the questioning period, say from three to seven, the way along the child is growing not as a unit, when the mind of the child is stung by little but that its growth is a “growth by parts," as new impressions and it is unhappy until it Dr. Burk bas recently brought out clearly in gathers together the scattered bits of perception regard to the physiological development. into a larger whole. Then comes the age of The point is to fix these periods so that we constructive imagination when there is a delight may have the life of the child stand out as perin throwing together and co-ordinating bits of fectly transparent before us, so that the teacher knowledge into larger wholes, a period so prom- may be a helper in what nature is trying to do. inent that we are learning to respect it more The teacher's highest function is to be a worker and more in the education of a child. One of with God, and to do this most effectually he or the best established periods, which has been she must understand God's laws in producing confirmed and clearly established by the cross- human beings. section method of studying children, is that of For a long time we have been talking about the development of the senses. This, let us “culture epochs.” We say the child repeats say, extends from six to ten or eleven. This is the history of the race, and we assume, too, a period that we used to call a dead period in that we know what the history of the race has child life, but now we see clearly that if we un- been. We say the child is now in the mythoderstand what nature is trying to do, namely, logical period, now in the Greek and Roman to develop accurate and skilled organs of sense period, now in the Renaissance period, or someperception, this would become one of the livest thing equally absurd, and that he must be in child nature. As a mere illustration of what trained by methods to fit each period. Our the ear is doing, we know from the work of culture-epoch theory assumes that we can asGilbert that the ear develops three times as certain the periods of racial development, which great capacity during the years from six to nine is impossible; that we can establish the corresas it does during the nine years which follow. ponding ages in the life of a child, which is That is, we may say the improvement of the equally impossible; and that we can fit the life ear in detecting differences in tone is nine times of the child to the life of the race, which is as greater in each of the former years than in the difficult as the problem of three bodies; and, latter. In the same way this is the rich period furthermore, that we can know what periods in the development of the eye. If we know to skip and what ones it is proper to emphawhat child consciousness can do and what it is. size. Now my contention is that we are talkhungry for at this age, namely, geographical ing in the dark. A child gets angry when he is excursions, clay modeling, appreciation of tones four years old and you say it is because he is in and colors, manual training, and the all round that period which corresponds to the one when development of the senses, this becomes one of self-preservation was a virtue. You say that the most interesting periods of development. it is a reverberation of ancestral life. The quesNext may be mentioned the nascent period of tion is, How do you know that it is an outcrop reason. Its rich period is at the beginning of of racial life! May it not be equally true that adolescence, as is shown by Hancock's study of it is due simply to a particular conjunction of the growth of reasoning in children and Lind- the planets, or that he walked the wrong way ley's study of the puzzle interest and the like. around a chair by accident, or that an invisible At about the same time comes an increment in spirit whispered in his ear, one of which is as the development of emotional life and the awak- probable as the other. ening on the physiological side. This latter What we should do is to cease talking about has heretofore been regarded as the most im- culture epochs and begin in earnest to ascerportant event in adolescence, but now we are tain psychological epochs. We may know with coming to see that the central fact in adoles- some degree of certainty what is true in the cence from the psychic side is the development child's development at this age and that, and of self-consciousness. With nut stopping to adapt ourselves to the different periods of demultiply these nascent periods we see that all velopment. When we do this we shall make an advance as much beyond the culture epoch When a large number of patient students discussion as science is in advance of mythology. shall finally have brought together their results,

Child study is to be made a science by exactly we shall some day have a knowledge of child the same development by which psychology has nature as accurate and reliable from a scientific become a science--by carrying the same meth- standpoint as that of our knowledge of adult ods of investigation and criticism into the consciousness, which will bring & vast deal of study of childhood that have been applied to

illumination into our methods of teaching. the study of grown people. At the present In the very near future child study will be time in Stanford University we have students one of the substantial, permanent, and helpful at work on the growth of the eye in its different

sciences. capacities, and of the various other senses, of

EDWIN DILLER STARBUCK. # the reasoning power, memory, association, Department of Education, Stanford University. aesthetic appreciation, et cetera. We have

*Address delivered before the Child Study section of likewise students working on the earlier years the California State Teachers' Association, December, of child life before the school age. Our pur

1898. pose is to contribute our little share in establishing psychological epochs.

IT

EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS American Libraries and American Money great opportunity in the endowment of existing T is a cause of rejoicing, that, during the last colleges' libraries. two decades, so great an advance has been Yale University had its inception in a gift of

made in library development and extension. books, an act highly significant of the nature of We are not ungrateful for what has already the work designed for the institution; yet books been done through private and public benev- are much more needed to-day because of a olence; yet to shut our eyes and ears in the change in methods of instruction than they were presence of great and urgent needs would be an in the days when the accepted text-book was the injustice to our rapidly developing country, common panacea. If it be said that our uniwhose very existence, as a republic, depends versities are now possessed of ample libraries, upon wide-spread general intelligence.

it may be well to mark these significant words, When we consider the condition of our numer- used by the librarian of our largest university ous college libraries, we see with but one or two library, Mr. Lane, of Harvard, in a paper at the exceptions the history of the first being re- Trans-Mississippi Congress of librarians: “In peated over and over again. Harvard at the any well-endowed college library, if there be a end of one hundred and twenty-six years had well-endowed colbege library, etc.” If this be but five thousand books. In our ever-increas- true of Harvard and other universities, what ing colleges to-day we see the pressing needs for can be said of our numerous ambitious, and buildings, salaries, and apparatus exhausting growing colleges, scattered up and down our the funds, while the books, on which the whole land, giving forth a reflected light, often pale efficacy of the instruction depends, come in as and feeble, when they would gladly shine as they may, given generally by those theologically suns? From a professor in one of our most inclined, and all too few by hard-moneyed lay- richly endowed universities came the complaint men. A new chair must ever be established, not long ago of the insufficiency of funds to and there is always need of one more test tube, purchase much-needed books. so that the library suffers. It has been well America is desirous of equalling the learning said that it is the part of wisdom to strengthen and scholarship of the old world. To do this somo already existing colleges rather than to it must have books and manuscripts.

Our start others in fields already occupied. Those librarians are eager to buy the libraries of diswho desire to perpetuate their names have a tinguished investigators, that, upon their death,

are frequently offered for sale in Germany and who will esteem it their birth-right to endow elsewhere. Expensive reproductions of old public libraries in their native towns, or their manuscripts are now temptingly offered to our privilege, as American citizens, to establish American libraries. The very success of this libraries in various places, where they are most most eagerly awaited event depends wholly needed. upon the ability of libraries to purchase the

W. E. JILLSON, reproductions. America has the money. Will

Librarian, Doane College. our philanthropists recognize their opportunity? One thing is imperative. Money must be given

Selection of Books For Public Libraries directly for the endowment of college libraries, and under no circumstances should the income

1. be diverted from its proper use in purchase of

THERE is no more important part of a books and manuscripts. Our libraries at pres

librarian's duty than the selection of ent are receiving too small an amount of the books, and this is particularly true at the general income of the colleges, in view of the present time. The awakening and activity important work now done by the libraries. A along lines of library economy, management, few keen-sighted college officials and trustees legislation and administration during the past recognize the need and make. generous pro- twenty years have rather thrown into the backvision for it; but far too many still think that ground that very important trait in the ideal the library can take care of itself. Let the librarian which may be called “bookishness.” money then be given directly, and if the name Too many libraries are collections of books, not of the donor go with it, to indicate the source selections. of the endowment of the whole library or some The problem is: Given a certain amount of section of it, there surely could be no better money (and it is never enough), what are the memorial. A great many of our college chairs best books for my particular library and its conhave been endowed and marked by the givers' stituency of users which that sum of money names; let us have more similarly endowed de- will buy? The wise solution of this question partmental libraries. One of our rich men re- involves a very wide, accurate, and thorough cently gave an account of how he had aided the knowledge of books, especially of books of the securing of endowments by a large number of hour, and how they should be chosen. It is not colleges; there is an equally good field for like so much a knowledge of their contents that is activity with reference to our college library necessary, but what their merit and authority endowments.

is. A library must be or should be encycloA like need exists in the case of most of our pedic, and special stress must be given along public libraries. With the exception of a few all the lines which will be of interest in the imrichly endowed libraries, and a few in large mediate community. cities, where the amount of taxable property The free public library is distinctly and bejustifies a generous expenditure for library fore all else an educational institution, and has purposes, the libraries of the country, “the come to be plainly recognized as filling an im people's colleges,” are struggling to do a much portant and almost unique place in our demoneeded work with insufficient equipment and cratic system of education and forming a posiincome. The one mill tax, authorized in some tive factor in the creation of that thoroughly states, yields too small an amount for the diffused and healthy intelligence which is the maintenance of first-class libraries, except in strength and which must be the salvation of our the large cities. While much further help may republic. reasonably be expected from cities and states If this be not the cornerstone upon which the in the near future, yet in a great many cases free public library rests, there is small excuse the most they can do will be insufficient to pro- for its being. Its scope is not limited to the vide the necessary buildings and books. We printed page. Culture and intelligence come need many more Carnegies, many more men through the ear with music, the lecture, and the

drama; through the eye with any sight of the sands, the few dozens, the few hundreds at treasures of art and science, and the agencies most, which should be brought into my library! which minister to these senses rightly find in the Can I do it myself, and how? Yes, you can do public library their fit custodian and the natural it yourself, but in sadly varying degrees of center for their study. But its chief mission efficiency. must always lie in the realm of the Book.

If you have good store of real culture, bred The library should extend a clean and sym- of broad, liberal education and a refined and pathetic hand to the youngest child, co-operate thoroughly informed environment; it knowledge intelligently with the school, furnish a labora- of books and men as sympathetic and intellitory for the advanced student, and, above all, gent as it should be wide and deep; if to this emphasizing the vital fact that education is as you have added a technical knowledge of first, long as life. It should stand ready to supple- second, and third-rate publishers, of relative ment and replace to any extent the formal proc- merits and of critical reviews and of the meesses of education, to aid every man and woman chanical points which mark a book as good or in solving intelligently and wisely the problems bad; if you are thus equipped, you are tolerof civil, domestic, or social life; to be a true ably fit to address yourself to the most difficult people's university, available for every mem- and responsible task which confronts a librarber of every home.

ian, and one, alas, which is too often but indifUpon the choice of its books must depend ferently performed. And in this enumeration the highest success of your library. This is a of qualifications I have purposely and of necesquestion vitally touching its chiefest functions. sity described a very much more than ordinary It has been truly said that people will read poor person, for only such a one can do this work in books if they can not readily have good books. the best way. And in just the degree that you I am just as sure that if poor books are denied fall below these criteria will your work in them they will read good ones.

choosing books fall below its highest possibiliBy good books are not meant solely standard, ties. As large a part, however, as temperaclassic, or Sunday school books, those of the ment and training do play in this work, there obtrusive moral or insidious intent; all these are still some broad and general principles things if you wish and much more. All books which are common to successful book selection, are good that are sane, wholesome, pure, and some canons recognized either consciously or sweet; any treatment in science or fiction, any unconsciously in the most intelligent sifting natural and uplifting story is a good book, and process, and it is my purpose to state some of that it is the duty of the public library to sup- these principles in such a way as to make them ply such books and none other is as sure practically useful to librarians in this work, to and as plainly demonstrable as that the city reading circles or study clubs, or to anyone shall supply good and not bad water. The

upon whom devolves regularly such a duty. moral health of a community is as important as

J. I. WYER. its physical well-being, and in this day of al- University of Nebraska Library. most universal reading and multitudes of cheap books the moral health of a community is in

Publisher's Statement fluenced in a great degree by the books they

As it was impossible to get the March numread.

ber out on time it was thought best to issue a

double number for March and April. This is Granted, then, that the public library has a

the first time in the history of this magazine certain amount of choice in the selection of its that it has not been mailed before the fifth day books; that it can not, even if it would, buy all of the month. We think this is not a bad recthe books that appear or even all the books

ord for nine years. The May number will be that its patrons might want, let us consider,

issued at its usual time and will contain two then, how this selection may be made wisely VIII. and IX. We trust that the excellence of

studies of the European History Series, Nos. and well. How is one to know the good books? this double number will compensate our friends Who is to choose from the annual grist of thou- for the waiting.

T"

VIII. Synthetic Operations: Environment and the Philosophy of History HERE was a time, and that not long ago, ter. The study of the relation of man to his

when a work on method would have been geographical environment must go hand in

complete without the treatment of such hand with the description of the acts that were questions as Environment and the Philosophy conditioned by that environment. of History. But that day is past. The histor- In dealing with this subject, it must never be ian of to-day realizes that it is not only neces- forgotten (1) that the historic races did not sary to consider each event as a link in a chain originate in the environment in which we find of events-if he would understand the particu- them, and (2) that man is not passive clay to be lar event—but that he must also possess a moulded by his physical surroundings. knowledge of the physical, psychical, and social No attempt should be made to explain the conditions that form the environment of the brilliant history of the Greeks from the geogevents. But the sciences dealing with these raphy of Greece alone. There is no way of deconditions are in a formative state and can termining how long the Greeks had been in furnish only scanty assistance. Anthropo- Greece previous to the recorded beginnings of geography, anthropology, ethnology, individual their history. It is very certain, however, and social psychology, and sociology will trans- that when they migrated to this country the form historical work when they themselves people bore with them tribal characteristics, inhave reached a more advanced stage of develop- herited from ancestors, who had been for thoument. Under the influence of these sciences,

sands of years subject to natural influences in synthetic historical work will, in the future, other places. How much, then, that we find in become scientific in its turn, and another im- Greek character is due to the environment in portant field will be rescued from dilettanteism.

Greece and how much to the earlier environThe influence of geography upon the de- ment of the ancestors of the Greeks, we shall velopment of society is recognized by histor- never be able to determine. Sappose, for an inians and, as a rule, every history of a people stant, that the records that made it possible to is prefaced by a chapter upon the geography explain the presence of the negroes in our southof the country. But this a rather poor make- ern states were lost. What success would the shift. It is almost equivalent to the presenta- historian have that attempted to explain the tion of crude material to be worked over by characteristics of these people from the enthe readers. The question that interests the vironment in which they find themselves to-day? student of history is “What influence did the Human beings, moreover, are not like chemgeography of the country have upon the his- ical atoms; the same external causes, acting on tory of its people?” That question can not different human aggregates produce unlike be answered by a simple description of the effects. To one people, a sea would be a barnatural features of the country; it can not be rier; to another, it is the threshold to a new answered once for all by an introductory chap- world. The character of a people must, then,