there is outlined the work that might be undertaken and might be done by an efficiency committee, as follows:

1. Looking forward to salaries on a merit basis.

2. Evaluate the work of the one, two and three division school as compared with the work of a large organization of 25 or more divisions.

3. Evaluate the work done in a class of 25 pupils as compared with that of a class of 25 or more.

4. Investigate home study as compared with supervised school room study.

5. Investigate the use of life of text books. 6. The problem of non-promoted.

7. The problem of backward.

8. The over-age problem.

9. Teacher improvement while in service. 10. Building improvement.

There has recently been organized at the University of Pennsylvania, in the School of Education, an Education Library that promises to be one of the finest in America, It is known as the Maria Hosmer Penniman Memorial Library of Education. This foundation is one of the most remarkable and generous that has been made for some time. The donor is Dr. James H. Penniman of Philadelphia. There is a total of more than 12,000 bound volumes, and there are constant additions. The books on education formerly on the shelves of the University have been merged with this collection. Of particular value will this library be to the student of the history of education, as the volumes include many old and valued books not found elsewhere. Those interested should send for University of Pennsylvania Bulletin, May, 1920, on the Penniman Memorial Library, by Dr. Frank Pierrepont Graves, Dean of the School of Education, University of Pennsylvania.

A good reference book is a necessary adjunct in any office, library, school or home. Few of the compact one-volume reference books are either scientific enough or detailed enough to be of value. This can hardly be said of a book entitled "The Volume Library," published by the Educators' Association, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and which is familiar to many of our readers. The most recent edition is a volume composed of 11 books, or sections, including, education, history, language and literature, :science, religion and fine arts, government and law, trade and industry, to which are added a universal gazetteer, an atlas, a biography and a multiplex dictionary. There are many tables and charts, together with maps and colored plates. The dictionary biography is excellent, and the chapters on education and literature exceedingly valuable.

During the recent state-wire educational campaign in Utah, a booklet was widely circulated in the state having to do with matters of school finance, the forward movements in education, suggestive school legislation, the activities of home and school, the rotation of sub

jects, and the vitalized education scheme, as developed by the Agricultural Extension Division of the International Harvester Company, etc. Copies of this bulletin may be obtained by writing to the State Department of Education, Salt Lake City, Utah; to the Agricultural Extension Divison, International Harvester Company, Chicago, or to the office of the Secretary of the California Teachers' Association, Flood Building, San Francisco.

Commercial Engineering. By Glenn S. Swiggett,, Bureau of Education Bulletin, No. 58, 1919.

This is a 170 page report of a conference on business training for engineers and engineering training for students of business. The fundamentals of business training, executive positions, industrial and commercial relations, English in engineering studies, the importance of foreign languages, all receive attention. Much of the discussion will be found applicable to general vocational and industrial courses and the pre-college years, and teachers under the Smith-Hughes act would find its inquiry worth while as a teaching guide.

The Prosperity Book; the Way to Wealth-By Florence Barnard. Published by Small, Maynard & Company, Boston.

This is a revised edition of Miss Barnard's book, and is a decided improvement upon a volume which already has proved its value. In the matter of budget making, of keeping strict account of receipts and expenses, and of properly balancing one's finances, this little book can well find place upon the desk of every teacher in the land. A review of the first edition of this volume was included in an earlier issue of this magazine. The price of the book is 50 cents, by mail.55 cents.

Our Public Schools, the Nation's Bulwark-By John F. Murray.

The author is well known to thousands of teachers in California. He gives in this volume of 130 pages a discussion of education from the standpoint of child development and the functioning of the school in every-day life. Mr. Murray has made a sacrificing and life-long study of school finances, and any teacher or administrator, or, for that matter, parent or tax payer, will find his time well spent in a study of the pages of this volume.

An Index Number for State School Systems-By Leonard P. Ayres, Russell Sage Foundation. Pages 70.

This is a comparative study of state school systems by the man who, more than any other in the United States, perhaps, is prepared to use data and statistics as they apply to education. Dr. Ayres has collected information relative to school systems in every state in the Union. It is an interesting fact that the greatest relative improvement in any state during the ten years past has been made in Utah, while the state that shows the largest falling off during this period is Maryland. In general, the gains of the western states and the losses of the eastern have just counter-balanced each

other. The Index of the states in 1918 shows that Montana ranks first with 75.8; California second, 71.2; Arizona third, 66.2; New Jersey comes fourth, 65.9. The ratings of our territorial possesisons (Hawaii, Canal Zone, Porto Rico), are higher than those of many of the oldest established states.

Outstanding Days-By Cheesman A. Herrick, President Girard College. The Union Press. Pages 282. Price, $1.25, net by mail, $1.35. There is need enough for excellent material to be used in the observance of special days or holidays. A great deal of material has been brought together for the use of young children, but there has been no serious attempt in this line for grown-ups. Dr. Herrick has done real service in this little volume. It is the result of his study and experience in arranging for and speaking at special celebrations, such as Lincoln's Birthday, Thanksgiving, Easter Sunday, Children's day, and the like. Not only are there bits of verse and standard prose used in the various chapters, but there has been included sufficient of an historical background for each of the days as to make the book decidedly original, as well as a literary production.

Much of the psychology written for the young or inexperienced teacher is entirely too scientific for their use, or, to put it another way, unless the psychology be applied and of a practical nature, it is of little value. What the teacher needs is a collection of a few fundamental facts in psychology and child life, in order better to interpret conditions and determine methods. The book under question, in the teacher training series edited by W. W. Charters, is an admirable book for teachers. It is so written as to be of use to High School students, and particularly to those who are studying in teacher training institutions. The section devoted to individual differences is well worth the attention of all school people. There are selected references at the close of each chapter, and a list of class exercises so worded as to amplify the text and incite to further study and investigation. A unique feature is the brief summary statement at the close of each chapter.

Writing the Short Story-By J. Berg Esenwein. Hinds, Hayden & Eldridge. 448 pages. $1.75. Here is a book that is peculiarly adapted to the needs of college and senior secondary-school classes, as well as suited to inspire and guide the individual writer, amateur or professional, who is seeking to improve his art. The historical introduction telling of the rise of the shortstory from the days of the story-teller, the epic and the ancient and medieval tale to the shortstory of today is a masterpiece of writing. The book is arranged in four parts: (1) The nature of the short-story; (2) The structure of

the short-story; (3) Preparation for authorship; (4) The manuscript and its market.

A series of appendices give a wealth of material that will be of great value both to students in school and to research workers in the shortstory field. Chapter one is particularly illuminating. No one can read the pithy, scholarly paragraphs on "What a short-story is not," followed by "What a short-story is," without gaining a real basis for a comprehensive study of the subject. Every high school, normal school and college library should have the book on its shelves. No teacher of English or student in the short-story realm can afford to be without it. It is an ideal text for use in college and high schools.

Elementary Algebra-By J. L. Newfeld, Central High School, Philadelphia. Blakiston. Pages 383.

a

This Elementary Algebra, together with table of logarithms, contains a number of illustrations and portraits of great mathematicians. The purpose of the book, as suggested in the preface, is "to meet the demand for a textbook which is both elementary and comprehensive." The author understands thoroughly the difficulty in making the study of mathematics interesting to many students. He has succeeded in showing that algebra is a continuation of arithmetic and that the study of algebra may be made intensely practical and useful. The book breaks away in many respects from the traditional and while following a wellgraded plan, is so organized as to relate to the needs and experiences of the students. Many problems of common use are included, and the review exercises are based upon questions taken from actual high school examination papers. It is to be noted in this connection that there are sufficient explanations offered to obviate any ambiguity or loss of time on the part of the student in the preparation of his lessons.

Education in War and Peace-By Stewart Paton. Paul B. Hosher. Pages 1$6. $1.50.

The author of this little book is a well known and honored physician, identified with Columbia and Princeton Universities, neural, psychic and eugenic investigations. He takes his cue for this essay from the "shell-shock" of war days and the condition of patients who because of this affliction "were nervously unfit for active military duty." And adds "peace no less than war produces shell-shock." Certain of these are found in almshouses, reformatories, juvenile and criminal courts, hospitals for the insane, sanatoriums for the treatment of nervous cases and various institutions for the care of social misfits." In three brief chapters, on "Human Behavior in War and Peace," "War and Education," and "The Psychiatric Clinic and the Community"; claiming that the greatest foe of civilization today is nervousness, magnifies the responsibility of the medical profession, to study, not the body only, but the mind of the sufferer; and calls attention to the "urgent necessity of making adequate provision in our universities for training investigators competent to undertake the solution of vitally important educational problems now confronting civilization."

If it prove true that "within a few years" as the author says, "public opinion will hold educators as strictly to account for the tragic failures of students beginning with marked disorders of the emotional life as it does now for the unfortunate ending of a case showing marked pulmonary symptoms," then there is abundant reason for thinking both the University and the teaching body have a heavy responsibility.

Word Study for High Schools-By Norma Lippincott Sevar, The Macmillan Company. Pages 142.

Approximately half of this book is given to the growth of the English language and to Latin prefixes, roots and English derivatives. But equally, also, nearly half the book is concerned with spelling and pronunciation, whose benefit, in assigned lessons, to high school students may be questioned. In constructing the lists use has been made of the Jones and Ayres investigations, and the hundred spelling demons is given place. Nine rules for spelling are given, and the rules adapted by the Simplified Spelling Board together with the twelve words of simpler spellings used by the N. E. A. since 1898.

Lettering By Thomas F. Stevens, Carnegie Institute of Technology. The Prang Company. Pages 128.

Stevens'

This is the second edition of Mr. book and is one of the best treatises on lettering that has ever come under our observation. Those who have been responsible for courses in mechanical drawing or architectural work, either in high schools or college, understand full well the difficulty of securing satisfactory results in lettering. Many of our best draftsmen find themselves unable to handle this particular phase of their work. A careful study of this book will be rewarded by worth-while results. The author proceeds from a discussion of tools and materials in lettering through exercises in the drawing of letters and takes the student on through the capital and small letters of the Roman type, italics, Gothic forms, and so forth, and shows application of the practical drawing problems to the phases of letter design, borders, cover designs and other practical problems.

Outlines in Dictionary Study-By Anna L. Rice. The Gregg Publishing Company. Pages 77. $0.60.

For self-instruction the dictionary is the most helpful of books. It is likewise one of the most neglected books and largely because pupils in the schools are not properly "initiated" in its simple mysteries. Pupils trained along the lines laid down in Miss Rice's admirable book will easily, naturally, unconsciously acquire that most valuable of assets, "The Dictionary Habit." The outlines cover the work from grades four to seven, inclusive. By a series of simple, usable suggestions in these four grades, pupils will learn all the simple things the dictionary user must know for an intelligent study of words. In each of the four grades, the minimum time required for class

work is but 12 hours. Surely no 12 hours in the school year could be more profitably spent. Superintendents and principals should see that every grade teacher has a copy of these outlines on her desk.

The Story of Liberty-By

James Baldwin. American Book Company. Pages 240. Little comment need be made on any book bearing the signature of James Baldwin. The Story of Liberty, like many other of his books, is aimed at the teaching of true Americanism and right grounded patriotism, and like its predecessors, this volume makes a direct appeal to the interest and imagination of pupils in the elementary grades. It is not a text-book, but used in a supplementary way will lay the foundations for further historical study. The brief sketches included are supplemented by extracts and selections from standard authors, and form a basis for discussion of the development of political liberty among English speaking peoples. There are a number of full-page illustrations which in themselves may be used for class instruction, as for example: Patrick Henry's speech on the Stamp Act; the reading of the Declaration of Independence; signing the Mayflower pact, and the like.

Manual Arts Tablets-By Mary H. Monteith. Tablet No. 3, "The Home"; Tablet No. 5, "Domestic Animals." The Prang Company. Tablet No. 3 consists of a series of graphic forms to be cut and colored. There are dishes, furniture, common articles about the house, such as the clock, baskets, all kinds of toys and the like. Then there are the occupations, such as dusting, sweeping and garden making and other interesting work for the young child.

Tablet No. 5 involves some excellent work in coloring and cutting of animal forms and the charts carry not only explicit directions for the use of the tablets, but interesting sentences applying to the various pictures.

Fundamentals of High School Mathematics—By Harold O. Rugg, Department of Education, University of Chicago, and John R. Clark, Department of Mathematics, Chicago Normal College. Pages 368; price $1.72. World Book Company. The Answer Book, price 16 cents. Elementary courses in mathematics have for a number of years been under reorganization. The National Committee on Mathematics Requirements made, a few months ago, a most significant report, and recommendations under title, "The reorganization of the first courses in secondary mathematics." To meet the need for better mathematics texts, and to cover the recommendations of this report, the World Book Company has made available the text-book under review. In order to secure material that would meet the needs of the schools in a practical way, the experiences of superintendents, principals and numerous high school teachers have been levied upon. The book therefore has been built up as a kind of mathematics symposium, broad in its scope and fundamental in its application. The transition from arithmetic

to algebra or geometry is usually so abrupt and without seeming application that the average pupil sees in algebra especially, little other than an effort to puzzle him. The authors of this mathematics have succeeded admirably in bridging the gap between elementary figures and high school mathematics, and by choosing those parts of arithmetic, algebra and geometry that will prove of universal value through constant application, have made a book interesting and useful. A certain amount of drill is necessary in high school mathematics work and this has not been neglected. It recurs again

and again to what we may speak of as the fundamental operations. The development of algebraic work logically into the field of trigonometry is admirably accomplished. Throughout the book the graphs and diagrams are suited to clarify the text. This text-book will be welcomed by those teachers of mathematics in the high school who are already anxious to present to their classes material that can readily be used in the business and professional world.

Armenia and the Armenians-By Kevork Aslan

(translated from the French by Pierre Crabiles). Pages 138. The Macmillan Company. In all the world today the pressing human problems are incide nt to the world war. But the Armenian question is one of the generations. The translator has an illuminating chapter on the evolution of the Armenian question, which means, primarily, modern Armenia. But the author's eight chapters trace the people and their governments from 200 years before Christ to the present day; from a population of 30,000,000 during Roman rule to a fraction of that number now. It is a fascinating story, dreadful in its sufferings and wrongs.

Practical Physics-By Millikan and Gale, both of the University of Chicago, and Willard R. Pyle, Head of the Department of Physics, Morris High School, New York City. Ginn & Company. Pages 462. Price $1.64. The Millikan and Gale books are standard. This volume brings "Practical Physics" down to date. It is a revision of their book, "A First Course in Physics." As Mr. Pyle is a practical High School man, the intimate secondary school touch is given the word. The book is replete with illustrations drawn from nature and the industrial and scientific world. The developments in the application of physics since the opening of the World War have been numerous and significant. This book shows through problem and picture many of these newer developments and applications. To use a quotation relative to the book, "It is modern as today's newspaper, practical as an umbrella, sound as the Constitution." The aeroplane, modern apparatus used on the battlefield or in the manufacturing plant, transportation machinery, and the application of the photograph to the arts and industries-these are all fully treated. There is an appendix with supplementary questions and problems, and notes and illustrations are used throughout.

The Junior High School-By L. V. Koos, Professor of Secondary Education, Universit yof Minnesota. Harcourt, Brace & Howe.

Pages 179.

This compact treatise carries an introduction by Professor Henry Suzzalo of the University of Washington. The book is timely in that attention just now is being focused upon the Junior High School and its place in the educational system. The author takes into account the movements that have led toward reorganization in our school system, the peculiar functions of the Junior High School, the test of the organization, the program of studies. In Chapter 5, under "Other Features of Reorganization," there are admirable treatments of such topics as promotion by subject, the advisory system, departmentalization. The closing chapter discusses the underlying principles of the standard Junior High School.

Farm Crops Laboratory Manual and Note Book -By F. W. Lathrop. J. B. Lippincott Company. Pages 118.

This Manual will serve an excellent purpose in the hands of students who are making a study of agriculture or gardening. The lessons or exercises are arranged in logica olrder, giving the object of the lesson and directions for work. These exercises proceed from a survey of the farm crops in the locality and the charting of the market price of some typical crop for the school year. to the scoring and judging of corn, learning the most important types of such staples as oats, wheat and barley, and the studying of various varieties of other farm products. There is a lesson on the rotation of crops, and how to identify some important weed seeds. The large detailed drawings furnished and the blank pages for sketches by the student, together with splendid illustrations and an excelent physical make-up of the book, are commendable qualities.

The American Democracy-By Essie Forman, author of Advanced American History, etc. The Century Company. Pages 474. Price, $1.75.

This is a text in Government for use in high schools, academies and normal schools. Realizing that never in our history has such attention as now been given to citizenship training and to matters pertaining to Americanism, the author has stressed in this book those features which would strengthen good citizenship. The volume is in three parts: Part I, Democracy; Part II, The Masters of Government; Part III, Representative Government. While not ignoring the principles and theories of Government, chief emphasis is laid on functions. Actual problems and conditions of the present-civic, social, economic and industrial-are treated. Emphasis is laid on transportation, international relations, justice, health, safety, immigration and like important problems. There is a number of full-page charts and photographs. The suggestive questions and exercises and topics for special work are commendable.