New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-09

profundity Mr. Henderson will be positively I'M
pressive The book Is intended for the Chau-
tau1ua Literary and Scientific Circle
Or r. A Hinsdales treatise on Horace
Mann and the Common School Revival in the
United States is a panstaking and laoorious
investigation into all the pedagogical ramfca-
lions OF Mr. Manns life. Teachers of peda-
gogics Will read the book with interest though
enthusiastic teachers in other departments may
possibly do no more than skim its pages. Inc
average member of the profession. we fear, VIII
perhaps read the book less attentlveiy'
though he is bound to admire the patience OF
the author.
In presenting Hanschmann's Life OF Froeoei
to English readers Miss Fanny Franks has
rendered n service 10 both English and AInel-
can pedagogics. one is tempted to thank her
quite as much for her smphcation AS for her
translation Of the somewhat inorganic original
As the book now stands in It's English YER
sion it gives not only interesting but an
adequate picture Of Froebel the man behind MS
me thods. The picture is necessary to interpret
and correct the methods That they were eX-
IRENE was due IN part 10 the quaint per
sOnaty OF the man. in part to the abnormal
character II his own education and In part 10
the doctrnare temper of his age HIS cary
schooling was in a girls seminary which proved
so charming TO him that 1t struck him as sad
and regrettabe thing that human beings shouid
be troubled with difference OF sex HIS later
education. az home. among strangers ana al the
University. so harshly discouraged by MS
father and his stepmother that 1t was purchased
only at the cost OF determination and temerity
When he returned 10 the schoolroom In the
character of a teacher he unexpectedly found
himself like Il fish in water. bird In the air
perfectly al home IN his work and us II ne had
always been q teacher. Reactlng from his own
recent hardships and, perhaps. recalling with
fOndness his pleaSanter experiences as q school
mate Of girls he set out To insinuate learning
into chidrens minds and make 1t alluring
That whatever he set out TO DO he carried TO
a logical extreme is well illustrated by his very
rustic school in the Kehau Valley. In their
fidelity to correct etymology the members OF the
school altered the names Of the neighborng
farmers and aborers 10 their original patro-
nymics. "Ziener" so says the biographer. be
came Zauner: Hauold became Haiuold, and
this in spite Of the protestations Of the peas
ants themselves. who referred the innovators
TO the authority Of their fathers. grandfathers
and great grandfathers. But the new names
having been traced to their origin by hidden
dorff and Froebel, and found TO be correct. re-
sistance was useless" Such was the spirit In
which the founder Of the kindergarten developed
and carried out his theories In their extreme
form they were perfectly adapted TO his own
peculiar needs "a a teacher. but II Is little Won
der that they have proved not only suggestive.
bur at times misleading TO his many diverse
disciples.
Teaching as a Business" 1, a reprint Of four
aggressively popular addresses on the art OF
getting on with superintendent and school
boards The author. Mr.. c. ", Barieen. sacri-
aces dignity TO exuberant liveliness OF style and
anecdote makes plain the hard and winding
paths OF practical common sense. and lays much
stress on the relation OF business shrewdness 10
q good pocketbook.
Mr. r. NJ wenley's Outline Introductory 70
Rants Crit,que OF Pure Reason" Will be much
clearer to the ordinary reader after he has read
the original 1t presupposes knowledge OF
philosophy which few readers Of shortcut meth
DDS in philosophy Will be likely TO have. The
volume IS published by Henry Holt g. Co. OF
New-York.
The same publishers issue Elementary
Spanish Reader" by Mr. NJ Montrose Ramsey.
The volume Is admirably simple. and TO any
one versed at all in French. Latin or Italian
will largely explain itself as It proceeds The
book is well adapted TO cultivate a reading
knowledge Of Spanish with little recourse TO
either grammar or dictionary.
The abridged grammar which forms the nrst
half Of NJ. Francoz Bergers French Method
Second Book" is a sklful BIT OF condensation
At times, however. condemnation Is pushed so
far that an untutored student might well be
confused by IT, II would be hard. however. TO
confne more useful Information on the French
language in such small space. The volume IS
published by the author. We may mention here
the "Verbes Francois Denandant dcs Preposi
tions" Of Nine. J. A. Darr. sent TO us b William
r jenkins The book s novel In aim and has
been prepared with sagacity and skill II should
prove serviceable 70 students. The same pub
Usher sends us DIT H1alrnar Edgren's Brief
Italian Grammar. with Exercises" a simple and
compact volume He issues also in pamphlet
form a textbook edition OF I'm Drama Nuevo,"
by Don Joaquin Estebaney edited by DR.. John
T. Motzks Of Leland Stanford. Jr.. University.
That the editor counts the play one OF the
greatest plays Of the worlds literature" Is prob
ably due in part to editorial enthusiasm. but II
is certainly true that the situation portrayed
is as powerful as II is original.
Oesterleys text a critical and dispassionats
Introduction and admirably concise notes make
up substantially DR.. w. H. Canuths edition OF
"schIller's Wilhelm Tell" The volume is pleas
antly printed and bound by the Macmillan Com
pany.
The Selections from EHommond's VIII
Roma and Cornelius Nepos which Messrs. j. T.
Buchanan and K A Minkwtz have recently
edited makes a convenient stepping stone from
the pupils first Latin book to the difficult pages
OF Cesar Eight weeks. In the editors view are
required to master 1t. The volume L. published
by Maynard Merrill q Co.
Foreign peoples offer good subject az any