gently required a change. In the autumn of 1917 a scheme was undertaken for sending away for periods varying from a fortnight to three months, children whose nervous system had been affected by air raids. About 2,000 children were dealt with, and sporadic cases of raid-shock have been treated throughout the winter and spring. It has been found that a prolonged stay in the country has been of the greatest benefit in establishing the nervous equilibrium and warding off threatened serious consequences. The Fund now hopes to be able to send away during the summer months a certain number of the more delicate children. War-time difficulties, and chiefly the shortage of visitors, and provision for country accommodation will do much to hamper and restrict the work of the Fund. Full particulars regarding the aims and endeavours of the Children's Country Holidays Fund may be obtained on application to the central office, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C.

NOTA BENE.

Baby Week is to be celebrated during the first week of July. Active preparations are being made and local committees are hard at work in many parts of the country. Committees who are anxious to arrange Baby Week celebrations should procure the Report of the Council for last year (price Is., post free, to be obtained from the central office, 27A, Cavendish Square, W.1., or from Messrs. W. H. Smith and Son's bookstalls). This gives all the leaflets published by the Council last year, together with accounts of many local celebrations. Specimens of the new leaflets for this year may be had from the central office on application.

The Children's Fresh-air Mission, established in 1882, and with headquarters at 75, Lamb's Conduit Street, W.C.1, have a fine record of service. Up to the end of 1917 96,037 had been sent to the country. Last year 1,428 children were given a holiday. A number of little sufferers from air-raid shock were helped. It is hoped that the work of the Mission may be continued during the summer months, but war conditions are raising many difficulties.

The Weaving Studies at 35, Upper Grosvenor Street, Park Lane, W.1, have been established as a practical measure of rescue work among girls requiring a new start in life but who by character or upbringing are unsuited for domestic service or factory life. A hostel is maintained in connection with the industry.

The Duke of Northumberland, President of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, has placed at the disposal of the Institution the sum of £100, to be used for presenting prizes for the best essays on "The Heroic Work of the Lifeboats" written by children. The competition is open to children in the senior classes of all elementary schools throughout the United Kingdom, participation therein being voluntary on the part of the head teachers. Particulars may be obtained from Mr. George F. Shee, M.A., 22, Charing Cross Road, London, W.C.2.

The National Food Reform Association, the headquarters of which are now at Danes Inn House, 265, Strand, W.C.2, have just issued in convenient vest-pocket size No. 15 of "Facts for Patriots" (fourth series), (price 5d. post free). It provides much timely information: tells all about war bread, the use of barley, rye, potatoes, maize, rice, and there is up-to-date information about fats like margarine and oil. The little book is issued with the approval of medical and other authorities. The three earlier numbers deal with cheese, pulse, and other meat substitutes, the economical use of meat, fish, milk vegetables, salads, fruit, &c. The complete series may be obtained post free is. 6d.

During the spring and summer Child Welfare Exhibitions, arranged by the National Union of Women Workers, will be held in various parts of the country. Application for the loan of the exhibition should be made to the Secretary, Child Welfare and Health Exhibition Committee, 27A, Cavendish Square, W.1.

The Shaftesbury Society, formerly known as the Ragged School Union, has added to its variety of child welfare agencies the Fallow Corner Home for Children, at North Finchley with accommodation for eighty babies and young children. This work is mainly for the first children of unmarried mothers, and was started twenty years ago by two trained

to

"The Advanced Montessori Method: Scientific Pedagogy as Applied to the Education of Children from Seven Eleven Years. Vol. II. The Montessori Elementary Material." By Maria Montessori. Translated from the Italian by Arthur Livingston, Associate Professor of Italian at Columbia University, Pp. xviii+ 455, with 58 plates, special charts, and diagrams, and other illustrations. London: William Heinemann, 21, Bedford Street, W.C. 2. 1918. Price 12s. 6d. net.

Should this volume fall into the hands of one who had not previous knowledge of the Montessori movement, he would undoubtedly fail to realize the extent of the revolution in educational principle and practice of which it forms part. But for those who have read Vol. I (reviewed in the March issue of THE CHILD) and have some knowledge of the didactic apparatus, invented (or compiled) by Dr. Montessori for children from 3 to 6 years of age, this second volume, dealing with the period from 7 to 11, will prove of absorbing interest. It does not, it is true, cover the whole curriculum for this period, and some of the omissions, though easily to be explained, seem nevertheless regrettable. It is clear, for instance, that by far the greatest part in the mental (and perhaps spiritual) development of "Montessori” children of the ages dealt with will be taken by the books they read for themselves. The small space given to a discussion of the literary food to be provided for them (5 pages, as compared with 150 for grammar) makes one wonder whether even the great reformer herself quite realizes how far the "Montessori" child will be in advance of the average child of the same age, or how deeply he will be able to penetrate during these five years into the "Realms of Gold." Probably, however, the dottoressa felt compelled to restrict herself to such parts of the curriculum as are most susceptible of being presented by special didactic apparatus. But the short list of books used for reading aloud (pp. 191 et seq.) only

whets one's appetite for a suggested library of international literature in which the children might browse at will. Would it be framed on a theory of parsimony (I can imagine, for example, that a good case might be made out-and not merely on religious grounds-for early concentration on the Bible), or would it offer a generous width and variety of choice? The brief list of books for "audition " suggests the latter. Incidentally it gives the coup de grâce to the superstition that Dr. Montessori altogether rules out works of imagination, as Hans Andersen heads the list, which contains also “Fabiola" and "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Immensely interesting to teachers of history will be the discovery of the avidity with which the children took to "I Liberatori" (Makers of Freedom), the special feature of which is its contemporary documents reprinted in facsimile. The "animated discussions" and "acting" of episodes started by this book recalls to the present reviewer a time when he and his companions (aged 8) at a "dame" school divided themselves into Athenians and Spartans and reacted the eternal struggle between culture and physical force. is clear that as far as intellectual capacity is concerned there would be very few authors in prose or poetry which a Montessori child of 9 to 11 years could not tackle. The grammatical and mathematical apparatus continues with great ingenuity the stimulants to self-education provided by the infants' material. It is quite impossible within the limits of this notice to go into any detailed explanation of the use made of beads, insets, letters, diagrams and graphs. Perhaps room may be found in a subsequent issue of THE CHILD for illustrations giving a clue to the general method. This method is not the "principle"-which is scientific observation and experiment upon "free" children. The apparatus is but the jumping-off ground; but "he who has all this material ready to his hand has an easy

It

"The Sayings of the Children." Written down by their Mother, Pamela Glenconner. Pp. ix + 138. With portrait, frontispiece and 4 illustrations. Oxford: B. H. Blackwell, 50 and 51, Broad Street. 1918. Price 3s. 6d. net.

This dainty, artistic, beautifully printed volume is altogether a delight. It is a work which every mother should possess. As a maternal record of the mental development of five children the book is unique. Portraits are given of the five; all are exceptionally gifted children, and at least one possessed psychic powers. The children, moreover, have clearly been the constant companions of a clever, religious, and poetic mother. They were brought up to be well acquainted with the Scriptures, "The Pilgrim's Progress," and much of the best in classical literature. The volume has a distinct literary charm, but it is a real contribution to the study of the psychology of early childhood. The "sayings" of the children are skilfully strung together like pearls in a fascinating necklace, but each offers material for scientific analysis and discussion. At the end of the volume is a collection of “Songs, Plays, and Ballads,” by "Two," written between the age of 4 and 9 years. Mrs. Glenconner has incorporated some wonderful extracts from the poets, and we hope we may be pardoned for reproducing the strong lines written by Katherine Tynan for "The Children's Mother." They are lines which will bring strength, comfort, courage and grace to all mothers striving for the safeguarding of their sons and daughters. I build a strong, tower for the Children, the Children,

With moat and portcullis I keep it still, The foe clangs without, but within it the Children

Sleep soundly and sweetly till cock crow shrill.

I wage a holy war for the Children, the Children,

My hand against the world that they may live, I am cunning and crafty as the fox for her Children,

Wise as the serpent lest the children grieve.

I build a warm fire for the Children, the Children.

To my tower oft beleagured allies I call, They shine like the sun to the eyes of the Children,

God's men-at-arms keep us by gate and wall.

I leave in safe keeping the Children, the Children,

Down to the cities my way I take,

Past the walls and the sentry, alert for the Children,

I creep in the shadows for the Children's sake. I gather rich stores for the Children, the Children,

The lowing of oxen is heard as I come, I carry the sheaves in my arms for the Children, O, sweet on the hill-top the lights of home.

Unless the Lord build it, the house for the Children,

Unless He be with me my labour's vain, He has thought it, and planned it, the fold for the Children,

Where the lambs are folded without fear or stain.

I fight the holy fight for the Children, the Children,

The Sons of God, glorious, sit down at my

board,

Though foes hem us in, shall I fear for the Children,

Fighting the strong fight in the name of the Lord?

"The Jukes in 1915." By Arthur H. Estabrook, of the Eugenics Records Office. Pp. vii+ 85. Washington: The Carnegie Institution. 1916.

This monograph appears as Publication No. 240 of the Carnegie Institution of Washington and Paper 25 of the Station for Experimental Evolution at Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, New York. The Jukes were first studied by Richard L. Dugdale, who died in 1883. His first study of the Juke family was issued in 1875, and in 1877 it was elaborated into book form and is now in its fourth edition. Recently much further evidence regarding the members of this neuropathic family came to light, and a new investigation was undertaken which has lasted for three years. "Every Juke possible to see has been personally visited." The results of this remarkable research are set forth in detail in this elaborate monograph. There are numerous charts

The

and carefully compiled pedigrees. Jukes have increased during the past 130 years from five Sirkers to a family of 2,094 persons, of whom 1,258 were living in 1915. One half of the Jukes were and are feeble-minded, mentally incapable of responding normally to the expectations of society. Brought up under faulty environmental conditions, which they considered normal, they have remained satisIfied with the fulfilment of their natural passions and desires and with no ambition and ideals in life. The other half of the family, perhaps normal mentally and emotionally, has become socially adequate or inadequate, depending on the chance of the individual reaching or failing to reach an environment which would mould and stimulate their inherited social trails. Dr. Estabrook formulates the following as his chief conclusions. His study, he states, demonstrates the following (1) Cousin-matings in defective germ-plasms are undesirable, since they produce defective offspring irrespective of the parents' somatic make-up. (2) There is an hereditary factor in licentiousness, but there are those among the Jukes who are capable of meeting the requirements of the mores in sex matters if only great social pressure is brought to bear upon them. (3) Pauperism is an indication of weakness, physical or mental. (4) All of the Juke criminals were feeble-minded, and the eradication of crime in defective stocks depends upon the elimination of mental deficiency. (4) Removal of Jukes from their original habitat to new regions is beneficial to the stock itself, as better social pressure is brought to bear on them, and there is a chance of mating into better families. (6) One in four of of the Jukes is improved socially by care in children's institutions. (7) Penal institutions have little beneficial influence upon persons of defective mentality. A study of such a monograph as this inevitably raises the question, "What can be done to prevent the breeding of these defectives?" To such a query Dr. Estabrook replies: "Two practical solutions of this problem are apparent. One of these is the permanent custodial care of the feeble-minded men and all feebleminded women of child-bearing age. The other is the sterilization of those whose germ-plasm contains the defects

which society wishes to eliminate. The first is practical, since there are now many custodial institutions for the feebleminded and the epileptic, and in some of these the patients are partially self-supporting. These institutions should be increased in number and capacity to receive all the defectives now at large and who must be cared for if the programme of segregation is to be fully carried out." Out of approximately 600 living feebleminded and epileptic Jukes, there are now only three in custodial care. It is estimated that at the end of fifty years the defective germ-plasm would be practically eliminated by the segregation of all of the 600. Sterilization of those carrying epilepsy, feeble-mindedness, &c., is entirely practicable. Public sentiment, however, does not favour such a practice. Contrary to public belief, sterilization would interfere with the real liberty of the individual less than custodial care." Eugenists and educationists should study this fine example of patient, persistent, scientifically designed and effectively conducted human research. All concerned in the investigation and the publication of the results in this splendidly produced monograph merit warmest congratulations.

"Vade - Mecum Medico - Chirurgical Français-Anglais : Manuel de Conversation et Lexique à l'usage du Service de Santé Militaire des Armées Françaises des Médicins et des Pharmaciens. Pp. 330. Prix 5 fr. Paris: Librairie Payot et Cie., 106, Boulevard Saint Germain. 1917.

These two manuals will be of much practical value to officers and men serving in France and Flanders. The first contains sections on the Laws of War, the Systems of Local Government in RhenishPrussia, the Palatinate and AlsaceLorraine, the Principles and Conduct of Justice, and the German Law on Requisitions. A particularly interesting and practical section is devoted to a con