(54 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF EDUCATION. 
hands toward the source of light or sound. Thus we see inhibition of 
movement followed by new codrdinated action. 
The endeavors of brain training are directed to bringing about the 
sobrdination of the nerve centers, and in young children spontaneous action 
must for this purpose be temporarily inhibited; yet 1t must always be 
remembered that it is only their spontaneous action that you can coordi 
nate and train. Encourage spontaneity, then train it. Coordinated 
action in the child must ever be aimed at in education ; the child’s spon- 
-aneity and movements must be controlled by school discipline. This is 
principally effected through the eye and the ear, by sight and sound. 
[ find the methods used vary much ; the best teachers control mostly 
shrough the eye. It seems to be thought easier to check spontaneity of 
movement in tongue, hands, and eyes, through the ear ; hence the school 
bell, the cane struck on the table, and the whistle sometimes used, and 
principally the word of command, in which the teacher’s voice as well as 
words used are sometimes ill adapted to the purpose in view. My expe- 
rience is that all the noises and the vocal command often produce reén- 
forcement of movement, with mental confusion when direction through 
the eye translates this spontaneity, or a part of it, into preparedness for 
mental action and codrdinated movement. In the best classes, I have 
seen silence and quietness of action with commencement of the proper 
work by the children effected by the teacher’s gesture without a word 
spoken—a great saving of energy to pupils and teacher. Further, I have 
often found that classes whose movements are habitually controlled by 
verbal command are more apt to present abnormal nerve signs when they 
are inspected singly, than children that are mainlv controlled through the 
eye. 
Imitation is the great means of control. Let a teacher present an ill- 
valanced hand or head, many of the children will be seen to follow. 
Every movement, every mode of balance in the teacher tends to repetition 
in the class. Children tend to imitate much from one another, especially 
she bright ones; hence the importance of classification and proper 
grouping of children in school. Children naturally tend to exact imita- 
sion of teachers’ movements ; hence some teachers hold out the right hand 
for imitation by the child’s left. No wonder there is often a mental confu- 
sion in pupils as to which is their right hand. Facial gesture, expression, 
frontal overacting, etc., may often be controlled and temporarily removed 
by a face that smiles at them, which the child imitates ; a command to 
cease the grimace is apt to be followed either by its increase or by arrest 
of all spontaneity. 
Having described certain abnormal nerve signs and shown that they 
correspond to certain brain states, let me show their significance as to the 
bearing of movement on mental status. Of 5,487 children presenting 
“nerve signs,” 2,250 were reported by the teachers as dull mentallv—i.e.,