BY PERSEVERANCE the snail reaches the ark. Even the woodpecker owes his success to the fact that he uses his head and keeps pecking away until he finishes the job he started. Perseverance is a desirable characteristic and the classroom must offer frequent opportun ities and provide incentives for children to devel op this characteristic, to make it a habit. During seasonal festivities children pursue activities with unusual perseverance, making gifts, planning programs, or going out for tricks or treats. However, even when play is only moving supplies from one place to an other, unloading, reloading, then returning bur den to the original location, they work steadily, persevere. Time flies for children whenever their academic work is to result in a play, a radio skit, entertaining parents, making money for a prized objective, because a purpose per vades these situations. All this we know from casual observation. Controlled research must support the observation and provide data on the subject.