to the house and grounds or stand in lonely, painful isolation. Down at bottom design aims to assemble elements and parts into proper groups, and in the common questions of home decorations and dress the student can usually work on just that simple basis. It is usually the incongruous, over-prominent, conspicuous, or isolated factor in decoration which causes trouble.

This fragmentary discussion will perhaps suggest some of the benefit which may come from the pursuit of crafts and occupations. The illustrations here given are in some detail because it is so easy to overlook design at home and in common things. Everything is so familiar there, one is so accustomed to the furniture, rugs and their arrangement, that it never comes to mind that the situation might be improved. It must be remembered that, when children begin to apply design to their own handicraft, their fundamental conceptions of beauty originate in the home. Either the children must lose faith in home taste, or, as they grow and learn, be allowed to bring their new-found knowledge back into the home and "try it on." This is where the craft does its real work. The true privilege conferred upon children by the possession of such books as these on various special occupations is a chance to obtain, first-hand, individual standards of perfection and beauty. Before this they have merely accepted the home as it stood, with no thought of what was choice or otherwise.

Since taste and design are merely implied, or indirectly included in the several volumes, save "Home Decoration," the latter should be used as a supplementary reference in connection with the others. As has already been said, it is not possible or advisable to systematically teach good taste. It will be better and more effective to just include taste in the several activities the child undertakes. When the girl begins to make things for herself, help her to select materials which are appropriate in every way. Have her seek materials for the purpose. Have her choose decoration and color rather than take the first handy suggestion or copy the plans of another. She would do well to experiment independently. The girl should create her own room down to the last detail, not make everything herself, but plan it, plan its arrangement, its color (tone) if possible, and make those small decorative articles like pillows, runners, curtains, etc. But before beginning such a comprehensive experiment in decoration have her look about a bit and note the conditions imposed. The light and exposure, size of the room, furniture which must be used, treatment of hangings—these are all stubborn factors, but they respond to gradual treatment. Then the room is hers in reality. The boy's attitude toward taste is totally different. He cares less than the girl for the charm of tone and arrangement; he is quite willing to despise the niceties of decoration. He must approach the question obliquely through interest in the efficiency of a given effort; he appreciates the utility phase of design most of all. The boy will come to see gradually that his pets and chickens should be decently housed, and that it is good business to do so. He should not be allowed to impose upon his own family or their neighbors a slovenly yard or garden. He will find that those tools work best which are sharp and clean and always in place. His final lesson in design grows out of association with his mates. When he begins to go to parties, to enter the social world in a small way, a new body of conventions in taste appear and he must be taught to appreciate them if he would be well liked. But the real training in design arises from manual work—the playthings, toys and utensils the boy makes for use. They need not be beautiful nor is there excuse for clumsiness in construction. One cannot expect even the mature child to take much interest in design in the abstract, but when he meets the subject on a common-sense basis, as a part of some personal problem, design—even taste in color and form—acquires definite standing in his esteem. It has earned the right. Hence a liberal contact with youthful amusements and occupations encourages both boy and girl to build ideals of working, and among these ideals taste is bound to appear in some guise—usually unbidden. The book on design or decoration is but a reference, an inspiration, a stimulant, never a text of instruction. The ability to choose, to secure appropriate, beautiful, accurate results, is largely a by-product of judicious reading combined with persistent effort. It remains for the parent to skim off this by-product as it appears and infuse a little of it into each problem the child presents for inspection.