period, a gain of 77 per cent. Moreover, the increase in secondary school attendance (including preparatory departments attached to colleges) has been altogether in those maintained at public expense, the private schools of this class showing, except in the north central division of states, a decrease.

Whatever be the point of view, the consideration of these figures is encouraging. All forms of higher education are gaining more rapidly than is the population. The rapid growth in secondary school attendance promises an increasing patronage of the colleges in the next decade. The increased attendance upon college courses by women is one of the marked educational features of recent years, and is most gratifying. The recognition of public responsibility in supporting secondary education represents a healthy public sentiment, and stands for confidence in secular free instruction. The situation for higher education is altogether encouraging.

WE

E regret to chronicle the departure from the earthly life of a woman who was at heart a true educator and who had a peculiar faculty for calling out and stimulating in others an enthusiasm for high thought and earnest endeavor-Miss Elizabeth Porter Gould, well known, through her writings, to the regular readers of this magazine. Miss Gould died in Boston, July 28, after an illness of about a year. She was the writer of many poems of rare merit, as will be apparent to any who look over the complete index to the volumes of EDUCATION. She was also the author of the two interesting books published by the publishers of this magazine, John Adams and Daniel Webster as Schoolmasters and Ezekiel Cheever, Schoolmaster. She was a pioneer of "Current Events" or 66 Topics" classes in Eastern Massachusetts; was prominent in the Woman's Club movement and was much sought after as a lecturer and as contributor of suitable poems to fit various occasions. She was an ardent admirer and sympathetic student of Walt Whitman. She gathered many personal literary letters, autograph volumes and other treasures, and these were to the end of her life a source of great pleasure to her and to the large circle of friends who were privileged to view them. Her career is a noble illustration of the usefulness and value of an earnest, though humble, literary life.

THE

ability to confess one's self in the wrong, when such is the case, is as valuable as it is a rare qualification for the teacher's The strong desire to uphold one's dignity, the fear that admission of error will destroy confidence and undermine authority, the not

office.

unnatural pride in being or seeming to one's pupils infallible, often leads to absurd and puerile efforts to cover up blunders on the part of an otherwise sensible and excellent teacher. Such efforts are nearly always futile. The mind of youth is peculiarly clear-visioned. The popular judgment of a school in regard to school matters, and especially of the character and conduct of the teachers, is usually remarkably just and accurate. As in the world at large, a manly acknowledgment of a fault, accompanied by the avowal of a determination to correct it in the future, is always a wiser and safer course than the way of denial, prevarication or concealment. A hearty "I was wrong, boys, I see my mistake and will try to avoid such errors hereafter," will command the respect of a class of high school boys and win their love where a weak assumption of dignity and superiority would degrade and repel. Confidence in the genuineness and sincerity of his teacher is the absolutely necessary prerequisite to the pupil's educational welfare. Let us be on our guard against violating this or making it impossible by any false pride or petty conceit in the class room.

The increasing strength in the international movement has been indicated during the summer by important events both in political and educational circles. Chief among the former are the interparliamentary union held in London and the gathering of delegates from the republics of North and South America at Rio Janeiro. As official representatives of their respective countries the members of the latter conference were in a position to bring about binding agreements; the proceedings of the London assembly were purely academic.

In educational circles the most interesting of the events here referred to was the visit at Whitsuntide of eminent university professors of France to England, as guests of the University of London and the Modern Languages Association. The visit was marked by brilliant social functions, including a reception by the King at Windsor.

Several international congresses are announced for the early fall, among them the second International Congress on Hygiene and Sanitation of the House, to be held in Geneva, Septembr 4 to 10, and a series of Congresses on Education to be held in connection with the Milan Exposition which marks the opening of the Simplon Pass. Among these may be noted in particular the second "International Congress on Education in the Family," appointed for September 2 to 5. The first congress on this subject held at Liège last summer was marked by great enthusiasm and led to the forma tion of a permanent international commission to promote interest in the care and training of the young by agencies auxiliary to or apart from the school.

These international gatherings have an influence far beyond the specialties to which they relate. They are among the most potent forces working for harmonious relations between nations and for the diffusion of common ideals.

The summer has been marked also by legislative measures of universal interest. In the English House of Commons the Education Bill has passed by a large majority, the main provisions as outlined in EDUCATION for April being carried without important amendments. The bill reached the House of Lords before the August intermission and will receive their earliest attention in the fall session.

The Elementary Schools Bill under discussion in the Prussian Chamber of Deputies, like the English bill, deals with the problem of religious instruction, but with the prospect of a very different solution. Great interest attaches to the ultimate outcome of the two measures, which in any event are sure to avoid the extreme secularization of schools that has been accomplished in France.

France has presented to the world the noble spectacle of a nation reversing its own action in the name of justice. The restoration of Captain Dreyfus to his command and the honors heaped upon him give dramatic emphasis to one of the most remarkable episodes in the history of a chivalrous people. The event has its educational bearings; for the conspiracy against Dreyfus was part of an insidious attack upon the integrity of the republic itself and its true nature was first disclosed by the "intellectuals." That brave band of which Zola was foremost numbered many distinguished university professors and officers of education. Among the latter was M. Ferdinand Buisson, who later led the movement which has resulted in the complete separation of church and school in France. This policy was emphatically endorsed by the late election.

In view of the entire absence of religious exercises and the religious sentiment in French elementary schools, there is an evident desire on the part of the administration to strengthen the teaching of "La Morale" by a basis of ethical principles within the comprehension of children. At present this subject, on which French programs place great stress, carries only an appeal to transient feelings, leaving the conscience dormant.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Among recent works of interest to educators may be mentioned a most valuable and suggestive report on children under five years of age in elementary schools, prepared by women inspectors and published by the English Board of Education. As a result of the representations of these experienced officials, the proposition to withhold government grants for school children under five years of age was dropped.

The work on the "Physiology and Psychology of Attention" by Jean Paul Nayrac, which received the Saintour prize from the French Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, has been recently published by Felix Alcan, Paris, and has the honor of a preface by M. Ribot. The scope of the work as indicated in the introductory chapter is fully realized. Together with a critical review of what others have accomplished by their investigations of attention, the author presents his own theory of the nature, i. e. " the origin and mechanism," of this mental quality. The work is thus a treasury of information as to researches carried on in scattered centres and the theories to which they have led, and a new interpretation or an advance upon previous interpretations of the phenomenon itself. Its value is enhanced by a bibliography covering practically the whole history of the application of the methods of positive psychology to this subtlest of mental attributes, from the work of Ferrier in 1886 to the present year. A. T. S.

A Book of Advertising Tests. This anonymous volume makes a good many positive assertions on a subject about which opinions differ. As though conscious that many of the statements made would not be likely to be believed, there is a liberal use of underscoring on every page throughout the volume. The effort is made to drive the doctrines of the book down people's throats whether they will or no. In spite of this atmosphere of "we know it all and you are a fool if you do not agree with us," there are some excellent points made in the book, and it would be well for every person who has goods to advertise to read and ponder the chapters, taking everything "with a grain of salt." Lord & Thomas, Publishers, Chicago and New York.

A Manual of American Literature. By James B. Smiley, A.M. The author's object in preparing this manual has been to open the way to a study of the masterpieces of American literature. The book is in fact a condensed history of American literature. The treatment is biographical rather than critical. The great names are included. and the main facts of their personality and life work noted. The book is of convenient size, and will be handy for reference as well as for study. The American Book Company.

Elements of Political Science. By Stephen Leacock, B.A., Ph.D. This is a thorough-going work upon the subject of political science. It opens with a careful definition, passing on to the relation of this to other sciences. The meaning and essential attributes of the state, the distinction between state, society, government and nation; a description of the ideal state; the origin of the state; its sovereignty; the relation of the states to one another; the form of the state and the liberty of the individual are considered in separate chapters. Part II takes up the structure of the government, describes the legislature, the executive, the judiciary, the electorate, the Federal, Colonial, local and party government. Part III defines the province of government, with a chapter on individualism, socialism and the modern state. The book is scholarly and critical, and will form an excellent text-book for classes in political science. Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Price, $1.75.

School History of the United States. By Henry William Elson. Professor Elson is well known as a writer of history, his larger work, The History of the United States, being one of the best of its kind. We are somewhat surprised by the statement in the opening sentence of his preface to the effect that in no other civilized country are the intelligent classes so unfamiliar with their own history as in our country. He finds the explanation of this fact largely in the school histories that have been used in the past, which have been dry and insipid, so that they have repelled rather than attracted the student. Admitting that this is a defect which it is difficult to overcome, he nevertheless makes the attempt in this volume to make the book interesting as well as instructive to the pupil, and so to cultivate in him a love for the study. We think his efforts have been crowned with a good deal of success. The publishers have cooperated with him in producing an attractive book, richly illustrated and well printed and bound. We can hardly expect that a better book for the teaching of United States history in the grammar grades will be issued for a long time. The Macmillan Company. Price, 90 cents.