by F. G. G. Schmidt, Ph.D., Professor of Modern Languages, State University of Oregon.

This German tragedy is based upon the Biblical story of John the Baptist, Herodias and Salome. Tho not strictly true to the Bible narrative it is a strong drama and is fitted for class use, both because it is a type of dramatic literature as well as because it is written in German. It is one of Heath's Modern Language Series. D. C. Heath & Co., Boston.

Greek Sculpture. A collection of sixteen pictures of Greek marbles with their interpretation. By Estelle M. Hurl. Riverside Art Series. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston. This little volume brings together the greatest variety possible to the space given. The pictures are specimens of the highest art, taken from original sources. An introduction treats of Greek art in general, and thruout the book the interpretations and criticism are illustrated by copious extracts from Homer and Ovid. This is the third of the series for 1901. Cloth, 40 cents.

The Story of Little Nell. By Charles Dickens. Edited with an introduction by Jane Gordon. Cloth, 12mo, 357 pages. Price, 50 cents. American Book Company, New York, Cincinnati and Chicago.

This is the latest addition to the series of Eclectic School Readings, so widely and favorably known to teachers. It comprises the groundwork and much the larger portion of "The Old Curiosity Shop," and is given in the present volume just as Dickens wrote it, but freed from the various episodes and other passages originally employed to introduce other characters.

First Studies of Plant Life. By George Francis Atkinson, Ph.B., Professor of Botany, Cornell University. There cannot be too many books such as this, to kindle in child-mind a love for and sympathy with nature. The book is well described in the introduction by Anna Botsford Comstock, of the Nature Study Department of Cornell University: 'First Studies of Plant Life' has been written with the sole view of bringing the life procesess of the plant within the reach of the child and, with the aid of the competent teacher, it will certainly be comprehensible to the pupils of the lower grades. In this book the plant stands before the child. as a living being with needs like his own. To live, the plant must be born, must be nourished, must breathe, must reproduce, and after experiencing these things must die. When the child has once become acquainted with the conditions and necessities of plant life, how different will the world seem to him. Every glance at forest and field will tell him a new story."

The typographical appearance of the book is superior, and the illustrations are scientifically correct and artistically beautiful. Ginn & Company, Boston.

The Blaisdell Speller, Book I. By Etta Austin Blaisdell and Mary Frances Blaisdell, authors of The Child Life Readers." New York, the Macmillan Company. We have not spelled all the words in this book, nor have we read all the pages. The reason for not doing so is that the peculiarities of the Notes to Teachers brings us up

with such a sudden stop that it is difficult to gain momentum sufficient to carry us on. The first statement is not an uncommon one, but it is, nevertheless, doubtful. That this is a generation of poor spellers" depends entirely upon the methods of comparison. There is no evidence that there are more mistakes in the correspondence of this generation than in that of the last. To be sure there are no more " specialists" in each neighborhood who gain fame by "spelling down the teacher and all other competitors at the old-fashioned spelling school. But the modern typewriters who hold their responsible positions by their ability to spell and write correctly easily offset the champions of the last generation.

But these

爷爷 notes go on to say that this speller will give such power to pupils that they may be able to spell not only words which they have studied, but also words which they have never seen." This is a new philosophy, that the ability to name the letters of a word depends upon mental power. This reminds us of Josh Billings' assertion that he could spell any word he wanted to use. If the authors had in some way defined the meaning of power" as used in this connection, perhaps no inconsistency would arise. But on reading farther down, we find the following statement: "Few of the words in the English language are spelled as they sound, but the ear and mind should be trained to hear and record all of the sounds and syllables in a spoken word. This training, if carefully conducted, will help the pupil in spelling words which they have never studied or even seen." Now there we have it: Note carefully how words SOUND, and since they are seldom spelled as they sound, then spell them some other way. This reminds one of the school boy's definition of salt-"It's what makes the potatoes taste bad if there isn't any on em." And this is the plan to develop power. It is unfortunate to find such a confusion of ideas in the introduction to a book. The speller is after all quite a good one. There is no "long felt want" supplied by it, but the publishers should have a speller to sell, and this one will do as much good and as little harm as others used in the public schools. It possibly gives more than average emphasis to the co-relation of reading, language, literature and general information, with spelling, which is to be commended. The Macmillan Company, New York. The Child: His Nature and Nurture. By W. B Drummond.

This is one of the "Temple Primer "' series. It is an introduction to child study, and is designed to lead to a more extended study by further research. The book treats of Nature and Nurture, Child Study, The Surroundings of the Child, Care of the Infant, Growth of the Child, The Senses, The Muscles, The Emotions, The Will, Habit, and Froebel and Kindergarten. The list of reference books at the close of the book will be of service to any reader who extends his study beyond this volume. J. M. Dent & Co., Bedford St., London.

Life of William Penn,et al.

The Riverside Biographical Series has been planned to give wider knowledge of the American people and institutions thru biographic studies of its great leaders. The list of men to be treated include leaders in state, army, church, literature, art, science, industry, invention, and all fields of activity which make up national life. The books already issued are Andrew Jackson, James B. Eads, Benjamin Franklin, Peter Cooper, Thomas Jeffer son and William Penn. In preparation: Lewis and Clark and General Grant. Small 16mos of about 100 pages. School edition, each, 50 cents. Library edition, each 73

cents.

LITERARY NOTES.

"The College Bred Negro" is the title of a social study under the direction of Atlanta University. Price, 25 cts. President Charles C. Van Liew has an article entitled "Social Phase of Geography" in the Bulletin of American Bureau of Geography."

in June

Hugo Munsterberg has an extremely fascinating article International Monthly" on "The American Woman," German point of view.

"The Review of Reviews'" success has led to many imitators, but no equals. It is by far the best magazine for busy people. The June number is very interesting.

"The Atlantic Monthly" for June is an interesting number. "The Atlantic" is the standard publication for educated people who are interested in literature, politics, and high class discussion of timely educational problems.

Chas. S. Fee, of the Northern Pacific Road, has issued "The Wonderland," 1901. The frontispiece is a beautiful picture of "Custer's Last Stand." The booklet is descriptive of the northwest tributary to the Northern Paeifie. including the picturesque Yellowstone, Custer's battlefild, and also the history of the unique trade made of the Northern Pacific. Every teacher can secure one of these rare and artistic publications by sending 6 cents postage to Chas. F. Fee, Northern Pacific Railroad, St. Paul.

Sunset Magazine," issued monthly by the Southern Pacific Company, is growing in interest each issue. There is a large and appreciative clientage for the magazine. I secured six copies of the May number and placed them on my desk, and all the copies have been purloined. This shows lack of moral education, but a highly developed artistic appreciation. "The Sunset Magazine" is a credit to California and to the Greater West.

Pacific Coast Bureau of Education

OLDEST TEACHERS' AGENCY on the Coast. Recommends superior teachers. Services free to school officers Registration form mailed to teachers on application. ANNA MCNEILL, Manager. 31 Flood Bldg.. San Francisco.

BOOK REVIEWS.

Wigwam Stories, Told by North American Indians. Compiled by Mary Catherine Judd, with illustrations by Miss Angel de Cora.

These stories have been gathered from various sources, but largely from the works of Schoolcraft and Hale, the leading authorities on Indian lore. The book is illustrated by a very skilled Indian artist, and the pictures therefore reproduce the atmosphere of Indian life with marked fidelity The book is suitable for supplementary reading for intermediate grades. Ginn & Co., Boston.

44

Hinds & Noble will publish this month "A New Beginner's Latin Book," by Hoch & Bert; Pieces for Every Occasion," and "A Well-Planned Course in Reading," by Caroline B. Le Row; "How to Use the Voice in Reading and Speaking," (new edition) by Ed. Amherst Ott; "1000 Classical Characters Briefly Described," by Ivory Franklin Frisbee; " A New parliamentary Manual," by Edmond Palmer, and "20th Century Educational problems," by Alexander Copeland Millar, A.M., President of Hendrix College.

The Childhood of Ji-Shib the Ojibwa, by Albert Ernest Jenks, Ph.D.

This little book was taken to the home of the editor, where a little girl, unobserved, read the first chapter. The book was taken away, and the next evening the child sought for it, begging that she might read to the end. This interest attracted the editor to the volume, and after careful reading, we do not hesitate to place it beside Longfellow's Hiawatha in a child's library. The Indian is soon to be of the past. It is by such books as Ji-Shib "that what is beautiful, poetical of his life, is made to contrib

ute to the culture of the pale-face, by leading near to heart of Nature. Published by the American Threshe man," Madison, Wisconsin.

"What is a Kindergarten?" by Geo. Hansen, landsca architect, Berkeley, Calif. "What is a Kindergarten! playground of the child; the home of the mother: battlefield of man; the anchor ground of patriotism That landscape gardening as a professional art is a duct of kindergarten philosophy; that the estheties nature and the aesthetics of child life are identical, is new application of Froebelism. It is, in fact, Froebel doctrine carried further than Froebel applied it. The thor believes there is a "consistency of association" whi should be considered in fixing a child's environment. “Di crimination in what is to surround our children is wor volumes of teaching in later life." The author's profe sion is that of a landscape architect. His book, while e thusiastic, is essentially practical, offering valuable s gestions in the selection and placing of plants and appe priate shrubs and trees. It is inspired by love for t child and for nature, It is a valuable addition to ped gogical literature. Published by Elder & Shepherd, 2 Post street, San Francisco. Price, 75 cents, net.

D. C. Heath & Co.

PUBLISHERS OF SCHOOL
AND COLLEGE TEXT-BOOKS

Correspondence Invited

CASPAR W. HODGSON, Pacific Manager
San Francisco, Ca

321-325 Sansome Street,