moment when it shall be accomplished. The tracing, especially so much of it as Locke recommends, is now considered injurious rather than otherwise by the majority of critics. In the most elementary stages tracing is helpful; afterwards we believe to be harmful. Lastly, beginning with a very large hand is an evil already proved and we need not recapitulate.
The general method prescribed in this manual may be looked upon as being compounded of the two just reviewed, one in which the danger of too much science in the one case, and of too much mechanical art in the other are equally avoided.
In offering, shall we say in presuming to offer, a few directions for class teaching there is great risk in running foul of many old-fashioned and established prejudices. Perhaps on no point connected with School Work is there so great a multiplicity of opinions as to how writing should be taught. No two persons in a hundred will agree on half a dozen given questions. Authors of Manuals on Education, Inspectors, Training College Lecturers, and Teachers are all individually so many separate, independent, and oracular authorities as to how to teach writing.
And we are not now referring so much to methods in general as to processes in particular. Whatever method be adopted “How shall it be taught successfully”? is what concerns us.
Presumably there is a satisfactory answer to this question. It is certainly possible to invest the teaching of writing with an interest that shall render the subject most attractive to the pupils and there is no reason why the writing lesson should not be one of the most fascinating studies in the schoolroom. Of course to attain this the master must first of all be enthusiastic himself, for Enthusiasm is Contagious. To do a thing well it must be done thoroughly; in the teaching of penmanship equally as in other departments. Teachers must be energetic, lively and earnest, then and not till then will the classes be interested, enthusiastic and determined. It will be found profitable to introduce discussions in the class when such and such outlines are analysed or illustrated on the Blackboard. Intense excitement for instance can be roused on the duplicate forms of such letters as s, r,
