American Notes-Editorial

It is the privilege and duty of every citizen of the United States to be interested in and loyal to the City or Town in which he lives. Not to be so leads to the inference that the highest kind of mentality and a proper and praiseworthy patriotism is lacking. Good citizenship is a duty as well as a privilege. We cannot, if we would, live for ourselves alone. We are bound up with others and their interests are our interests. The highest civilization is impossible unless we "pull together," and pull hard. The progress of our community depends upon unanimity and zeal and co-operative intelligence and action for the best interests of all.

The same truths hold, also, in relation to the larger divisions of co-operative human association. Each separate community or town or city belongs to the larger community of the State. Most of us are proud of our native State. We are interested in its welfare. We watch its activities, its elections, its participation in the movement of civilization. We pay our taxes and do not grudge them. We believe that we get "quid pro quo." We do not feel it a burden to support the State. It is a privilege and an opportunity to express our appreciation of the advantages which the State affords to us and to our children. We actually resent and despise the opposite spirit. If expressed in words or overt acts it quickly provokes reproof and sometimes social ostracism.

Most of all we should be intensely loyal to the United States,-to the country as a whole. Patriotism is a cardinal virtue. A person who is not patriotic cannot go far or live long without feeling the consequences in the loss of social standing, and, consequently, of business prosperity and opportunity for advancement in whatever he undertakes. He becomes unpopular, he misses opportunities, he retrogrades and deteriorates. Gradually, men and events leave him behind, and ultimately he drops out and makes a failure of life. We are not bringing out these considerations as an argument for patriotism, though of course, they are such; we are simply speaking to a point of fact. The person who is heartily patriotic gets ahead,— other things being equal. The one who is self-centered and neglectful of public obligations and interests deteriorates and drops out of sight. It is a law of nature and of human life.

The principle that we have emphasized in the paragraph above should be noted thoughtfully by those in the educational world who

are content to do their meager share of service and to take only such measure of interest in their teaching duties as will get them “by” without failure, in a narrow local field of effort, but who never recognize the larger responsibilities and opportunities of their country's educational system. No teacher can do his or her best work locally, no matter how small or large the field may be, unless the whole plan and scheme of national education is visioned and intelligently appreciated, and, at least in some humble way, advanced by his or her personal interest and effort. We want every teacher in the entire United States to realize a personal responsibility, and to appreciate the individual privilege, of being a part-as every one of them is-of a great national system and scheme for the promotion of the highest intelligence and efficiency of our own country and of the human race. Here lies the source of real inspiration in the teaching "job." The humblest primary teacher in a remote country district may feel that she is an integral part of a great national and world enterprise of the highest importance and value. Whatever promotes such a feeling will surely make any teacher, whether man or woman, a better and happier teacher, more content, more efficient, more permanent in the profession.

May we suggest to all teachers who may read these paragraphs that membership in the National Educational Association costs only $2 a year; and that such membership makes one really an integral part of the most influential educational organization in the world. It carries the right to vote for delegates, to attend all meetings of the Association, to hold office, and to receive the Journal of the Association each month.

As announced by the Department of the Interior, a National Illiteracy Conference will meet in Washington, January 11th to 14th, inclusive, to work out practical methods of attacking the problem of adult illiteracy in the United States. General sessions will be held in the auditorium of the Interior Department, 18th and F Streets. The National Education Association, the American Legion, the General Federation of Women's Clubs, and the United States Bureau of Education are co-operating in the promotion of this conference and will hold it jointly. It is confidently expected that the active leadership and co-operation of these agencies will make this conference the most representative and successful attack yet made upon the evil of adult illiteracy. According to the latest Federal census there are nearly five million men and women in this country who, by their own confession, are unable to read or write. If they can be induced to acquire these accomplishments there will be placed in their hands the

key which will unlock for them all knowledge, including art, music, literature, science, invention and discovery, the wisdom of all people and all ages, and they will become fitted for more intelligent participation in the Government of their respective states and communities as well as of the nation. It is hoped that this conference, made up of four great nation-wide organizations and educational forces interested in the same great movement,will result in a co-operative movement through special organization for the purpose of speedily eliminating illiteracy from the nation.

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The Institute for Public Service (New York City) says, in a recent circular letter, that "Instead of recruiting the ablest young people into teaching, American colleges and universities advertising and abetting the selling points of other professions. Of 600 college and university catalogs, having a combined circulation of over two million readers a year, only one states the rewards, opportunities, attractions and durable satisfactions of teaching; two have teacher-recruiting references other than statements that the demand exceeds the supply or that placement bureaus will find jobs for graduates; 37 mention an increasing demand for trained teachers, though not for the sake of recruiting able men and women into teaching, but to promise places for those who have already decided to teach. Even training schools for teachers address their catalogs to convinced juries of young people already recruited.

From Baylor University, at Waco, Texas, is quoted the declaration that boards of education which permit practice teaching in their schools recognize that they have some responsibility for producing teachers as well as for employing them. Taylor University of Upland, Ind., calls itself the "Life Service College," calls teaching the art of arts, and adds, "More than any other mortal vocation Christ glorified the art of teaching. Upon the public school teacher in large measure rests the future destiny of America."

The one selling argument for teaching which was found in 600 catalogs is by the College of St. Catherine at St. Paul, Minn. Every girl, parent or teacher who reads that catalog finds at the top of the page these teacher-recruiting words:

"Prepare to teach; America needs you. Your leadership, your enthusiasm, your inspiration, your intelligent service, can make school communities progressive, happy and prosperous. Your preparation for teaching is a safe investment; it pays dividends in salaries based on the service you are able to give; it pays also in durable satisfactions, for while teaching admits you to the privilege of training the youth of the land, it also allows for continued self-development."

Book Reviews

THE GROWING CHILD. By S. Josephine Baker, M.D. Little, Brown and Company.

A practical book on a very important subject. It is in line with the modern movement to begin early and to proceed intelligently to build the bodily basis of every child's personality in such a way that his brain and spiritual self may not be weakened and rendered impotent, but may rather be quick to respond to all efforts put forth in the way of education and training. This book deals with the health of the younger children. Technical terms are avoided. It is not only a school book,—it is a manual for mothers, and it should be used in every home where there are children.

ENGLISH PHONETICS. By Frank E. Parlin, A.M., Ped.D. Little, Brown and Company.

It will save much later trouble and increase the power of understanding and of speech if children are early taught the different sounds of the letters of the alphabet and trained in the use of them. Bad spelling will be avoided. Confusion of similar words will be lessened. Smooth, accurate and melodious speech will be attained. This little book will really interest the class if used by a skillful teacher. It fills a felt want.

JUST FOLKS, and A HEAP O' LIVIN' By Edgar A. Guest. The Reilly & Lee Co., Chicago, publishers.

These books stand all by themselves in a class that has been created by their author. Edgar A. Guest has caught the spirit of the race in its fundamental experiences and has put it into language that is not only used but is felt by every one. He strikes the human note in the life of rich or poor, exalted or humble, and makes the reader feel the common bond of humanity. The joys and sorrows of mankind, the serious and the humorous experiences, re-echo in the heart of every reader and do him good like medicine that is healing and at the same time palatable. It takes genius to do the task that here has been done so well.

By E. E. Thomas. Illustrated The World Book Company.

IN THE NORTH WOODS OF MAINE. with drawings by H. Boylston Dummer. A book that is sure to please young people, as it is a story of real adventure in the wilds of Maine in the days before the forests had been ground into paper pulp and the steam engine had driven most of the wild game into Canada or the hunters had killed it off altogether. It would make an excellent suppplementary reader for the grades.

PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT. By Ernest R. Groves. Longmans, Green and Company. Price $1.40.

The author of this volume is Professor of Sociology at Boston University and the author of other books along sociological lines. He has given the public, in the present volume, practical suggestions for thinking out and solving in the right way just those puzzling questions which occur in family and neighborhood life, in dealing with which most people make many blunders. The book is especially intended for those who are concerned with the bringing up of children. We can commend it without reservation to parents and teachers. It is frankly admitted that “the new understanding of human conduct has barely begun"; but “enough has already been accomplished to blaze a trail which parents and teachers can profitably follow in their guidance of their children." Reading the following chapter headings is enough to create interest and a desire to read farther, and to take home and loan this book; such as these, for example: "Impulse and Social Control"; "Habit and Social Continuity"; "Self-Assertion and Family Life"; "The Emotional Maturing of the Boy"; "The Emotional Maturing of the Girl"; "Authority and Individuality." It is easy to criticise our neighbor's methods. Don't do it unless you have applied at home what this author has so well said in this practical and thought-provoking little volume.

We acknowledge the receipt of the following interesting and valuable books for review from The J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, Pa.:

I. THE NEW AGRICULTURE FOR HIGH SCHOOLS. By Kary Cadmus Davis, Ph.D. 345 illustrations. Price $1.80. J. B. Lippincott Company.

A modern text, setting forth the latest and best methods of practical farming in its various branches. Well arranged according to the latest pedagogical principles, providing for a liberal use of the project method, describing many recent developments in methods of spraying, fertilizing, feeding, planting, cultivating, harvesting, treatment of woodlands, poultry keeping, bees, horse and mule projects, etc., etc. The author has had experience in nearly all the States and is familiar with the discoveries and methods of the most successful workers in this field.

In somewhat the same line as the above, but with special reference to High School use, we have VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN FARMING OPERATIONS,-THE PART OF THE HIGH SCHOOL. By Theodore H. Eaton, A.M., Ph.D., Professor of Rural Education in Cornell University. Belonging to the Lippincott's Rural Education Series. As indicated by the title, this is a High School text appropriate for the fulfillment of the Federal Act for Vocational Education passed in 1917, which requires that