THE MIDWINTER POSTERS

By OLIVE WILLS

Our Christmas excitement is quieted now, and we are looking for new fields of interest for the little ones. Of course the first week in January the teacher will enjoy all the new toys that Johnnie and Mary received and all their happy little playmates will also share the pleasure, and oh! with what wonderful pride does Johnnie strut into school with his new sled, cart, or horn and Mary cuddling her wonderful doll or taking it airing in the new carriage. Let us draw also cut pictures of these interesting articles. Did you ever notice how children like best to draw the articles they themselves bring to school. I have had pupils ask to change their seats in order to see their own toys. Of course in these grades the drawings are very crude but they are beautiful to the child and mean much not only in pleasure but in cultivating an observation and a sense of proportion. Crayons are perhaps the easiest medium for draw. ing, but I use the pencil some. Speaking of the child's pleasure note with what confidence a child will attempt almost any subject. Once I asked a first grade if they would like to draw my picture. I had not anticipated the sparkle of delight that shone in their eyes. Each child was absolutely confident he could make a fine drawing, but, sad to relate, for sense of proportion, a bright riobon bow was the most prominent feature of the entire picture. This only goes to prove to me that children see the decoration before they see the form. Therefore I think free hand cuttings are particularly good. They must then look for the outline and in their cuttings they do their best work. Why can little ones do better freehand cutting than grown ups? They generally do. After we have exhausted the pleasure of drawing and cutting of toys let us turn our attention to the season's sports, coasting, skating and the freaks of Jack Frost. Many charming posters may be made from these subjects, but if you should like it all in one stretch a light gray wrapping paper across the front of the room just above the blackboard as a frieze on this we will build up our poster from day to day, but first the teacher will either paste on a blue paper for sky or paint it with soft chalk and on the ground a touch here and there of white. The distant hills and lakes or streams might also be painted. We of course now need a few trees and houses. I think we will place our houses first, as that is perhaps the more simple study. This may be a square roof or a slant, show the chimney and cut one or two windows. (Fig 1). The teacher will perhaps draw two or three on the board, also cut one before the class that they may see the methods of procedure. Now select several of the best from the

room and with discussions and suggestions from th pupils paste them in place on your poster. Next wi come the trees; of course at this season there are no leaves, and here is our opportunity to talk the growth of the branches. I liken the trunk of the trees to the human body and the sap to the blood Therefore we must note how the limbs and the fing ers grow onto the body that the blood may easily flow thru and apply this to our tree. The branches,

Figu

the fingers all tapering as they near the end. (Fig. 2). We will want a great many trees for our picture so will hope all in the room will be acceptable. Use care in placing the larger in the foreground and the smaller ones in the distance. Now we are ready for our first suggestions of winter Jack Frost. (Fig 3). He will be a sort of Brownie figure perhaps with

Fig in

long fingers and toes. Arrange these on the branches of trees about the streams and hills, also against

A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Listen! listen! do you hear,

Bells ring in the glad New Year?
We will rise to greet him so (all rise),

The glad New Year has come you know.

Happy New Year, we greet you brightly,

Happy New Year, we bow politely. (Bow.)

Softly, softly, see the snow,

Falling down on the earth below. (Raise and lower arms.)

In the merry sleigh we'll ride,

Tucked in safely side by side. (Wave right arm to left and right.)

With clean hands and smiling face (hold up hands, touch face),

Happy New Year, come take your place. (All sit.)

The date for the Fifteenth Annual Convention of the Religious Education Association has been changed to March 4-6, 1918. This change will bring the convention immediately following the spring meeting of the N. E. A., also to be held in Atlantic City. The general theme for the R. E. A. meeting, Community Organization, is attracting keen interest. The convention will treat both the broad aspects of the reorganization of the world into a closer and more neighborly life and the organization of the local community as an agency for moral and relig ious training. The official headquarters for the convention will be The Breakers Hotel, Atlantic City. City

Once I made a little ship,

Down beside the sea,

And I said, "Come now dear winds, And blow it back to me!"

Oh little ship that sails the sea.

Oh wind that blows it back to me!

STARVING!!

Yes, starving every day!!

More than a thousand died yesterday!! See page 140