Memories of a School Inspector. By A. J. Swinburno. (McDougall.
2s. 6d. net.)—In his thirty-five years of work as an inspector of primary schools Mr. Swinburne saw some important changes of administration, and it would have been well if ho had let us know in a more definite way what he thought about them. If wo are to compare parsons, school boards, and county councils—ono might say that these represent the successien of ruling powers— who did the work best? Mr. Swinburno would put, we suppose, the parson first. He is the poor man's best friend, wo presume, from the educational point of view ; better than the squire, who is often absent, often thinking of other things ; better certainly than the farmer, who, by common consent, is the least friendly to school interests of the three. Perhaps we may say that the County Council represents the squire, though Mr. Bitrell thinks, or thought once, that it was made up of farmers ; the farmer was really more to the fore in the school boards that were. And what does Mr. Swinburne think of Whitehall? Here, again, we should like something more definite. it is quite clear that ho greatly resents the refusal of his request for another year of service, but his view of the rule of the Board of Education in general is not so easy to find out. But the Memoirs are worth reading. Where one does not learn much, there is at least a good chance of being entertained. Mr. Swinburne has some funny stories to tell. There are those, for instance, which concern his entertainment when he was on official visits. One hoot recounted a whole cata- logue of troubles, influenza and so on, and wound up with, "And now there's your visit." Another, after luncheon, asked : "Shall it be golf or billiards?" " Which ever you like—you're hero for your pleasure, not for mine I"'
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