curriculum for boys and girls under twelve" (" under fourteen"
we find when the actual curriculum is reached) is the object of this book. But with these suggestions are joined some very good exposition of principles which should underlie educa- tion generally. Miss Mason, indeed, goes to the root of things; she discusses the relation between parents and children, between teachers and pupils ; writes about freedom, about the " rights of children as persons," and other things which are really funda- mental. Then, after discussing various educational systems, she comes to such subjects as physical training and religious educa- tion. (It is a wise saying that "children are formalists by nature.") Then in chap. 20 we get to the curriculum itself ; this occupies between thirty and forty pages only. As a matter of fact, any cne who has completely assimilated the two hundred and
fourteen that precede it should be ready to construct a curricu- lum for himself. In the appendices are actual specimens of work by pupils. There is the work of "P. Q.," for instance, "aged twelve, Class III.," who takes up a long list of subjects, among which are French, German, and Latin, History (English, French, Homan), Botany, Physiology, Natural History, the usual English subjects, and Euclid. The papers seem surprisingly good, but the Latin is below par, and suggests suspicion as to the teaching. " Somnimus totus noctes " we find. Now somnimus for " dormi. mus " is pardonable, and Lotus may be a misprint. But when we read that this sentence "illustrates that the object is in the accusative in Latin," we should like to know how P. Q." was taught.—With this volume may be mentioned The Infant School, by J. Gunn, D.Sc. (Nelson and Sons, 3s. 6d.), a very com- plete study of the subject, which the author views historically, philosophically, and practically. This is a book which will well repay careful study.
Previous page
