The New York herald., 1871-09-18
LITER AT u E.
School Houses and school Books.

School Houses and school Books.
SCHOOL HOUSES. BY James Johonnor. Architectu-
raj Designs by s. Il. Hewes. New York: J. w.
Schermcrhorn Co.
MANUEL OF READING, in four parts: Orthodoxy.
Glass Methods. Gesture anu EOcuti0n. Designed
for Teachers and Pupils. BY Ii. l.. ID. Potter. New
York: Harper Brothers.
The NoEMAL ELEMESTAKY AIRY ALGEBRA containing the
Conciseness and Simplicity. BY Edward Brooks.
Philadelphia: Sower, Potts Il Co.
LANGUAGES WITHOUT MASTER. BY A. II. Mon
teith. Philadelphia: I. b. Peterson & Brothers.
A MANUEL OF GERMAN CONVERSATION TO SUCCEED
THE GERMAN COURSE. BY George +. Comfort.
New York: Harper & Brothers.
The multiplication Of school houses in this coun-
try at this time is of much greater Importance than
the multiplication OF school books In most parts
OF the country the buildings erected for the public
schools are unworthy OF the boased intelligence of
our people Fortunately in the city of New York this
is not the case, but In the rural districts and even in
some OF the larger towns ana cities the most wretched
structures, furnished in the worst possible way are
thought good enough for school Il Juses. There has
been the most lamentable ignorance among teachers
and school boarls on this suolect, ana no one has
been able successfully TO point out the faults to
suggest remedy for the evils which were patent
TO every eye. We d. ubt whether even Mr.. Johon-
not's book VII speedily eradicate the errors IN
school architecture, but it Is step In the right
direction and not fail to do good. The tauts of
construction and the want OF taste In the orna-
mentati0n OF school houses, treated al length,
and such important questions as the arrangement
OF school rooms, hight, heating and ventilation fur
nlture. apparatus and OuIbuildings all allotted
separate chapter. Mr.. Hewes' designs are simple
and at the same time tasteful and inexpensive in
application, and The work will supply much needed
manual.
Mr.. JohOnn0ts former work on ''COuntry School
Houses" published In 1855, was the first effort
made IN this country to apply the principle OF archi
lecture to the construction OF school houses. 1t
bore good irults, ana the present work being
more complete treatise on the same subject it can.
not tail to have wider influence. We commend
1t heartily because the efficiency OF our common
school system depends almost as much upon the
school houses as the schools. II the lessons it
teaches are needed the unsighty buildings where
American children are compelled to receive their
elementary education Will be gradually replaced by
better structures, and the multiplication OF school
houses become great good to the people.
Turning rom this work to the second volume
named In our iist-Mr Potter's manual OF Read
ins"-we 1nd that we have hit upon another book
which, alter being remOdelled, will prove use.
lul IN making our common school system
meet the funlment of ITS mission. We rarely
hear good reader-sO rarely indeed that they
are regarded as phenomena. Children learn to
tiOn as art Is taught by few OF teachers and
many OF those who attempt to teach 1t have little
knowledge and skill as the buneling workmen who
built the unsghty school houses whose existence
we deplore. In how far this manual viii correct
this evil it is impossible to say, but IL seems admira
bly, adapted to she purpose for which 1t Is intended
The selections however, aie the worst that were
ev er put into book, and mar II beyond reparation
They are mere cuttings from feeble newspapers anu
magazines and in the whole collection there Is
scarcely flower from the fair field OF English
literature. The DOCK is the groundwork fer really
good manual, but new edition. which shall be IN
reality a new work, can alone make it acceptable
OF earn for it the commendaton we should have
been pleased TO give II if 1t had not Deen marred by
such an extraordinary blunder
What Professor Brooks elements OF Algebra
was written for 1t Is impossible TO say, unless it
10 satisfy the vanity Of ITS author ana add 10 the
perpcXit,es or teachers 1t Is no better and no
worse than a thousand other volumes on the same
and kindred subjects, and ought never TO have been
publshed. II algebra Is science at al. it is far
from being progressive, and rival books on the
SUBJECT useless Iiva editions OF the multi.
pllcat0n table. But We very much douot whether
tits science, and we sure thousands OF school
children waste valuable time TO good pur.
pose OF wnat use VIII it prove in the great battle
OF life to lave learned to substract &C from "a
We give The interesting 'operatiOn" for the benefit
OF such OF our readers as arc anxious learn the
compelled to make in obtaining an education
Here IL Isl
6 &C