ANCIENT PEOPLES. By William C. Morey. The American Book Company. Price $1.50.

This book is a revision (1915) of Morey's "Outline of Ancient History", contains 634 pages and is well illustrated. The maps are excellent. The book opens with an introductory chapter entitled: “The Early Man and the Dawn of History" and the body of the book deals with "The Original Peoples", "The Greek People” and “The Roman People". The author does not trace history further down than the time of Charlemagne. A distinct feature of the book is a synopsis placed at the beginning of each chapter. The author writes in an easy style and tells the story of history in simple language and with much force and interest. At the end of each nation's story, he presents an excellent summary of the given nation's contribution to civilization. The last chapter on "The Gifts of Rome to Civilization" is a masterpiece in which it is shown how "the whole of ancient civilization is connected with modern life." J. M. G.

THE WORLD STORM AND BEYOND. By Edwin Davies Schoonmaker. The Century Company. Price $2.00 net, postage 10 cents.

The author has stated his object to be "to set forth in their historical perspective some of the causes of the great war and also to trace some of its probable consequences." He points out distinctly in several of his chapters that "while kings are speaking, humanity is also having its say." The authors grasp, analysis, and interpretation of historical facts is penetrating and at times amazing. Many will question the author's conclusions as set forth in certain chapters, as for instance, the chapters entitled "Has the Church Collapsed?", "The Cosmic Meaning of Women", and "Poetogamy". What he has to say in the two chapters entitled "Russia and the Open Sea," and "The Democratic Russians" is worth several times the price of the book. His chapter on "Land and War" is powerfully suggestive and the time put into the reading of it is well spent. The chapter on "Empire or Federation" ought to be read by every teacher of history and allied subjects. The reading of this notable volume will give the student broader conceptions of the problems of the present and the future. J. M. G.

THE EUROPEAN WAR. By Prof. John William Burgess. A. C. McClurg & Co., Chicago. Price $1.00 net.

This book treats of the causes, purposes, and probable results of the War of 1914. The author states in his preface that the majority is generally on the wrong side of every great question in the beginning, and of course, his contention is that the majority in case of the War of 1914 is on the wrong side in that it (the majority) in America is against Germany. Probably no other book published since the war began upholds Germany's side more strongly than does this one. The writer maintains that "everything has been done to give the American people

not simply an erroneous, but an absolutely false conception of German institutions, purposes, and aspirations." He shows that Germany stands at the head of the column of nations making for human progress and civilization; that Germany is the true leader of universal civilization for our age; that Germany's economic system is the most genuinely democratic in the world; that German militarism is democratic and not autocratic and that it is not an economic burden; that the British Government is a despotism when viewed in the light of a truly constitutional government. He further claims that "every true American interest, moral and material, requires the maintenance of the German Empire in its present organization and power in Middle Europe." Liberal use is made of historical facts, but it is only fair to state that the author is inclined to give face value to every official diplomatic sentence by Germany, while he endeavors to show that diplomatic sentences from the entente Powers are not so to be taken. Great Britain, he claims acted with duplicity, while Germany and Austria acted with honesty. Despite the author's pro-German sympathy, the book is well worth reading. J. M. G.

PLANE GEOMETRY. By Fletcher Durell, Ph. D., Head of the Mathematical Department, the Lawrenceville School, and E. E. Arnold, M. A., Specialist in Mathematics, the University of the State of New York. Charles E. Merrill Company.

The outstanding features of this book, in brief, are: A substantial reduction in subject matter, there being fully one-forth less in the number of propositions than is ordinarily given, and this accords with the list in the Harvard Syllabus and that selected by the Committee of Fifteen of the N. E. A.; improvements in the organization of material; improvements in the methods of teaching pupils to solve original exercises; and the development of practical applications and of efficiency values of geometry. The work is prepared as a text which the average high school class can cover in one year, with the prime object to make the teaching, study, and later use of geometry as efficient as possible in relation to present conditions. In lucidity of statement, logical order of arrangement, and practicality of exercises, the book easily stands foremost among texts on plane geometry.

M. T. P.

ELEMENTARY SPANISH GRAMMAR. WITH PRACTICAL EXERCISES FOR READING, CONVERSATION AND COMPOSITION. By Aurelio M. Espinosa, Ph. D., and Clifford G. Allen, of the Department of Romanic Languages, Leland Stanford Junior University. American Book Company.

This is something more than a grammar of the Spanish language, for it contains in addition to the rules and exercises becoming a work on principles and rules of the language, an abundant supply of reading material, conversations, composition work and letter writing. The rules

are fully illustrated by exercises both in English and Spanish; there is a most gratifying amount of work required in turning English into Spanish. The exercises in conversation are interesting and lively and are on topics touching the interests and occupations of general, business and social life. A feature is the exclusive character of a goodly number of commercial exercises, furnishing a fine beginning in Spanish commercial practice and correspondence. It is a timely book of most excellent method and matter and deserves the attention of teachers of Spanish in secondary schools. M. T. P.

ROBBINS'S NEW SOLID GEOMETRY. By Edward Rutledge Robbins, formerly of Lawrenceville School. American Book Company.

Making use of the suggestions of teachers who have employed the author's "Solid Geometry," Prof. Robbins has made his new book, retaining all of the characteristics of the old that made it a widely used book. Attention is called to some of the striking features of the book: It is written for the pupil; every effort is made to stimulate the mental activity of the pupil; the theorems and their demonstrations are introduced as early in the study as possible; the fundamental truths are explained instead of being formally demonstrated; the original exercises are distinguished by their abundance, their practical bearing upon the affairs of life, and their independence; emphasis is given to the discussion of original constructions; the Solid Geometry formulas are grouped together at the end of the text, as a ready means of reference. The illustrations are quite out of the ordinary, are skilfully drawn and serve to assist the pupil just where aid is imperative. The book conforms to the recommendations of the Committee of Fifteen. This is the very latest word on the subject of solid geometry; as such it brings to pupil and teacher a most workable text, attractive, stimulating and most worthy. M. T. P.

GOOD ENGLISH, A PRACTICAL MANUAL OF CORRECT SPEAKING AND WRITING, By John Louis Haney, Ph. D., Professor of English Philology, Central High School, Philadelphia. The Egerton Press. Price 75 cents net.

A series of brief, useful notes in convenient alphabetical form "on various words and phrases that are loosely used in our familiar speech."

MERRILL'S ENGLISH TEXTS, SHAKESPEARE'S TRAGEDY OF HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK. Edited with an Introduction and Notes by Allan Abbott, A. M., Assistant Professor of English in Teachers College, Columbia University. Charles E. Merrill Company. Price 30

cents.

One of the best series of English Texts upon the market, and this particular volume is fully up to the standard of the series.

ELEMENTARY ALGEBRA, FIRST YEAR COURSE, By Florian Cajori, Colorado College, and Letitia R. Odell, North Side High School, Denver. The Macmillan Company.

An excellent beginner's book. Simple, clear, logical, practical.

THE MODERN SPELLER. Books One and Two. By Kate Van Wagenen, Ph. B. Principal of Public School No. 53, Borough of Manhattan, New York City. Prices: Book I, 20c. Book II, 24c. The Macmillan Company.

These spellers teach the subject by the dictation method, provide for thorough and frequent reviews, teach the meaning of the words from the sense of the text, which latter is interesting and sensible instead of aimless and silly as in so many spelling books.

THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND WOMEN IN OFFICE SERVICE. By the Department of Research Women's Educational and Industrial Union, Boston, Massachusetts. Prepared under the direction of May Allinson, A. M., Associate Director: and

VOCATIONS FOR THE TRAINED WOMAN, By Eleanor Martin and Margaret A. Post, and Committee on Economic Efficiency of College WomBoston Branch, Association of Collegiate Alumnae, Prepared under the Direction of Susan M. Kingsbury, Ph. D., Longmans, Green and Co.

en.

These are definite studies intended to reveal conditions and to supply information which will aid in the better training of women in commercial work. The investigations were intelligently planned and carried out; and the results will aid young women in selecting the lines of work for which they are best suited. Their teachers also will be helped in planning for them the best courses.

SOILS AND PLANT LIFE AS RELATED TO AGRICULTURE, By J. C. Cunningham and W. J. Lancelot. The Macmillan Company.

Agricultural education has made such rapid strides that there is a demand for such excellent books as this. The volume is adapted for elementary work in rural, grade and high schools and would be practically useful to any farmer or gardener.

THE MEANING OF EDUCATION. CONTRIBUTIONS TO A PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION. By Nicholas Murray Butler, President of Columbia University. Charles Scribner's Sons. Price $1.50 net.

This is a revised and enlarged edition of a well known volume which has had its share in shaping the thought and life of the educational world of today. A particularly valuable chapter is entitled "Some Fundamental Principles of American Education."

The following are some recent books published by the J. B. Lippincott Company:

DAILY ENGLISH LESSONS. By Willis H. Wilcox, Ph. M. Book III. Net $.80.

It presents plans and aids for a skillful review of all grammatical fundamentals and then develops skill in higher efficiency in both oral and written language. Some topics are treated that are not usually presented in high school texts, that yet have a practical value.

FAMOUS DAYS AND DEEDS IN HOLLAND AND BELGIUM. By Charles Morris. Net $1.25.

The history of no country is more interesting than that of either Holland or Belgium. From the middle ages to the present time their low-lying acres have been the almost constant battle grounds of armies, their cities have been destroyed and rebuilt again and again. This delightful and instructive account of the more spectacular events of these two nations in one of the best, short accounts of their struggles toward independence that we have seen. If it does not instill into the reader a desire to know more of Dutch and Flemish history, it will at least give him a very clear general idea of the subject.

METHODS FOR ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS. By E. L. Kemp, A. M. Net, $1.25.

This is volume XIII in Lippincott's Educational Series, other notable volumes being Professor Kemp's "History of Education," Dr. N. C. Schaeffer's "Thinking and Learning to Think," and Hamilton's "Recitation." The book includes matter for which teachers have had to search through special monographs, with no certainty of finding all the help that is assemled here in clear and practical form. Original aids are offered for teaching elementary branches, language and history. The volume bears the stamp of thoroughness.

Periodical Notes.

"Marvelous Cassie Chadwick," by C. P. Connolly, in McClure's for November, is characterized as "A-truth-is-stranger-than-fiction" article. Educators should read in the Medical Record for September 30th an article by J. A. Nydegger, on "Present Methods of Excreta Disposal in Rural Schools." The sub-title of this article is "A Serious Menace to Health." The Scientific Monthly for October is full of valuable articles for teachers. We specify Dr. Henry Fairfield Osborn's article on "The Origin and Evolution of Life Upon the Earth," Dr. Franz Boak's on "The Development of Folk-tales and Myths," and Joseph K Hart's "Can a College Department of Education Become Scientific?" Equally interesting and important are the following papers in The American Journal of Sociology for September: "Factors which have to do with the Decline of the Country Church" and "Durable Monogamous Wedlock," the former by Anton T. Boisen and the latter by J. E. Cutler.