Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-27
BOOK REVIEWS.

THE COMING GENERATION. By Will
liam Byron Forbush, Phi. D.. Lift.
d. New York: D. Appleton & Co.
- rOT quite everybody writes duly
about educating children and
looking generally after their
permanent welfare. One re-
calls that William Hawley
smith does not. Nor does William
Byron Forbush in this stirring volume.
obviously Mr. Forbush believes that he
is writing on the most important subject
in the world. So he takes no chances
on driving his thoughts deep. Even the
look of the pages solicits attention, with
their crystal sentences, their short para
graphs their compact chapters. each
rounded with references in support OF
their contention. The book is marvel
OF knowledge of children, a wonder OF
penetration and sympathy, storehouse
of suggestion and broadly constructive
plans 1t tng!es with vitality and force
and good sense. Every phase of boy
and girl life comes under clear and tender
scrutiny here. All the forces outside
them. are gathered and weighed and, II
possible, placed TO their account III
parents and teachers could study into
themselves the spirit of this hook or,
better. IL they could absorb ii by the
grace of God and their gifts of heart. all
the other valuables Of the study would
be added TO this supreme one One OF
the few real books about children.
SOCIAL ASPECTS OF EDUCATION: a
Book of Sources and Original Dis
cuxsions with Annotated Bibliog-
raphies. BY Irving King, Phi D.,
assistant professor OF educa.ion.
State University OF Iowa. New
York: The Macmillan Company.
The clear purpose of tbs comprehen-
sive. conyergent study is to open the win
dows of education toward Jerusalem. to
orientate it upon society of which IT is
part. TO open its eyes 10 the changing
aspects of society, and TO turn its hand
to measures titted to keep education in
step with tn : social grow n. certainly
no more wor ny object could animate an
educator than this. To bring education
out of the wilderness and set IL running
along the highway made by modern HE
is to be on the mountaintop OF lnSpifa-
ton The author has gathered here HGch
that has been pertinenIy thought anu
said by effic ent and d-StlnSu shed edu-
Gators on the external social relations OF
education. Here are discussions on the
relations of home and school. the schooi
as a center of social life, school gardens
p4a
cation. The social atmosphere of the
school Itself is stud ed by means OF socidi
groups, clubs, societies, plans OF sell
government and on The whole Is
valuable contribution, Gear call to
make the schools an organic part of the
social whole. The numerous papers IN
Guided here are thoughtful. suggestive.
Informing, but they are not interesting
One wonders why studies of education
SO commonly lack spirit and the captivat.
ing graceS of artistry.
THE CHURCH AND SOCIETY. BY r.
- Fulton Cutting, Ii. d., president OF
=. the New York Association for Im-
proving the Condition OF the Poor. The
- Kennedy lectures for 1912 in the New
York School of Philanthropy. New
York: The Macmillan Company
THE half dozen lectures that make Up
this volume grew out of Mr.. Cuttings
Widespread study of the churches for in
formation about what they are doing TO
desperate with the civil authorities
around them IN the present. general effort
towarS-a better adjustment a. more. eff
cient use of our social forces. These adj
dresses shape and project vital ques-
ton, one, too. that thousands are asking
in their thoughts If not in open speech.
The answer, coming quick and straight, Is
that organized Christianity is not to any
appreciable degree aligning itself With the
government as an agent of social reform.
The author spreads out his Investigations
in an orderly way, discussing the church
in its relation 10 the public schools, to
child labor, to the public health. to the
police, TO the courts, to labor and en-
pfoyment. to municipal charities and to
the numberless other interests of the
civil government in its local welfare
These lectures are rich in suggestions
and plans by which the churches. rich
in numbers. wealth. organization and in
f'uence may prove the chief agent of
GIN in rom mil
happily on the highway OF moral and ma
terial health and plenty. This is very
far, calm study, presenting facts, offering
plans and dealing not at all in blame and
reproaches An appendix makes record
by place and date and measure OF what
ever any church throughout the land Is
doing TO cooperate with the government
In solving social problems. 1t is meager.
scattered, painless exhibit, but il is a be-
ginning. and So hopeful. The book is d
most timely first aid TO such churches as
are realizing that their best business is to
function, in social reform as an agent
of the government.
GOVERNMENT BY ALL THE PEO-
PIE: Or, the Initiative, the Refer
endum and the Recall as Instru-
ments of Democracy. BY Delos r.
Wilcox. Phi. D., author of The
American City," etc. New York
The Macmillan Company
BY way of this exhaustive study Mr.
Wilcox makes enthusiastic analysis OF
what he is pleased to call our present ex-
periments toward a pure democracy. This
experiment. in Its spirit and intent. stands
comparable TO the Athenian city -state, and
to the New England town meeting The
instruments of these old democracies
now useless and out-moded, are sup
planted by the three popular powers
named in the title OF this volume
and pure democracy flowers anew These
powers are discussed by argument The
objections to each are conscientiousIy
marshaled. only 70 be chased off tie page
by the zeal of arguments In their favor
The author intends TO be dispassonate
and fair but ardor will. despite him.
creep into his .fors'' and apathy will
fatten out his 'againsts" However, IL Is
a very informing discussion one which
every student OF the present mobile s:tua-