. By J. M. D. MErKLE- JOHN. Cloth, 16mo, pp. 182, $1.00. Dr. Bell was the founder of the Monitorial System that swept over Eng- land and America in the early pail of this century, and was at that time the most famous teacher in the w^orld. 5. Pestalozzi ; his Aim and Work. By Baron De Guimps. Translated by Margaret Guthbertson Ceombie. 12mo, pp. 336. Manilla, 50 cts.; Cloth, $1.50,^ 6. Autobiography of Friederich Froehel. Translated and annotated by Emilie Michaelis and H. Keatlet Mooee. Cloth, 12mo, pp. 183, $1.50. 7. The Educational Labors of Hem^ Barnard. By Will S. Monroe. Leatherette, 16mo, pp. 35, 50 cts. 8. Essays on Educational Beformers. By R. H. Quick. Cloth, 16mo, pp. 331, $1.50. Its vivacity makes it the most interesting of educational histories. C. W. BARDEEN, Publisher, Syracuse, N. Y. THE SCHOOL. BULLETIN PUBLIC A TIONS. The School Room Classics. Under the above title we have published a series of Monogi'aphs upon Education, as follows, all 16mo, in paper, at 15 cts. each. 1. Unconscious Tuition. By Bishop F. D. Huntington. Pp. 45. "There is probably nothing finer in the whole range of educational lit- erature."— O/^eo Edueational MontMy. 2. The Art of Questioning. By J. G. Fitch. Pp. 36. "Mr. Fitch is happily inside his subject, and as clear as a helV— Chris- tian Register. 3. The Philosophy of School Discipline. By John Kennedv. Pp. 23. "Clear and logical, and goes down to the very foundation."— Z7ifi