"Then rule lines for another column, just beyond this. In parsing nouns, what is the first particular to be named?"
"What the noun is from."
"Yes; that is, its nominative. Now you may write, at the head of the first column, the word Nouns, and at the head of the second, Nom., for nominative. Then rule a line for the third column. What shall this contain!" "The declension." "Yes; and the fourth?" "Gender." "The fifth?" "Number."
In the same manner the other columns were designated. The sixth was to contain case; the seventh, the word with which the noun was connected in construction; and the eighth, a reference to the rule.
"Now I wish you," continued the teacher, "to fill up such a table as this with ten nouns. Do you understand how I mean?"
"Yes, sir;" "No, sir," they answered, variously.
"All who do understand may take their seats, as I wish to give as little explanation as possible. The more you can depend upon yourselves, the better."
Those who saw clearly what was to be done left the class, and the teacher continued his explanation to those who were left behind. He made the plan perfectly clear to them by taking a particular noun and running it through the table, showing what should be written opposite to the word in all the columns, and then dismissed them.
The class separated, as every class would, in such a case, with a strong feeling of interest in the work before them. It was not so difficult as to perplex them, and yet it required attention and care. They were interested and pleased—pleased with the effort which it required them to make, and they anticipated, with interest and pleasure, the time of coming again to the class to report and compare their work.
When the time for the class came, the teacher addressed them somewhat as follows: