The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1916-11-03
GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS
AS AIDS IN SCHOOL WORK
BY E. J. Erwin, Asst. Prof. of Eng.

Teachers who are hampered by
inadequate school libraries, should
get in touch with the great re.
sources offered by the United State:
Government. Although hundreds ,oi
books and pamphlets published by
the government are totally useless
for practical purposes, there are g
great number which offer unlimited
opportunities 10 the teacher. Any
one interested should write for a copy
of a Bulletin published by the Blu
reau of Education, entitled. Teach
ing Material in Government Educa-
tons. bulletin 1913. No. AT; whole
number 55S.) This little bulletin
gives a list of available material for
use in teaching several subjects, and
also information in regard to meth
DDS of securing the various publica-
tons. The list, of course. is some
what out of date, but gives a good
idea of what can be done with Gov
eminent material.
The Bulletins of the Bureau of
Education themselves should be ia
miliar to every teacher. Although
some of them deal with minute tech
meal subjects. many contain valuable
information written by experts in
popular form. Most of them arc
free, and for the others only n small
tee is charged b. the Superintendent
of Documents.
The Superintendent of Documents
p%rice-lists Of all Government
documents bearing on a particular
This is valuable because
the information desired frequently
appears in a volume with a very I'M
promising title. The bulletin men,
above also divides the mater
ial under various subjects, as fol-
Agriculture, economics, ge-
,graphy, history, hygiene, nature
-tudy. The elist could of course. be
extended. In agriculture
and nature study the publications of
he Department of Agriculture cover
4 wide field. The most popular Sc
lies. the Farmers Bulletins" give
!, a of information on all subjects
pertaining to rural life. including
,ome economics. sanitation and ed
lcation, as we'll as technical agricul-
.ural questions. In economics, the
of the Census Bureau,
he Department of Labor and the In
.erstate Commerce Commission, treat
/ great many phases of economic
bought. For proceedings in Con-
our senators and representa-
ives can always secure information
or us. The publications which
teal with geography and history treat
exclusively of the United States and
is possessions: but the Bureau of
American Republics is issuing a
deal of information in regard
O conditions in South and Central
america. For the diplomatic rela-
ions of the United States the Gov
,rnment material is absolutely essen
.ial. AS to hygiene the Public
Health Bureau publishes many PAM
which could be used in the
lass room. The Children's Bureau
lnder the Department Of Labor, is
a lumber of bulletins
should be in the hands of par
mes as we'll as teachers. In other
ields, geology, biology. chemistry,
astronomy, autobiography, engi-
leering, mechanics, good roads. and
dozen others, much information can
,e secured from the Government
rec, or at very slight expense.
l should like to take up some of
hese publications in detail, but this
hort paper can give only a hint as to
he wonderful which are !
to the wide awake teacher in
earch Of new material.