What ray of sunshine breaks through the clouds of the father's grief? The conviction that his boy "is waiting" for him till he comes.
What is the meaning of the line, "Love may hide itself", etc.? The little boy's love may for the moment be hidden, but it is everlasting. The father's love is likewise everlasting. This is sufficient ground for believing that they will some day be united.
The reading of this poem by the pupils will show whether they feel its joy, its sadness, and its hope.
AN APPLE ORCHARD IN THE SPRING
(Third Reader, page 60)
AIM
To lead the pupils to appreciate the beauty of an apple orchard in the spring and the music of the language used in describing it.
PREPARATION
This lesson should be taken when the apple orchards are in bloom. The teacher should prepare the pupils for it, by asking them to observe the blossoms, their colours and odours, the songs of the birds, and the sounds of the streams.