diff --git a/lib/parfait/method.rb b/lib/parfait/method.rb
index 9c4c9d16..4cda023b 100644
--- a/lib/parfait/method.rb
+++ b/lib/parfait/method.rb
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ module Parfait
     # used to determine if a send must be issued
     # return index of the name into the message if so
     def has_var name
-      raise "uups #{name}.#{name.class}" unless name.is_a? Word
+      raise "uups #{name}.#{name.class}" unless name.is_a? Symbol
       index = has_arg(name)
       return index if index
       has_local(name)
@@ -45,22 +45,22 @@ module Parfait
 
     # determine whether this method has an argument by the name
     def has_arg name
-      raise "uups #{name}.#{name.class}" unless name.is_a? Word
+      raise "uups #{name}.#{name.class}" unless name.is_a? Symbol
       @arg_names.index_of name
     end
 
     # determine if method has a local variable or tmp (anonymous local) by given name
     def has_local name
-      raise "uups #{name}.#{name.class}" unless name.is_a? Word
-      index = @locals.index(name)
-      index = @tmps.index(name) unless index
+      raise "uups #{name}.#{name.class}" unless name.is_a? Symbol
+      index = @locals.index_of(name)
+      index = @tmps.index_of(name) unless index
       index
     end
 
     def ensure_local name
       index = has_local name
       return index if index
-      @locals << name
+      @locals.push name
       @locals.length
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/virtual/compiled_method_info.rb b/lib/virtual/compiled_method_info.rb
index 12f544c0..bde31be3 100644
--- a/lib/virtual/compiled_method_info.rb
+++ b/lib/virtual/compiled_method_info.rb
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ module Virtual
     # compile code then works with the method, but adds code tot the info
     def self.create_method( class_name , method_name , args)
       raise "uups #{class_name}.#{class_name.class}" unless class_name.is_a? Symbol
-      raise "uups #{method_name}.#{method_name.class}" unless class_name.is_a? Symbol
+      raise "uups #{method_name}.#{method_name.class}" unless method_name.is_a? Symbol
       clazz = Virtual.machine.space.get_class_by_name class_name
       raise "No such class #{class_name}" unless clazz
       method = clazz.create_instance_method( method_name , Virtual.new_list(args))
diff --git a/lib/virtual/compiler/function_expression.rb b/lib/virtual/compiler/function_expression.rb
index 5db446da..86746468 100644
--- a/lib/virtual/compiler/function_expression.rb
+++ b/lib/virtual/compiler/function_expression.rb
@@ -18,10 +18,10 @@ module Virtual
         r = Self.new()
         class_name = method.for_class.name
       end
-      new_method = CompiledMethodInfo.create_method(class_name, expression.name.to_s , args )
+      new_method = CompiledMethodInfo.create_method(class_name, expression.name , args )
       new_method.info.receiver = r
       new_method.for_class.add_instance_method new_method
-      
+
       #frame = frame.new_frame
       return_type = nil
       expression.body.each do |ex|
diff --git a/test/helper.rb b/test/helper.rb
index 255fadab..cbdc6bc5 100644
--- a/test/helper.rb
+++ b/test/helper.rb
@@ -30,6 +30,18 @@ $LOAD_PATH.unshift(File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), '..', 'test'))
 
 require 'salama'
 
+module Virtual
+  # Functions to generate parfait objects
+  def self.new_word( string )
+    string = string.to_s if string.is_a? Symbol
+    word = Parfait::Word.new_object( string.length )
+    string.codepoints.each_with_index do |code , index |
+      word.set_char(index + 1 , code)
+    end
+    word
+  end
+end
+
 class Ignored
   def == other
     return false unless other.class == self.class
diff --git a/test/virtual/virtual_helper.rb b/test/virtual/virtual_helper.rb
index ad7cfaec..f8016083 100644
--- a/test/virtual/virtual_helper.rb
+++ b/test/virtual/virtual_helper.rb
@@ -28,17 +28,7 @@ module VirtualHelper
   end
 
 end
-module Virtual
-  # Functions to generate parfait objects
-  def self.new_word( string )
-    string = string.to_s if string.is_a? Symbol
-    word = Parfait::Word.new_object( string.length )
-    string.codepoints.each_with_index do |code , index |
-      word.set_char(index + 1 , code)
-    end
-    word
-  end
-end
+
 class UnusedSofEquality
   # simple thought: don't recurse for Blocks, just check their names
   def == other