BOOKS FOR S.W. AFRICA.
A few days ago I saw in your columns a letter from a professor in India acknowledging gifts of books made to the college library in response to an appeal in your review about a year previously. I am wondering whether you will allow me to make a similar appeal to the generosity of, your readers. I am the head-master of a secondary and primary school of three hundred and fifty-odd pupils in the southern part of this mandated territory of South-West Africa. The children attending the school are of English, Dutch, and German parentage ; a large proportion come, from widely scattered farms where conditions of life are very elementary, the parents are all struggling to make a living and have been faced with a very serious drought almost unbroken since 1923. Our school library is a very small one and we are 'particularly short of books on history, historical fiction, and good English literature. The administration gives us a grant on the £ for £ principle for the, purchase of books but owing to the poverty of the district at the present time it is almost impossible to raise any moneys by local effort. Any books sent to me per book post, which is the cheapest method, will be most gratefully received and will be personally acknowledged if the donor will forward his name with the parcel.—O. P. TARR, B.A., Secondary School, Keetmanshoop, South-West Africa.
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