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A Talk with Girls About Themselves and a Talk with Boys About Themselves, by Edward Bruce Kirk, and The Wonder of Life, by Mary Tudor Pole, are brief, sensible conversations by a well qualified teacher on much-avoided sex questions. The books are bound in paper covers, and sold by the Fowler & Wells Co., New York City, at 50 cents net for the first two and 25 cents for the third.

A Song Garden for Children. A collection of children's songs, adapted from the French and German. By Harry Graham and Rosa Newmarch; the music edited and arranged by Norman O'Neill. Germany and France are extremely rich in children's songs. It is well that English-speaking children should be given the benefit of some of the best of these. Many of the songs in this volume are very ancient; the fact that they have survived through many generations guarantees their quality. The words have been translated into appropriate English verse, and the music will be appreciated by all lovers of the real thing in this line. London: Edward Arnold. Two shillings sixpence net.

The Third School Year. By Ellen Reif. A course of study with detailed description of lesson material, arranged by months, and correlated for use in the third school year, is presented in this little volume by an experienced teacher. It belongs to a series of books edited by Theodore B. Noss, Ph.D. The book makes the effort to select and group various lines of subject-matter, so that the child in passing from one grade to another will not feel that he is making a break. It will prove suggestive to teachers and helpful to the pupils. It is founded on a sound pedagogical idea. It is one of a series of five books published by A. Flanagan Company at 60 cents each, or the set of five for $2.50.

Social and Ethical Interpretations in Mental Development, a study in social psychology. By James Mark Baldwin. This is the fourth edition of a work which has established the reputation of its author and proved a most acceptable addition to the thoughtful books on psychology and ethics, so large a number of which have appeared in the past five years. The work was "crowned with the gold medal of the royal academy of Denmark." The author says that his volume is a continuation of his psychological studies begun in his "Mental Development in the Child and the Race." It is, however, quite independent of the former book except so far as the matter contained in it leads to an occasional reference to the earlier volume. It is suggested that it can be used in universities in connection with courses in psychology, ethics and social science. The fundamental ideas of sociology are clearly stated. In this edition there is a careful revision of the previous editions, with the addition of some literary references and notes. The book is brought out by the Macmillan Company in substantial and attractive binding. Price, $2.60 net.

We acknowledge the receipt from the New York State Education Department of Bulletin No. 108, the same being a Digest of Governors' Messages from October 1, 1905, to October 1, 1906. Edited by Robert H. Whitten, Sociology Librarian. These messages relate to law, finance, public order, public health and safety, commerce and industry, banking, insurance, agriculture, labor, charities, education, etc., etc.; Year Book of Legislation, Vol. VII, 1905, from the same source; the Rhode Island School Reports for 1905, printed at Providence, by E. L. Freeman Co., state printers. This volume is especially valu

able because of the excellent portrait of the late Hon. Thomas B. Stockwell, Commissioner of Public Schools in Rhode Island from 1875 to 1905; from the Bureau of Education, Washington, Bulletin No. 3, 1906, State School Systems, Legislation and Judicial Decisions Relating to Public Education, by Edward C. Elliott; a pamphlet by Frank Arthur Scott, A.B., First Assistant at the Grammar School of New Britain, Conn., bearing the title, A Study in Departmental Organization and Management; Conditions and Needs of Iowa Rural Schools, by John F. Riggs, Superintendent of Public Instruction; A Four Years' Course in German for Secondary Schools, published by the Committee of the California Association of Teachers of German; A Brief Outline of My Geography Lessons, a blank book with suitable page headings, published by Hinds, Noble & Eldredge; Vol. IV, No. 1, of the University of Colorado Studies, by Francis Ramaley, containing four studies: first, the Epigram and its Greatest Master, Martial; second, a New Master of English Prose and Some Theories of Value; third, Shakespeare and Psychognosis, this essay being a study of the major characters of The Tempest; fourth, The Mathemetics of Life Insurance; German Views of American Education, with Particular Reference to Industrial Development, by William N. Hailmann, published by the Bureau of Education, Washington, D.C.; Retirement Fund for Teachers, a volume of addresses delivered before the Philadelphia Teachers' Association, in 1906; Old South Leaflets, Nos. 164, 165 and 174, being respectively the Body of Liberties, The Law of Nature in Government and The Discovery of Pike's Peak. A Manua} of Common American and European Insects, and A Manual of Common Butterflies and Moths, prepared under the supervision of William Beutenmüller, Curator of the Department of Entomology, American Museum of Natural History, New York City; Wisconsin Arbor Day Annual, compiled by Maud Barnett and C. P. Cary, State Superintendent, Madison, Wis.; Report upon Schools for the Deaf and Blind,-the Reformatory Schools for Boys and Girls, for the Feeble Minded, and County Truant Schools, by John T. Prince, Agent of State Board of Education, Massachusetts; Educational Agriculture, by W. R. Hart, A.M., Professor of Education and Psychology, Nebraska State Normal School, at Peru, Neb.; The Gilman Renewable Copy Book, a writing book with distinctive 'features, especially valuable for economy, published by Thompson, Brown & Co.; Report of the Minister of Education, Province of Ontario, for the years 1903 and 1905; Catalogues of Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Watertown, Mass., Public Schools; Springfield, Mass., Public Schools; the City of Wilmington, Del., Public Schools; Calendar of the Uni versity of Michigan; and last but not least, two large volumes containing the Reports of the Commissioner of Education for 1904. These Reports are as inclusive and valuable as usual, the series making a magnificent volume of educational reference, published by the Government Printing Office, at Washington, D. C.

Periodical Notes

"Modern Masters of Music" by Lawrence Gilman is an attractive illustrated feature of Everybody's for May-Those who are concerned with the physical welfare of the schools should read Mrs. Isaac L. Rice's article in the current Forum on "Our Most Abused Sense-the Sense of Hearing."-An interesting feature of The Designer is "The Mothers' Advisory Club," which is full of practical hints for mothers.-"Emerson, the Anarchist" is the startling title of an article by Bolton Hall in The Arena for April.-Two articles in The World's Work for May will particularly interest educators, viz., "A College Professor's Confessions," by H. W. Rolfe, and "Solving Life's Mystery," by Edgar Allen Forbes.

Devoted to the Science, Art, Philosophy and Literature

of Education

VOL. XXVII

JUNE, 1907

No. 10

The College Graduate in Trade and Industry

PROFESSOR HARLOW S. PERSON, DIRECTOR AMOS TUCK SCHOOL,

W

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE

HILE it is impossible to determine definitely whether or not the proportion of college graduates to all other young men who enter business life is increasing, it is a matter of record that the proportion of college graduates who enter business life to all other college graduates is increasing. It has not been very long since the law claimed the largest number of college men; before that it was the church; now, however, it is business. According to the Supplement to the General Catalogue of Dartmouth College, published in 1906, the following were the percentages of graduates of that college entering upon different professions :

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The class "Others" consists chiefly of those entering business life. For the class of 1906 those entering business are classified separately, and constitute 50 per cent of the entire class. A similar story is told by the records of other insti

tutions.

To determine why this change has taken place is a difficult matter. The data is in a form entirely too vague for scientific analysis. However, an analysis, if it were possible, would probably confirm our empirical conclusions as to the reasons for the change. The ministry, the law, the practice of medicine these, it was long ago perceived, required as a foundation of success a certain culture or a certain scientific knowledge not required by business. Business was a matter of trading, the professions a matter of culture or of scientific skill; trading was the expression of an inborn ability alone, preaching or pleading or surgery the expression of acquired knowledge and skill. An education was necessary, therefore, for professional life, but not for business life. Business was not a profession.

Thus we reasoned a generation ago. Since then three revolutions have occurred to change the facts, and to compel us to change our conclusions. One of these revolutions was within the field of education, another within the field of social life, and the third within the field of industry. Probably these are but different aspects of one revolution. Even if that be so, their importance warrants separate consideration.

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Within the field of education the revolution has been one of liberalization, a broadening of the curriculum, the adoption of new methods of investigation, new methods of instruction, and a granting of greater liberty of election to the student. Science and history and economics are no longer merely incidental subjects of instruction for a professor of theology; experiment has been added to the routine study of texts, as has the formal requirement of independent reading; the student is no longer bound to an inflexible, predetermined course of study. While it is a serious question whether all these changes have resulted in unmixed good, there is no question but that college education has been made more attractive to the young man. It has been made more attractive not only to a greater number of young men, but also to young men representing a wider range of interests. Young men destined for business careers, for example, who formerly were repulsed rather than attracted by the "classical" college course, find attraction in the more

liberal course. The attraction may not be because of a better opinion of the college course as a preparation for business-it probably is not-but that is not our point; our point is the bare fact that for some reason a larger number of young men than formerly, and among them young men destined to enter business careers, are attracted by the college. Why they are attracted involves further a consideration of the revolution in social life.

The vast resources of the United States, which have yielded their income at an accelerating rate, have made possible a constantly rising standard of living in all classes. As it is oftentimes put, the former luxuries of a class become its necessities, and the luxuries of earlier times have been replaced by new ones to which it formerly never aspired. This higher standard of living has manifested itself not only in the enjoyment of new material things, but also in the enjoyment of new intangible things, new ideals. One of these ideals, which was formerly the property of only the wealthier class, but which is becoming the property of the so-called great middle class, is the higher education of sons. On the part of some parents the higher education of sons is for the purpose of making them more efficient in life work; on the part of some sons the desire for such an education arises out of the desire to become more efficient; for the majority of parents and sons, however, the higher education is but one manifestation of pride in the social status of the family and in the ability to raise that status. The parent wants his son to enjoy the status given by an education he himself did not have; the son demands of his parent the endowment of a status that many of his fellows are to have. The result is that the son is sent to college. If not sent by the parents, he may go on his own responsibility, so powerful is the esprit which he has acquired in earlier school associations. Our point is that the impulse is more social than utilitarian ; both parents and son will usually deny that the latter, if business is to be his career, will become thereby a more successful

man.

The increase, therefore, in the number of college graduates destined for business careers is not due primarily to the desire

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