Object lessons have long been given in the schools, but never, save in rare cases, satisfactorily. Teachers for the most part are inclined to forestall all the benefits of the lessons by giving, during their course, all that the pupils should discover for themselves. This defect has doubtless arisen, partly from the fact that suitable books for teachers, instructing them in the art of this style of lesson giving, have not been prepared. There is now no reason for a continuance of this imperfect teaching. Mr. George Ricks, Inspector of Schools, to the School Board for London, has prepared two volumes entitled, OBJECT LESSONS, How to give them; the first series for use in primary schools, the second for intermediate and grammar schools. Mr. Ricks understands just how these object lessons should be given, and he proceeds to tell teachers how to give them. The books are without question the best of the kind ever issued, and their use by teachers will serve to change radically the style of teaching object lessons. Boston: D. C. Heath & Co.

John Tetlow, head master of the Boston Girls' High and Latin Schools, has edited for the use of schools, the EIGHTH BOOK OF VERGIL'S AENEID. The volume contains, besides the text of the eighth book, an outline story of the first seven books, notes, classified groups of words, and a general vocabulary. The call for editions of classics somewhat out of the usual annotated school series is here met in this most scholarly work. Dr. Tetlow is an accomplished editor and his little work is full of erudition and the result of deep study. Boston: Ginn & Co.

President G. Stanley Hall, of Clark University, has given much study and investigation to the minds of children and his little monograph on this subject, under the title of THE CONTENts of ChildrEN'S MINDS ON ENTERING SCHOOL, contains the results of such consideration and many experiments. He gives many tables and the results of questions on thousands of children in Germany and the United States. The deductions are of inestimable value to the psychologist and the teacher and the value of his treatise is great. It certainly should be read by every kindergartner and primary teacher. New York: E. L. Kellogg & Co. Price 25 cents.

Studies in literature are always interesting and when made with a desire to add to the general knowledge on a given subject are usually of distinct value. Mr. Wm. L. Phelps, of Yale University, has in his book, THE BEGINNINGS OF THE ENGLISH ROMANTIC MOVEMENT, given a glimpse of the condition of literature in the eighteenth century which goes far to illuminate the writings of the Augustan age of English literature. Romanticism is clearly defined, and a thorough study made of the characteristics, tendencies, influences, and revivals of that most interesting period in our literature. The contribution is a notable addition to the student and will meet with a warm welcome. Boston: Ginn & Co.

A BUNDLE OF LIFE is number 6 in the Pseudonym Library, published by J. Selwin Tait and Sons of New York. The author, John Oliver Hobbes, is an uncommonly acute observer of human nature. In this pretty booklet he presents several interesting English characters in a very crisp, shrewd, incisive way. He seems equally at home in describing the vices of men and the follies of women. One who begins this little book will enjoy every page and not stop until the end is reached. We are not surprised that the first edition of this book was exhausted the day it appeared. It certainly holds the mirror up to nature. Messrs. Tait & Sons are to be congratulated on this charming addition to their list of bright new books.

G. R. Carpenter, Professor of Rhetoric and English Composition in Columbia College, has prepared a work under the title of Exercises in Rhetoric and English Composition in which not so much the science of rhetoric is mapped out and defined as the practical workings of the art are furnished to the stu dent with just enough of the principles to guide him aright. The author gives an abundance of exercises for the student to study and analyze and this is the very best kind of help. The scheme of the subject-matter is somewhat unique and novel, but it is comprehensive and lucid. The book is almost exclusively confined to consideration of the elements of style,-words, sentences, paragraphs, whole compositions. Other than students in college will find this a very serviceable and suggestive book to read and consult. Boston: Willard Small and Lee & Shepard.

Mr. G. W. Benton has prepared a LABORATORY GUIDE IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY, a twenty weeks course, which contains detailed instructions for the successful performance of over one hundred and fifty experiments in general inorganic chemistry, and useful tables of reference for pupil and teacher. The experiments are simple and reasonable and are especially designed for pupils in academies and high schools. Boston: D. C. Heath & Co. Price 40 cents.

Principal H. Dorner has, with good judgment, prepared an ELEMENTARY SCIENCE AND PHYSIOLOGY, in which he endeavors to show how physiology may be taught objectively and scientifically. The method employed is unique, sensible, and entirely practicable. The book will unquestionably aid teachers in their work and do much to place the subject of physiology on the right basis in the schools. Milwaukee, Wis.: H. Dorner. Price 45 cents.

THE INDUCTIVE GREEK PRIMER, by President Wm. R. Harper and Prof. Clarence F. Castle, is an endeavor to make a straight road to the Greek language, and the effort is an unquestioned success. The authors have anticipated every obstacle likely to be met by the beginner in Greek, and by easy steps and a cleared path lead the learner to a knowledge of the intricacies of the language. The lessons are short, as they should be in a primer; the notes copious and elementary; the exercises simple, and based upon the first eight chapters of the Anabasis; and the references to the grammars are few. With such a text-book the beginner in Greek will find his ways to be ways of pleasantness, and his paths peaceful. New York: American Book Co. Price $1.25.

The publishers of White's course in Art Instruction have issued a MANUAL FOR FOURTH YEAR GRADE, which includes an outline of the year's work and suggestions for teaching. The manual will be a necessary aid to teachers in using White's Drawing Books. American Book Co. Price 50 cents.

Smart's MANUAL OF SCHOOL GYMNASTICS is an arrangement of a series of exercises in free gymnastics, dumb-bell exercises, and aesthetic exhibition figures for school purposes. The author has not made a distinctively American system of calesthenics, although his exercises differ widely from the German and Swedish systems. He has taken from these systems certain positions and has arranged a series of exercises that are well adapted for every grade of schools. The manual gives explicit directions for every movement, and illustrations are furnished for all new exercises. There are no intricate and cumbersome exercises, but every movement is plainly designed for practical use and for physical purposes. New York : American Book Co- Price 30 cents.

We have received five books from The Practical Text-Book Company of Cleveland, Ohio, which are all admirable in their way. The first is COMPLETE PRACTICAL BOOKKEEPING, a text-book on modern methods of accounting, which is clear, comprehensive and compact, leading the student to self-reliant methods, and furnishing a book of reference by which he can insure the correctness of his work. The TYPEWRITING INSTRUCTOR AND STENOGRAPHER'S HAND-BOOK is a book of instructions intended for schools, private instruction, and office use, which makes it easy to learn at least the theory of typewriting, while the exercises with which the book abounds, will, if faithfully followed, give abundant practice to the typewriting muscles. SPELLING is a practical text-book which groups in classes certain words which are likely to be spelled incorrectly, and after each list are to be found sentences embodying the words for practice. For instance we have words pertaining to government, after which is an extract from the Constitution of the United States. The idea is an excellent one, well calculated to impress the correct spelling upon the memory. SPELLING AND LETTER WRITING is the former book combined with an admirable manual showing the correct structure, capitalization, punctuation, form and uses of the various kinds of letters, notes, cards and telegrams likely to be called for by the demands of business and social life. PLAIN ENGLISH is a capital treatise on the main points of English Syntax. All these works are attractively printed and bound.

66

O., a

treasury of facts,' on the folmathematics; language; geogrageography and geology; United

We have received from March Bros., Publishers, Lebanon, set of KING'S NORMAL SERIES a lowing subjects: arithmetic; higher phy and civil government; physical States history; botany, zoology and physiology; physics and chemistry; and methods and management. Each volume is by W. J. King, and presents a comprehensive and suggestive summary of the main facts of the subject with which it deals. The volumes are sold at the low price of 15 cents each.

PERIODICALS.

We acknowledge a very serviceable book calendar, "Columbia Bicycles," from the Pope Manufacturing Co., Boston; also, very pretty and useful ones from the American Book Co., New York; Franklin Engraving Co., Boston; Alfred Mudge & Son, Boston; and Geo. B. Wilcox, 299 Washington St., Boston.In The Popular Science Monthly for February Dr. Andrew D. White, has an article, in the "From Creation to Evolution" series, which deals with the formation of the earth and stars, and shows how scientific research and biblical criticism have arrived by independent investigations at essentially the same conclusions. Other articles make the number one of special interest. The number of Littell's Living Age for the week ending Jan. 6, 1894, begins a new volume, a new year and a new series, after a prosperous career of fifty years. -- The Review of Reviews treats the Hawaiian question fairly and clearly in its "Progress of the World" department for January.-The Forum for February contains an impartial review of the same question especially from the standpoint of international law, by Mr. James Schouler of Boston. Another article of note in the same number is a sharp protectionist criticism of the Wilson Bill, by Mr. Albert Clarke, of the Home Market Club, of Boston. He wittily calls the bill the "Wilson Tariff for a Deficit Only."- The Arena is publishing an interesting series of articles by well known divines on The Higher Criticism.-University Extension for January presents its readers with an attractive array of articles, dealing with various phases of this great educational movement and no educator's table is completely furnished without it.The North American Review has deeply interesting articles on Republicanism in Brazil, Are the Silver States Ruined?, The Ronan Catholic Church and the School Fund, etc.-We have received from the University of the State of New York the Regents Bulletins "No 16," being the Secretary's Report for 1892, and "No 22," giving a full Report of the 31st University Convocation. Each volume abounds in suggestive statistics and utterances on the subject of education in New York State. The Teaching of United States History by L. S. Swenson, principal of Luther Academy, Albert Lea, Minn., is a paper, now neatly bound in a 36 page pamphlet, read before the Teachers' Association of the Norwegian Lutheran Synod in Minnesota last August.-St. Nicholas for February is full of attractive articles. Among those of special interest are Tiger! Tiger!" by Rudyard Kipling; Mark Twain's "Tom Sawyer Abroad;" Dr. C. A. Eastman's "Recollections of the Wild (Indian) Life,” and Brander Matthews' "Benjamin Franklin.”

EDUCATION

DEVOTED TO THE SCIENCE, ART, PHILOSOPHY AND

VOL. XIV.

LITERATURE OF EDUCATION.

MARCH, 1894.

No. 7.

WHAT CAN THE HIGH SCHOOLS DO TO AID THE GRAMMAR SCHOOLS IN SECURING BETTER WORK?

THE

RAY GREENE HULING, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.

HE good influences proceeding from any secondary school to the elementary schools which are its feeders, may be conceived as affecting these schools through the pupils, through the teachers, or through the school committee.

Respecting the grammar school pupils, it is clear that the high school will render positive aid if it leads them to prepare themselves thoroughly and completely for entrance upon a secondary course of study. If they go on to the high school, because of this preliminary training they will certainly get a larger, fuller benefit out of their advanced study; if they cannot go on, from such training will spring added power over the difficulties which a young bread-winner has to face. Now the most obvious way to lead to thoroughness of preparation, is to insist upon it as a prerequisite for admission. This is easy enough when the examination for admission is under the management of the high school. teachers, but somewhat less easy when this examination is controlled directly by the superintendent. Even then, however, a principal can usually induce his superintendent to set questions of such a kind as is required by the principal's standard for admission. The situation is more difficult when no examination is required for admission, but grammar school graduates are admitted

directly upon certification of their fitness by the grammar school principal. This last is probably, on the whole, the best plan of the three, for it makes promotion to the higher school to hinge upon the judgment of the person best fitted to decide upon the matter,— the responsible head of the lower school in which the pupil has been trained. But, good as the plan is, it involves a loss of the stimulus which the expected examinations afford to the pupils and teachers in the grammar schools. This stimulus the high school should aim to supply in other ways.

First, the high school teachers who have charge of the newly admitted pupils should, early in the year, discriminate among them as to their acquirements. Then the principal on verification of his assistants' reports, should make known to the superintendent, to his visiting committee and to the grammar school masters as they are severally interested, the names of such pupils as show marked deficiency in ability or inclination, that is to say, deficiency indicative of poor preparation. While these facts are fresh enough in mind to be convincing, sufficient commotion can be made to influence action by the persons responsible for the deficiency. This action may be the dropping of some pupils from the high school to the grammar school, or a more rigid drawing of the line the next year, or a more strenuous effort to hold the grammar school pupils up to work of a high character. To make this commotion is never pleasant, but at times it becomes a real duty in the interest of the high school; moreover by it no one is more benefited than the pupils of the grammar schools who receive from it a spur to more earnest study.

Another way by which the grammar school pupils can be interested in earnest work is by making the high school as attractive as possible to them before they enter. They always have more interest in what they have seen. Let the senior class of each grammar school be invited to come to the building in a body with its teacher at some time when school is not in session. Let them see the chemical and physical laboratories, the library, the drawing-room, the large hall, the lunch counter, and if there is a manual training department, especially the shops for work in wood and iron. The very sight of these rooms and some little explanation of their uses will kindle anew the interest of many and, perhaps, awaken it in some hearts where it lay dormant but unseen.

Again, the treatment which the entering class receives from its new teachers has an effect upon the pupils still in the grammar