approximately to reconstruct the outline of the address just listened to; and, what is worse, he knows that to most of his hearers all perspective is soon lost, and the subordinate thought, perhaps even a mere aside, pushes itself a little later into the forefront of the auditor's memory. The best possible way to obviate this regrettable condition in the future is to train the child into the habit of looking for the essential thing in each unit, and then seeing how these essential things link themselves together into the larger units. This kind of training is provided for in "Webster's Bunker Hill Address." Teachers, of course, do not need to be told that the story is the dominant form of the literature of to-day, but perhaps they do need to be told that the child should be taught how to read a story. In order that the children who will use this book may be trained in the art of reading fiction, a somewhat full, but after all, a simple study of plot-construction, accessories, and characterportrayal is planned for in the notes and studies on Hardy's "Three Strangers.' This is supplemented by a briefer study of Daudet's "The Siege of Berlin." The limits of the book prevented anything like a full study of the play, but two of the most important phases of the technique of the drama are discussed at some length. "The Falcon of Ser Federigo" was chosen partly because it is short enough to print without abridgement, partly because it was thought advisable to use a comedy rather than a tragedy, but chiefly because it is a most delightful play for amateur presentation. Part Two comprises a rich and varied collection of declamations and selections for special drill in oral reading. With a few exceptions these are the old standard declamatory selections that have thrilled and inspired the boys and girls of more than one generation; and now with the introduction of vocational training into our schools, and the slow but certain drift of emphasis to the material side of life, it is more than ever necessary, if we would not have the next generation sink down into a bleak and dreary sordidness, that we bring the young minds of our country at the natural period of idealistic enthusiasms into contact with these splendid types of poetic idealism. Part Three is intended to correlate with the composition work. There is but one way to secure good expression, and that is through persistent ear-training. The race worked out its mastery of expression through the ear. Even the Greek language, with its marvelous inflectional system, was probably perfected before any system of symbols had been wrought out to make its appeal to the eye. From the time the child awakens to consciousness its auditory memory is kept soaked full of faulty and ineffective locutions; and the only way in which these may be kept from issuing forth in speech or in written theme is to have them covered up by a mass of accurate and effective locutions. Part Three is intended to do more, however, than merely to train the ear; it is intended that the pupil shall by simple but conscious analysis discover some of the tricks of effective utterance. H. W. SHRYOCK. |