THE TABLEAUX

1. Saracen conducting a merchant's quarter or bazaar. 2. Peter the Hermit addressing his wayside audience. 3. Urban conducting the Council of Clermont.

4. The four leaders of the first Crusade.

5. Saint Bernard and followers at Vezelay.

6. Philip II, Richard I, and Frederick Barbarossa with followers.

7. All Crusaders singing the "Pilgrims' Chorus.”

In order that the tableaux should be better understood by the audience, the children advised having some explanation of each scene. Therefore pupils were selected to introduce and explain each tableaux.

Inasmuch as the Saracen through his threatening attitude toward Constantinople was really the one who caused the first Crusade to be organized, he was given the first place. In order that he might be shown in a purely Saracenic environment, he was represented as the keeper of a bazaar, sitting huddled up among his wares counting his coins. Back of him and back of all the succeeding scenes, was a large screen, painted by the teacher, which showed the towers of Jerusalem just above a hill, surrounded by trees. This was done in order to emphasize the fact that through all the struggle, the recovery of the Holy City was uppermost in the Crusaders' hearts. The thought of Jerusalem was back of all they did or anticipated doing.

Scene 2 showed the first man who made an attempt to arouse the world to the true state of affairs in the East. Just before the curtain was dropped, Peter raised his hand and repeated the passage from Eph. 6:10-17.

Scene 3 enabled the class to show the great sympathy shown by Pope Urban, and the means by which he transmitted his wonderful enthusiasm to his hearers in the Council of Clermont. Suddenly, some knelt and the others stood upright and exclaimed, Deus vult! Deus vult! Thus was shown the transition from the pilgrim spirit to that of the Crusader. Then Urban raised his arms and said, "This day has been fulfilled in your midst, the

saying of our Lord, 'Where two or three are gathered together in thy name, there am I in the midst of them.""

Scene 4 was purely a tableau; the four leaders stood in front with their followers grouped back of them. This scene showed that the pope's efforts had been of some avail.

Scene 5 showed the great preacher of the second Crusade at his famous Council of Vezelay, with the two rulers who were influenced by him to enter upon the Crusade.

Scene 6 represented the three leaders of the third Crusade with their followers.

The exhibit would not fulfil its purpose if closed by the last tableau, therefore three children were chosen to state the results of the Crusade to the world at large, thus making the audience realize the meaning of the study.

After results had been given, all the characters appeared and sang the "Pilgrim's Chorus," in which intermediate pupils and normal students joined.

HELEN KELLER AND THE LANGUAGE-TEACHING

PROBLEM

JEAN SHERWOOD RANKIN
Minneapolis, Minn.

If the Society for the Scientific Study of Education-formerly known as the Herbart Society-would but consent to look into the methods whereby Helen Keller acquired her remarkable command of English, the results might, in the course of a few eons, come to have some perceptible effect upon the absurd performances now going on all over America in the name of "language work." Probably the most interesting character of the present century from an educational standpoint is this blind and deaf girl whose name is a synonym for marvelous achievement in the face of stupendous obstacles. But what she has accomplished is of less importance to the school world than the manner in which she was enabled to accomplish.. It would be well for the rising generation if every grade teacher could be persuaded to read with care Helen Keller's Story of My Life (Doubleday, Page & Co.), and then to study also the "Supplementary Account of Helen Keller's Education," to be found in the same volume, written by John Albert Macy, now editor of The Youth's Companion.

Miss Annie Sullivan, teacher of Helen Keller, had herself been blind for many years, although she later regained her sight. During the six years which she spent at the Perkins Institution for the Blind, in Boston, she had been in the same house with that other famous blind deaf-mute, Laura Bridgeman. She had thus become especially fitted by previous experience for the unusual work to which she was called. That she was, moreover, by nature a great teacher, whose name will be honored side by side with those of the world's most famous educators, is conceded by all who know how great is the work she has done.

With the kind permission of Mr. Macy I give here a number

of short extracts from his valuable account of Miss Sullivan's work, in the hope that many teachers of more favored children may thus be led to a thorough study of the original account, as well as to a practical application in their own work of the methods used by Miss Sullivan in the training of Helen Keller.

Helen Keller was born June 27, 1880; Miss Sullivan came to her March 3, 1887. Thus the little pupil was less than seven years old. It was however full time that she have a teacher, for, having no means for the communication of her desires, she was becoming less and less manageable. She was to all intents a savage little animal, without affection or understanding. Often kicking, screaming, and striking became her sole means for asking for what she wished; but with the gift of language, gentleness displaced violence.

The story throughout is intensely interesting. The gains were at first obtained solely through imitation, Miss Sullivan spelling the words doll and cake into Helen's hand and trying to get her to associate the spelling with these objects. Helen imitated the letters very well, but did not for some time acquire the associations. I quote from Miss Sullivan's letters:

March 11, 1887. Helen knows several words now, but has no idea how to use them or that everything has a name.

March 13, 1887. She has learned three new words, and when I give her the objects, the names of which she has learned, she spells them unhesitatingly; but she seems glad when the lesson is over.

March 20, 1887. Helen has learned several nouns this week. "M-u-g" and "m-i-l-k" have given her more trouble than other words. When she spells "milk," she points to the mug, and when she spells "mug," she makes the sign for pouring or drinking, which shows that she has confused the words. She has no idea yet that everything has a name.

March 28, 1887. She knows twelve words now.

April 3, 1887. The hour from twelve to one is devoted to the learning of new words. But you mustn't think this is the only time I spell to Helen; for I spell in her hand everything we do all day long, although she has no idea as yet what the spelling means. ... On March 31 I found that Helen knew eighteen nouns and three verbs. Here is a list of the words. Those with a cross after them are words she asked for herself: Doll, mug, pin, key, dog, hat, cup, box, water, milk, candy, eye (x), finger (x), toe (x), head (x), cake, baby, mother, sit, stand, walk. On April 1 she learned the nouns knife, fork, spoon, saucer, tea, papa, bed, and the verb run.