Caught by the Turks Part 25

As regards the School, conclusions are first reached as to the relative amount of time to be devoted to modern languages in the curriculum, and the various branches of the subject--its organisation and methods, the place of grammar and the history of the language--are then discussed. A chapter is devoted to the questions relating to the second foreign language, and the study is linked up with the University course.

In the second part Professor Atkins traces the different ends to which the School course continued at the University may lead, with special reference to the higher Civil Service Examinations and to the training of Secondary School Teachers.

The general plan of the book was worked out before the publication of the report of the Government Committee appointed by the Prime Minister to enquire into the position of Modern Languages in the educational system of Great Britain. With the report, however, the authors'

conclusions were in the main found to agree, and the text of the book has been brought up-to-date by references to the report which have been made in footnotes as well as in places in the text. No further modifications were thought to be necessary.

The book will be found to give a comprehensive review of the whole field of modern language teaching and some valuable help towards the solution of its problems.

THE CHILD UNDER EIGHT.

By E. R. MURRAY,

Vice-Princ.i.p.al of Maria Grey Training College; Author of "Froebel as a Pioneer in Modern Psychology," etc.,

AND

HENRIETTA BROWN SMITH, LL.A.,

Lecturer in Education, Goldsmith's College, University of London; Editor of "Education by Life."

_Crown 8vo. Cloth._ =6s. net.=

The authors of this book deal with the young child at the outset of its education, a stage the importance of which cannot be exaggerated. The volume is written in two parts, the first dealing with the child in the Nursery and Kindergarten, and the second with the child in the State School. Much that is said is naturally applicable to either form of School, and, where this is so, repet.i.tion has been avoided by means of cross references.

The authors find that the great weakness of English education in the past has been want of a definite aim to put before the children, and the want of a philosophy for the teacher. Without some understanding of the meaning and purpose of life the teacher is at the mercy of every fad, and is apt to exalt method above principle. This book is an attempt to gather together certain recognised principles, and to show in the light of actual experience how these may be applied to existing circ.u.mstances.

They put forward a strong plea for the recognition of the true value of Play, the "spontaneous activity in all directions," and for courage and faith on the part of the teacher to put this recognition into practice; and they look forward to the time when the conditions of public Elementary Schools, from the Nursery School up, will be such--in point of numbers, s.p.a.ce, situation and beauty of surroundings--that parents of any cla.s.s will gladly let their children attend them.