Evening star., 1914-07-25


tano's.
THE most important part Of this
volume of plays is, by all odds,
not a play at all, but, instead.
l. the authors treatise on parents
and children. Here. with Gus
tomary disregard as to where the blows
fall. Mr.. Shaw strikes out at the ignorance
and stupidity of the elders-parents.
teachers and any other overlord of child
hood-in relation to children. To his
thinking. the most needed of all forward
movements in any field Whatsoever is a
child magma charta, q declaration Of the
rights Of children. What Is a chtld?''
asks Mr.. Shaw. IAN experiment A
fresh attempt to produce the Just man
made perfect: that is. to make humanity
divine" He then discusses the attitude
of the home and the world toward chill
dren. giving along the way a very i'm
portant analysis of the various devices
and nakeshifts now used to train and
educate children. Having scored merci-
lessly. but quite fairly. conditions as
they now stand in relation to the chill
dren of the earth, Mr.. Shaw fares daunt-
iessly forth into plan for a child's 3
world. and taken all in ALL 1t is the most
considerable scheme of education that
one will find in many day. To be sure
1t. so TO speak. knocks both parents and
schoolmasters into cooked hats as be-
ginning, but this. upon the whole, does
not seem so much of a disaster as bare
and unexplained statement of the fact
would make it appear. And. to be sure.
Mr.. Shaw is utterly shocking at times
here. But if what he says is true-and
IL is true-it is high time for the RESPONSE
bie but incapable superiors to be shocked
Full of insight and feeling. fun Of a most
about the needs of this case of the chill
dren. Mr.. Shaw offers in this treatise an
unsurpassed treatment of education as
an outcome of this discussion Of the re-
lation of parents and children.
LETTERS OF A WOMAN HOME
STEADER. By Gilmore Pruitt Stew
art. Illustrated by n. c. Wyeth. Bos-
ton. Houghton Miftiin Company.
These are free and intimate letters.
This woman homesteader is overfowing
with things to write and, what is quite
as much to the point. she knows how to
write them with vividness and charm,
Elated by the free and independent life
of the frontier, all of it looks glorious
and momentous to her. So. every part of
IT. little and big things alike, goes into
these letters to the friend back east"
In Denver Taken together these bright
and busy letters make remarkable pic
fure of the hard life, but the full life, of
thls woman pioneer. And ones enjoy
1nent OF this graphic record is no greater
Than is his pride in this dauntless and
unconqnerable woman: The story is a
splendid contribution to the already large
account of the best achievements of
women in the present
Mrs Stewart some years ago was left
:. widow with little daughter to support
itAsins tried one thing and another. she
=
i%i'i"stead About the rewards Of this
'''i'iire Mrs. Stewart says: '.To me
'"nesteading is the solution of all poy-
CRY problems, but 1 realize that tenn
l's'iinent has much to do with success
IL any undertaking. At the same time,
lF ;. can see the beauty of the sunset.
LES growing things and is willing to
d' III as much time at careful labor as
sue does over the washtub. will certainly
succeed. will have independence, plenty
to eat all the time and a home of her
own in the end
JUVENILE COURTS AND PROBATION.
BY Bernard Flexner and Roger N.
BALDWIN New York: The Century
Company.
ihis volume is, in part, a summary of
the work of the Juvenile court in the
United States since the establishment of
the nrst of these courts at Chicago in
1899 In other part, 1t is a constructive
program for the future expansion of this
institution as one of the most important
OF social agencies The study defines
very cIeariy the aims of the court and
aiiaiyzes the principle involved in its
development and from which it takes
both It's general character and its method
OF procedure This principle is merely an
extension of the common law rule that a
sponsible for his criminal acts The III
venIie court legislation carries this idea
forward. raising the age limit to sixteen
or even more. as the age under which a
Vio.;'tor OF the law shall not be consid-
cred criminal. To correct the condi-
tons surrounding delinquent children. to
remove the causes of delinquency is the
Immediate end of the court, and not
merely to pass sentence upon particular
acts of 1awlessness. Upon this founda-
ton the authors describe the work of the
various courts in the United States, with
the express desire of reaching some COM
mon ground of aim and understanding
that shall result in a somewhat uniform
management. The thorough and specific
character of this study. its source in
practical experience and its clear per
spective of future efficiency make this a
very important contribution to the sub
ject of Juvenile courts. and make 1t at
the time when the public stands in need
Of this generally informed and construc-
tive view.
THE SOUL OF AMERICA: A Construc-
tive Essay in the Sociology of Re-
ltR1on. BY Stanton Colt, author of
Social Worship" New York: The
Macmillan Company.
In this volume DR.. Colt makes study
OF our spiritual resources. for the pur-
pose. in the first place. Of pointing out
the present waste of these resources. and,
in the second place to show how these
may be reorganized and co-ordinated into
a means of spiritual unification of the
people. irrespective of race or creed or
sect. This unihcation complete. the au-
thor shows. definitely and conclusiyely
how it would act as an invincible cham
pion of national and social righteousness
eliminating. as healthy body throws off
impurities. the Ills that beset our social,
industrial and political systems. In this
constructive program DR.. Colt has much
TO say to the churches. much about the
<f f,oy,