The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-09-03
neW Book neWS

1 one day. somewhat over sixty year
 ago. Professor Michael Tuomey. a eel
 ebrated British scientist. who after wards became the first State Geologis
 of Alabama, stood alone on top of Rec Mountain. The trained eye of the emf nent scientist recognized at once th' wonderful possibilities of the common place red dirt which he found in suci profusion about him. He recognized. a
 n glance. the wonderful capacities witt which nature had endowed that raw
 material, and understood the nature oi the processes necessary for It's conver- sion into a higher state of value and
 usefulness. He measured with his prac.
 teal eye the rich hematite deposits
 stored away in that mountain range
 for future development; he saw, in the valley below, the lime rock running | parallel with the iron, and beyond the valley, the vast Warrior coal fields with | their exhaustless treasure of black dia- 1 monds.' His creative imagination quickly combined these raw materials.
 and there arose before him a remark
 able vision of the future of the won
 derfui valley. In that vision he pro- | jected himself into the future; he saw | the smoke ascending from a thousand
 industries by day. and the night made | lurid by the flames from as many fur | naces, rolling mills and factories; and
 a teeming population pursuing the va
 rious avocations of a great and pros porous city. Descending to the valley
 below the inspired scientist directed | his footsteps toward the quiet village | Of Elyton. To crowd of farmers and | villagers in the old Court Square. he related his wonderful vision. They | listened to his strange story with com 1 passionate interest. but laughed his
 predictions to scorn--such has always | been the fate of the prophet and seer :" These lectures are made up of the brief talks to the students of the Birming- | ham High School their purpose has been even something more than in- structlon. it has been ever their pur- pose to present worthy ideals and be in some degree inspiration to nobler liv- ing. The book will prove a help to teachers in high schools and in gram mar schools, and 1t may with profit be used as a supplementary reader by the pupils themselves.
 Makers of American HistOry.-Prof Chandler's and Prof. Chitwood's special purpose fin this animated and very sug- gestive review of the Makers of Amer ican History" is to indicate. as they say in their preface, 'the strong points of their character, and at the same time to narrate the main events in our history" That the book may be used in schools in the different ways: as A primary history, as a supplement to a more formal school history, and as supplementary reader.
 "(1) As primary history. It is uni versally conceded that the proper way to teach history to children is by means of biography, and for this purpose the book has been written.
 "(2) As supplement to a school his- tory. Many of our best textbooks for want of space. do not give much biog- raphy or many incidents in the lives of the principal participants in our his- tory. In connection with such books this volume may be used. and the mak- CTS as well as the facts of history can be brought vividly before the pupils mind.
 "(3) As a supplementary reader. Books for the study of literature con tain chiefly selections from the best authors. Such readers should be sup plemented in every grade by some his torical matter, with view to keeping before the children the greatness and importance of our country among the nations of the world"
 A careful reading of the book in question will show 1t to be much that is claimed for 1t by the authors, and in many respects an admirable success Children will be apt to receive such
 
 heroes that they will want to know more. Indeed. this is the chief value of the book to my mind. that it blazes the way, so to speak, because any child who reads 1t will surely not be content until they have read more extended biographies of the makers of our hIs- tory
 About forty-two biographies are in cluded In this book, including Robert E. Lee and our own Hobson. That the account of Lee is eminently fair and just, you will judge by the concluding lines; His virtues will live forever and his character will be initiated by generations yet unborn" Hobson's plan of sinking a vessel In the narrow mouth of the harbor at Santiago so as to shut In the enemy's fleet is outlined, and the deed characterized as "a very brave deed.'
 The illustrations contain many care fully selected specimens of the chief in- cidents of the men whose lives and achievements are chronicled in the text.
 The book claims to be merely an out line supplement, but there is much to praise, for the selections seem to have been made with skill and consci- entiousness, and the running comments are clear and just.
 Moral EducatlOn-By Edward Howard Griggs. Mir. Griggs has won for him self the hearing of the world when he i speaks of that which has absorbed all l the best study and labor of his life, the 1 making of good men and women out of the good children given into our hands. For 1t is surely the business of every adult of this generation that | every individual of the next be a better | human being than the best of the last | That only means progress, anything less l
 Every step of progress, every dlscov- | eFys every success, every virtue of this | generation should be bequeathed to be | next Heir of All the Ages as an heri- tzSe beamins interest and that com | pounded. an ever increasing wealth of l character and strength. and goodness. | 4 t5s heritage fails to double itself | every seven years there Is a continual | teak somewhere. II Is the chief busi- 2 skB Of this generation to see that the | Esslth Of character which has been attained shall at least In our guardian's trust increase as rapidly and surely as 1i,hY lucTs does.
 Dr. GriE8s In an able preface points 10 the gra atifyins fact that all the na- tiOnA of earth now recognize the ut most importance of Moral Education.
 Education without moral training is a bans rather than a blessing We of the South have most startling and horror striking example of this con- before our eyes. The mil Hons and millions spent in the edu- cation of the negroes has not stemmed the tide of retrosression that has set In among them. Education without the moral training and control which wise masters were striving to