where the Indians were sorry to change the French for the Spaniards. He moved the band of which he was chief to the Illinois country, and sent messengers to the Southern Indians. He soon had another confederacy formed to fight the English. But in 1765 New Orleans was surrendered to the Spaniards and the English took possession of the Illinois country. Pontiac now gave up and made peace with the English.

Thus after a long and gallant struggle, the great chief of the Ottawas gave up only when the last French fort was surrendered, and the French dominion of the Northwest was forever at an end. Pontiac was the greatest Indian of whom we have any record.

A. O. WRIGHT.

BOOK TABLE.

The Macmillan Company.

-THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHILD, by Nathan Oppenheim, (296 pp.; $1.25), issues not from a teacher or philosopher, but from a doctor. Its author is attending physician to the children's department of Mt. Sinai dispensary. His view is thus primarily physiological. The child is not a little man or woman, but diverse. He is undergoing rapid physical changes of which we take little note except to say that he is growing larger. But this fact means changes in all parts of the body, not uniform and simultaneous, but diverse and apparently independent. Some parts decrease; others change shape as well as volume; others seem dormant for a long time and then begin a rapid development. Now in all these variations of parts, organs and elements we must recon with fluctuations of conscious life and character. The author's treatment of this part of his theme is rich with varied and valuable material. He passes to heredity and environment. It is no difficult task to show that we know very little as yet about heredity. We attribute to it a potency perhaps far beyond reality. The growing child is very plastic, clay in the hands of the potter, and it is our author's view that environment is far more effective in determining his character than is heredity. He considers the place of the school in the development of the child and the place of religion. "There is not enough freedom, not enough spontaneity; the common function of the elementary teacher is too much that of a keeper or an upper nurse maid; and too many believe that her charges are properly influenced only when they fear and dread her." "Every subject should, in its claim for a place in the curriculum, be judged by its adaptability to the child's growth.' In studying the development of the child criminal, his view of the power of environment becomes dominant, even a Jukes becoming respectable and upright when his early years are subject to right influences. The child's develop ment as a factor in producing the genius or the defective, institutional life in the development of the child, and the profession of maternity are titles of other chapters. Thus the range of the book is wide; and as its author accumulates a fund of rich and suggestive matter in the treatment of his themes it will be seen that the book is one of more than usual interest and value.

Doubleday, McClure & Co., N. Y.

-HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE, by William H. Fleming, (429 pp.; $1.00), illustrates the method by means of eight plays, Othello, Twelfth Night, Julius Cæsar, Merchant of Venice, Macbeth, Midsummer Night's Dream, King Richard the Third, and The Tempest. The plays are not printed in this book, which may be used with any edition of them. The method begins with a study of the sources of the plot, that the genius of the dramatist may be apparent from a comparison of his work with the crude mate

rial which he used. The second part of the method consists of explanatory notes to facilitate the interpretation of the text. The third presents a table of acts and scenes in which each character appears for character studies and groupings of minor characters, so that in clubs a single reader may carry two or three. The fourth part consists of questions so arranged as to direct attention to all the important topics suggested by the play, and especially to emphasize the dramatic construction. This work is very well done and will be appreciated by students and readers, who often miss what is most essential. One studying with such help will soon learn how to attack a new drama, and will find that his appreciation for the art of Shakespeare grows rapidly. The concluding section gives a list of books which will be helpful in the studies. Among the multitude of works on Shakespeare we know of none which undertakes the kind of service here rendered, and most heartily commend the volume to the favor of our readers.

-BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, edited by Bliss Perry, (178 pp.; 30 cts.), belongs to the Little Masterpiece Series, so easy to hold and delightful to the eye. It is not the plan of the series to present the whole of an author, but only the best and most characteristic of his writings. Some of us are glad to be helped in selections, since the things worth reading have become so numerous and cheap. The volume contains selections from the Autobiography, Poor Richard's Almanac, Advice to a Young Tradesman, The Whistle, Hints to those who would be Rich, and Selected letters. C. W. Bardeen, Syracuse, N. Y.

-LETTERS ON EARLY EDUCATION, addressed to J. P. Greaves, Esq., by Pestalozzi, (180 pp.; $1.00), is a republication of a book long out of print. The German originals of these letters have never been printed and are probably destroyed. Mr. Greaves visited Yverdun in 1819 and taught English to the children in the institution without charge. After his return to England he corresponded with Pestalozzi, and in 1827 published these translations of the letters he had received from the reformer, who died a few months before their appearance. Their authenticity has not been called in question. What the publisher says of the book may be quoted as the fittest characterization of it: "As a whole it is more perspicuous than most of the translations of Pestalozzi's difficult German. As it is the last, so it is in some respects the fullest exposition of Pestalozzi's views; and its value is especially great now when so much effort is making to enlist the cooperation of mothers in the early education of their children.''

A. S. Barnes & Co., N. Y.

-ARROWS, or Teaching a Fine Art, by Addison Ballard, second edition, (100 pp.; 75c.), consists of three lectures by the professor of logic in New York University. They are agreeable and inspiring. The first dwells upon the outfit, insisting that in general "the best work will be done by those having the best means for doing it," which corresponds in teaching to Napoleon's remark on war, that Providence is usually on the side having the heaviest artillery. The sub-title of the book is that of the second lecture, which enforces the need of clear views and art or skill in carrying them out. "The lordship of love" means love for what you are doing, faith in it and thoro devotion to it." Thus the volume is not the dry product of a logician but the glowing tribute of a teacher to what is most vital in his pursuit.

D. C. Heath & Co.

-THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE OSWEGO NORMAL SCHOOL TO EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS IN THE UNITed States, by Andrew P. Hollis (160 pp.), makes a timely and interesting contribution to the history of American education. The recent death of Dr. E. A. Sheldon, which occurred after the greater part of this volume was written, makes of it a graceful tribute to his memory. Accordingly the publishers issue it in two forms, as a volume of their Pedagogical Library, and as a memorial edition to Dr. Sheldon. Mr. Hollis has industriously gathered by correspondence a good deal of original information as to the spread of the ideals and methods introduced at Oswego, and the work done by graduates of the school in various parts of the world. He is himself a graduate of the Oswego school, and since of the University of Wisconsin, where the major part of this

Vol. XXVIII.

UPWARDS of three hundred graduates come from our state normal schools this year. We must consider this one of the most significant indications of the change now rapidly coming in the field of teaching. The trained teacher has become a necessity. The permanent teacher follows as a corrolary. The pursuit will soon cease to be a makeshift to be followed only for a few years in the beginning of active life. Already the changes in school positions are diminishing from year to year. Good positions are not to be had for the asking, or to be abandoned lightly. Good teachers are not to be displaced, for their value is more strongly felt. Thus with serious preparation, and relative permanency in position we advance towards a professional standard. The demand for advanced academic preparation also increases. Many high schools will employ no teacher who has not a college diploma. Increase of dignity and social weight

No. 7

will come to the profession from such demands, which advance as fast as the means for meeting them become adequate. The commencements of the present summer suggest this as one of their meanings.

THE educational program of the semi-centennial celebration in Madison was decidedly successful. The papers presented salient points of educational history and needs with great clearness and force, and the audience in attendance was good. It was unfortunate, but unavoidable, that the noise of bells, cannon, and brass bands connected with the opening parade interfered considerably at one time with the comfort of speakers and audience. When the semi-centennial volume, which we understand it is the purpose to issue, shall appear, these papers will be found valuable as a means of getting a bird's-eye view of the processes by which we have reached our present growth, and hence for understanding more fully the present conditions.

A SECOND and entirely independent session of the general section of the Wisconsin Summer school at the university opens July 25th, and continues for three weeks. It seems necessary to repeat this as the arrangement is a new one and likely to be forgotten or overlooked. The program also is one of more than usual interest. The subject of nature study in the grades will be presented by Mr. Jackman, of Chicago, who has gained a national reputation by his work and books in this field. Applied psychology and child study will be presented by Prof. O'Shea, who is now well known in this field. He will also conduct daily conferences on the model teaching, done by Miss Robbins of the Mankato normal school with seventh and eighth grade classes. This ought to be of great practical assistance to teachers. Miss Robbins will also give instruction in arithmetic and the methods of teaching it. The afternoon lectures during this period of the school will be by Prof. O'Shea on child study, and by Dr. W. T. Harris, United States Commissioner of Education, on phases of educational thot. The fee for all this is but five dollars. If you cannot come July 5th, perhaps July 25th will suit you.

OCCASIONALLY a pupil in the public schools commits suicide, as happened recently at Sparta, and public comment is apt at once to attribute blame to the school administration. There is a severe shock to our feelings when we hear that one in the flush of youth has committed self destruction, and it is proper that the conditions leading to the act should be carefully examined; but the inference that they are necessarily connected with school work is unreasonable. In fact at the present In fact at the present time almost all our youth are in school, and such instances, which have occcurred in all ages, are therefore to be expected among school pupils. Unbalanced minds, unsound bodies, irrational conduct will appear among pupils, from such causes as have always produced them, causes which the school tends to hold in check rather than to beget. It must be remembered that our schools are really under the closest public surveillance; what happens in them is reported in multitudes of homes, and talked over in the streets and stores; their spirit, and administration are thoroly known to the public; the persons in charge of them are almost invariably entirely worthy of public confidence. Such an event therefore is not to be considered as of course due to the school; rather the presumption is that it is due to causes such as the school is unable to control. Such appears clearly to have been the case in this instance.

INTEREST at the May conference this year centered largely about three topics-the teaching of English, the value of the purely English course, and a new high school course of study. We present in this number a paper by Prof. Freeman, which discusses some of the most vital features of English work. The remainder of the discussion was not written, and

from even a good report, such as that we print elsewhere, only a feeble notion can be derived of the spirit and meaning of the remarks. It is evident from the continued interest in this subject, not only in Wisconsin but in all our states, and from the movement at the university noticed elsewhere, that we are to expect a decided increase in definiteness and vigor of English teaching in the high schools. The report on courses of study for high schools is printed elsewhere in this number of the JOURNAL. The attendance at the conference was large, the interest in all its meetings pronounced, and the desire general that a similar gathering should be held another year.

THE ENGLISH COURSE.

Historically we must pronounce the English course the core of the high school. When in

1821 the school committee of Boston created the first school of this sort they distinguished it from the Latin school by calling it an English classical school, and defined its aim as to offer further opportunities for education to those pupils of the public schools who did not expect to go to college. The purpose was important, and must not be allowed to drop out of sight. The high schools are schools of the people, designed primarily for the better culture of pupils who are not intending to go to college. They have multiplied rapidly, whereas the classical schools have almost disappeared, so that their function also has fallen to the high school, an economical and wise arrangement as we believe, provided the original purpose of the schools is not lost sight of. Whether the colleges should admit students from the English course is another question. We are of opinion that they should, in the interests of general culture. But in any event the high schools should keep up a course of English classical culture.

All this implies that our English course has fallen into some disrepute. In fact it is recognized as a "weak" course, and so has been made a refuge for unsatisfactory students. It has had obvious defects. It has included a good deal of work which belongs properly to the grammar grades. It has had no distinctive characteristics as a course save the negative one that no foreign language is included. The teaching of it has been unsatisfactory. impression prevails that almost any one can teach literature and history, but special preparation is required for work in science or languages. In fact literature and history demand the greatest range of knowledge and resourcefulness for the proper teaching of

them.

An

Routine methods and wasting time have prevailed where definite aims and tireless and well directed industry are most necessary. Whether a merely English training can give satisfactory strength and culture cannot be experimentally determined while such conditions prevail. We must reform the course and reform the teaching.

courses.

The reform of the course must begin by putting it, so far as its standards are concerned, on a par with the other classical The grammar grades must do their own work. Further, it must be given an appropriate distinctive character-it must be an "English classical" course. To this end it seems necessary that three lines of work should be carried on vigorously-composition, literature, and grammar. The study of Latin, for example, accomplishes these three kinds of training together, composition in the translation, if that is properly managed, literature