"The Rosebud Annual" for 1918, issued by Messrs. James Clarke and Co., (price boards, 3s. 6d. net; cloth, 4s. 6d. net), is another delightful volume for young children. It is full of charming stories, pleasing verses, humorous pictures, and is bound to fascinate the little folk. There are about 200 illustrations, many being in colour. The volume is a most attractive one.

PAINTING AND CUTTING-OUT

BOOKS.

Messrs. George G. Harrap and Co., the well-known firm of publishers of children's books, have just issued a particularly attractive series of BROWNIE'S PAINTING AND CUTTING-OUT BOOKS. The books have been designed with ingenuity and artistic skill by the Misses R. K. and M. I. R. Polkinhorne. The drawings are by Miss Florence Mary Anderson, and the printing has been admirably carried out by Messrs. Vincent, Brooks, Day and Son, Ltd., the well-known house of lithographic printers. The set consists of four books. The subjects portrayed are the Brownies at Play, by the Sea, in the Zoo, and the Brownies' Circus. The aim of the designers has been to provide books which, while interesting and amusing, will provide material for pleasing and instructive manual employment. These toy-making books afford means for the development of artistic and dramatic

powers, dexterity and neatness in the constructive use of the hands, and a proper appreciation of factors making for mechanical effectiveness. The bold, clearly drawn, amusing figures are to be painted, cut out, and then suitably mounted and grouped. Each book contains explicit directions. We strongly recommend these clever books to the notice of parents and teachers and all others responsible for the care, instruction and happiness of young children. These books will prove of much service in nursery schools and wherever the little folk congregate.

MELLIN'S BISCUITS.

The well-known firm of Mellin's Food, Ltd., are now supplying a delightful form of FOOD BISCUIT suitable for young children. They are small, finger-shaped, crisp, readily friable, and are prepared from highest grade cereals under strictly supervised hygienic conditions. The biscuits embody the principles of malted cereals and are peptogenic; they are nutritious, very palatable and highly digestive. In these days when there is increasing difficulty in providing for the needs of young children the Mellin's Food Biscuits will be found of considerable value. It should be noted that these biscuits are manufactured under Government licence on the condition that they are supplied only for the requirements of infants and invalids.

"THE CHILD."

THE CHILD is primarily a medical and educational journal for the study of child life and the consideration of all activities aiming at child welfare. All classes of the community are now awaking to the importance of participating in the movement for child betterment. The child is the nation's most valuable asset. No pains must be spared to safeguard those who in the near future will possess the powers which control the destiny of the British people. It is becoming clear to even the most heedless that the conservation of child life is a national necessity. We have been sadly neglectful of the child. Even our best enterprises for the protection and development of child life have been generally governed by sentiment rather than directed by scientific principles. And at the present day in only too many schools and other institutions responsible for the healthy evolution of the citizens of the future antiquated methods prevail and practices are encouraged which are highly prejudicial to the proper development of the growing child. The first steps to ensure sure progress must be to provide a more effective training for all who undertake the responsible duties of child welfare work. We are particularly anxious to extend the cir. culation, of THE CHILD among those who, in schools, colleges, hospitals, homes, orphanages and other institutions dealing with child life, are seeking to secure instruction in sound principles and obtain reliable information regarding the many enterprises and experiments which are now being conducted for the raising of standards in child betterment endeavours. Unfortunately many of the best minds and lives now devoted to service for the children of the nation are restricted in financial resources and are unable to become subscribers to such an educational journal as THE CHILD. In a recent issue we appealed to generous sympathizers with child welfare work for practical assistance in helping us to extend the circu

lation of our journal to these workers. We are anxious to be able to send regularly copies of THE CHILD to all homes and orphanages and other establishments devoted to the service of infancy, childhood and youth. The only way in which this educational effort can be attained is by securing the financial support of those who are in a position to render this national and patriotic service. If generous friends of child welfare work will help us to extend the circulation of THE CHILD to practical workers we believe much will be accomplished towards improved training in methods and measures for child betterment. Colonel and Alderman Sir Charles Wakefield, Bart., recently Lord Mayor of London, has just sent us a substantial cheque which will enable copies of THE CHILD to be sent month by month to a number of the branches of the National Children's Home and Orphanage, of which great institution he is one of the treasurers. Such a notable example will sure to be followed by many other friends of educational progress. A well-known lady engaged in active service for the children of the land, but who desires to remain anonymous, has also recently sent a cheque, which has enabled a number of public institutions engaged in work for children to be placed on the subscribers list of THE CHILD. We could wish that the friends of all the leading schools, orphanages and homes in the land would enable us to send regularly every month copies of THE CHILD for the use of the members of the staffs of these beneficent institutions. In these testing war days workers among children require all the stimulus and guidance that can be provided, and we venture to think that the coming of our journal once a month will bring encouragement and information and render lasting aid to many heroic souls who under heavy burdens of anxiety and many limitations and discouragements are nobly dedicating life's best service for the sake of the nation's children. To those who desire to sub

scribe to THE CHILD for the sake of others we would suggest that they should forward a list of the institutions to which they would like the journal to be sent. These can then be entered monthly in the Directory which appears with each issue. We will also see that each institution is informed of the name of the donor to whom it is indebted, and that a copy of the journal is sent periodically. The annual subscription to THE CHILD is one guinea. A cheque for £10 10s. would enable a copy of the journal to be sent to ten of the chief child welfare institutions or agencies in any centre. We are anxious to raise our gratuitious service of THE CHILD to at least 250. Will educationists and other friends of the nation's children assist us in securing 250 guineas for the free distribution of numbers of the present volume? THE CHILD can justly claim to be an encyclopædia of child welfare. We do not hesitate to say that at the present time there is no work available which more completely meets the needs of students of child life and practical workers for child betterment. The volumes of THE CHILD, which can now be obtained in bound form, provide an authoritative library of reference which should be accessible in all colleges, schools, institutions and other centres devoted to educational work and other efforts directed to secure the best for child development of our great Commonwealth. The volumes may be obtained separately (price 255. net each volume), It should also be noted that the publishers provide covers for the binding of each year's issue of THE CHILD. The Editor always welcomes suggestions of every kind whereby the usefulness of the journal may be increased, and the publishers will do their utmost to meet the wishes of subscribers in every way in their power.

A PIONEER OF CHILD WELFARE.

Sir John Kirk, Director of the Shaftesbury Society and Ragged School Union, has just celebrated his fifty years' connec. tion with his Society in the sacred service of child welfare work. THE CHILD desires to unite with Sir John Kirk's many friends in rendering him affectionate homage and sincerest congratulations.

Sir John Kirk is a noble pioneer in the child welfare movement. He possesses in rare measure the special characteristics essential for success in such philanthropic and educational work as that to which he has devoted his life. With wide vision, supreme tact, unswerving faith, rare geniality of manner, optimism, and a great soul imbued with Christian hope and love which no forces have been able to resist, he has laboured with a beautiful simplicity and directness for the necessitous children of Britain's great metropolis. Something of the respect and affection which Sir John has so justly won has been evidenced in the various congratulations and other evidences which have recently been showered upon him and Lady Kirk. On October 1, in the Kingsway Hall, Sir John Kirk delivered the first Shaftesbury Lecture before the Shaftesbury Society and Ragged School Union, the Earl of Shaftesbury, the President of the Society and grandson of its first President, being in the chair. We are enabled to reproduce a portion of the lecture in the present issue of THE CHILD. The lecture was given under the "Shaftesbury Foundation Scheme," now made effective by the presentation, in connection with the Jubilee, of a cheque for £1,000 for investment, the amount having been raised by Sir John for the purpose from among friends. The three main aims of the scheme are: (1) To provide a Biennial Lectureship on some aspect of the life and work of Lord Shaftesbury, and of such modern aspects of the Christian Social Movement as especialy concern the Society in its service for the community. (2) To provide scholarships, lecture courses and libraries for training senior scholars and junior teachers for effective service in the missions. (3) To provide for the circulation of literature, emblems, &c. Sir John Kirk has also been presented by the scholars and teachers of the missions connected with the S.S. and R.S.U. with his portrait, beautifully painted by Mr. Fred Stratton. On October 3, at a special meeting at the Mansion House, presided over by the Lord Mayor, Sir John Kirk was presented with an address on behalf of the. Hon. Officers and Council of his Society, of which the following is a copy: "We, the Honorary Officers and Council of the

inaugurate the Fund for the Shaftesbury Foundation Scheme, a generous

thought and action we value extremely. We warmly congratulate you upon the measure of health and strength both of mind and body God has continued to you, enabling you to take still so active and successful a share in the good work to which without reserve you have dedicated your best powers. We unite in wishing you and Lady Kirk, and each of your sons and daughters, every joy and blessing in family relationships and in the comradeship of service." Something of the noble service accomplished by this veteran and of the work of the Society to which he has so loyally devoted his life is graphically set forth in a book by Mr. Harold Begbie, "The Little That is Good," and recently published by Messrs. Cassell and Co. We cannot do better than close this all too brief and quite inadequate tribute to one whom all delight to hold in affection and honour, by quoting the first lines of the dedicatory poem with which Mr. Begbie opens his volume :

"With heart as young as ever, and soul but gladder grown,

Without one hope defeated, one altar overthrown,

Fresh as your dreamful springtime, to-day you

COMING EVENTS.

The autumn series of lectures and conferences of the Child Study Society, the headquarters of which are in the house of the Royal Sanitary Institute, 90, Buckingham Palace Road, include the following: November 15: “Child Study and School Reform," by Dr. P. B. Ballard, M.A. November 22: "The London Child and the Cinema," by Dr. C. W. Kimmins, M.A. December 6: "The Educative Value of Poetry," by Miss Frances Jordan, L.P.S. The meetings are held at 6 p.m.

Miss Bonwick, B.A., is giving four lectures on "Sex Training" at Essex Hall, Strand, on Thursdays, November 1, 8, 15 and 22, at 6 p.m. Particulars may be obtained from Miss Newstead, 28, Weston Park, Crouch End, N.8.

The Royal Sanitary Institute have arranged for a course of lectures to women health visitors, tuberculosis visitors, school nurses, and school teachers. Lectures will be given at the Royal Sanitary Institute, 90, Buckingham Palace Road, S. W., at 6 p.m., as follows: Friday, November 2: "School Buildings and Dwellings," by J. Osborne Smith, F.R.I.B.A. Saturday, November 3: Visits to Schools and Demonstration of Planning, Ventilation, and School Furniture, conducted by Mr. J. Osborne Smith. Wednesday, November 7: Demonstration on Sanitary Appliances. Friday, November 9: "House Drainage," by W. C. Tyndale, M. Inst. C. E. Monday, November 12: "Food and Clothing," by A. Beresford Kingsford, M.D., D.P.H. Wednesday, November 14: "Infant Feeding," by A. Beresford Kingsford, M.D., D.P.H. Friday, November 16: "Care of Infants and Young Children," by Miss Constance Barker. Monday, November 19: 'Elements of Home Nursing," by Kate Marion Vaughan, L.S.A., D.P.H. Wednesday, November 21: "First Aid, Treatment of Injuries, Ailments, and Accidents," by A. Beresford Kingsford, M.D., D.P.H. Friday, November 23: "Prevention of Communicable Disease." Monday, November 26: "Tuberculosis, Sources of Infection, Predisposition, Preventive Measures, Treatment of the Tuberculous in its Bearing on Prevention," by R. Veitch Clark, M.A., D.P. H. Wednesday, November 28: "Venereal Diseases," by Letitia Fairfield, M.D., D.P.H. Friday, November 30: Methods of Teaching Hygiene," by Miss Constance Barker. The London County Council announce that arrangements have been made for the following lectures to be given at the Horniman Museum, Forest Hill, S.E., on Saturdays at 3.30 p.m., admission being free and without ticket: November 3: "The African Negro at Work and Play," by the Rev. J. H. Weeks. November 10 "The Fighting Races of India," by Mr. Frank Finn, B.A. November 17:

"

Maori and Fijians in the War," by Dr. A. C. Haddon, F.R.S. November 24: "The Folk-lore of the War," by Mr. E. Lovett. December 1: "Sea-power and the Downfall of Napoleon," by Mr. H. N. Milligan,