This struck Barnes as a mighty good idea, and he resolved to put it in practice.
The school had then progressed so far in its study of the history of Rome as the Punic wars, and Mr.Barnes immediately divided the boys into two parties, one Romans and the other Carthaginians, and certain of the boys were named after the leaders upon both sides.

All the boys thought it was a fine thing, and Barnes noticed that they were so anxious to get to the history lesson that they could hardly say their other lessons properly.
When the time came, Barnes ranged the Romans upon one side of the room and the Carthaginians on the other.

The recitation was very spirited, each party telling about its deeds with extraordinary unction.

After a while Barnes asked a Roman to describe the battle of Cannae.

Whereupon the Romans hurled their copies of Wayland's Moral Science at the enemy.