The number who had spoken inadvertently, and the number who had done it by design, might be ascertained.

These inquiries accustom the pupils to render honest and faithful accounts themselves.

They become, by such means, familiarized to the practice, and by means of it the teacher can many times receive most important assistance.
In all this, however, the teacher should speak in a pleasant tone, and maintain a pleasant and cheerful air.

The acknowledgments should be considered by the pupils not as confessions of guilt for which they are to be rebuked or punished, but as voluntary and free reports of the result of _an experiment_ in which all were interested.
Some will have been dishonest in their reports: to diminish the number of these, the teacher may say, after the report is concluded, "We will drop the subject here to-day.

To-morrow we will make another effort, when we shall be more successful.