Evening star., 1928-05-19
THE LIBRARY TABLE
BY the BooklOUer

of college enrollments will soon be mil
lion or more, for each years secondary
school enrollments--now more than
1000 ,000.-tend to increase and a larger
fraction of high school graduates each
year desire to go to college How do
the young people in this swelling army
tor their parents, when they are allowed
to participate in the selection) choose
the colleges to which they will go? Some
go to the college nearest home; others
to the one where dad or mother went.
some where social preference leads;
where chums have gone or will go, and
some go where they can meet the stiff
fening entrance requirements A por-
ton at least, blessed with conscientious
and intelligent parents, are interested in
carefully studying the relative advan-
tages offered by various institutions with
the view of making a reasoned choice.
For this latter group American Univer-
stiles and Colleges" edited by DR.. David
Allan Robertson for the American
Council on Education, with headquar-
terS in Washington. affords the desired
information. The bulk of the book is
somewhat portentous. but the facts in
cluded are so Systematically presented
and so discriminatingly analyzed as to
furnish in single volume a reliable
statement of the present resources of
the universities and colleges of the
United States. The first part of the
book sets forth the organization of edu-
cation in this country. the character
and relations of colleges, universities
and professional schools, and also grad
uate schools of arts and sciences. This
account of our system OF higher educa-
tio.i furnishes point of view and
criteria by which to evaluate the facts
set forth In the second part of the
book. which gives in detail the general
character and resources of each of the
universities and colleges on the accred-
tied list of the American Council on
Education in 1927.
What are some of the questions that
are answered by American Universities
and Colleges" that should prove helpful?
1t defines college" by setting up stand
ards of entrance and graduation require
ments. faculty, income. buildings and
equipment, including laboratories and
libraries. DR.. Robertson dwells at
length on the Importance of the library,
and stresses the point that mere num-
Der of volumes is no satisfactory index
of the adequacy of the smaller college
library, or. for that matter. of the
larger; and points out that the book
IO44CIA4OlA NC lkl ICInk1OH
to the curriculum: also that the num-
Der Of current periodicals is significant.
Emphasis is likewise laid on the profess
sional administration of the library,
since 1.-The use of the books depends not
only on the assignment made by in
structors In the classroom but upon the
professionally trained librarian, master
of innumerable devices for making
books conveniently and quickly accessi-
bic, for stimulating and guiding a stu
dents interest in further reading on
specific subjects or IN general fields" !"
The editor also brings out that lin
every possible way the American college
library of today has been changed from
the institution of 1850. which
tended to discourage the habit of read
ing, into a workshop which every stu
dent is encouraged and expected 10 use ;"
X
DR., Robertson gives in some detail the
standard entrance requirements as set
up by the authorities that are widely
followed in English. including books for
required reading, as well as the require
ments in mathematics, French. history
and civil government, not overlooking
the use of the new psychological and
similar tests, He outlines such matters
as the curricula OF junior and senior
colleges, methods of instruction, the
health program. personnel procedure,
vocational guidance and placement, ex-
penses. loan funds. Self-heip. athletics
student life, including fraternities. honor
societies and academic costume He
similarly treats the details of graduate
work in universities, including q special
chapter on the foreign student in the
United States; also the various profess
sional schools, not alone those of the
older professions OF law, medicine and
theology, but also agriculture, architec-
ture. business. education, engineering.
Journalism. social work and library
science. In this section there are emu
merated under each profession the in
stitutions where each professional spe-
ciatty may be studied, with an outline
of entrance requirements. fees, courses
and equipment. More than 500 pages
OF the book are given to detailed de-
scriptions Of the colleges and universe
ties of the country. These are arranged
alphabetically, and run from a page or
less to six pages each, and contain an
enormous number OF facts arranged un-
der such headings as financial resources,
grounds and buildings. library, labora-
tories, entrance requirements, degree re-
quirements. fees, scholarships. etc. The
appendices contain information on the
American Council on Education, give
lists of institutions approved by such
bodies as the Association of American
Universities. fellowships and scholar
ships available in American institutions,
and a few important special libraries.
The resources and services of the Ii
brary of Congress are also described
somewhat in detail American Uni
versities and Colleges" represents a vast
amount of discriminating work in the
collection and exposition of facts. II Is
greatly TO be desired that new editions
be published annually or as frequently
as possible,
Herbert Hoover. descendant of pioneer
American Quakers. is shown as he is
known 10 ciassmate In VIII Irwins
Herbert Hoover: A Reminiscent Biog-
raphy." Hoover and WIN Irwin were
in Stanford University together. in the
first class, and Hoover worked his way
through. as he had been left an orphan
at 8 After graduation he worked in
Colorado mines as n day laborer for q
time, and then took an engineering posi-
ton in San Francisco His ability car
ried him into mining operations as
consulting engineer all over the world
In China, Australia. Japan. Burma,
Russia. The facts of Herbert Hoovers
interesting and exceptionally useful life
are well known. What makes WIN Ir-
wins book biography Of literary ap-
peal Is the picture 1t gives of his person.
ality as known by friend.
u NJ NJ
Another study of Dolly Madison and
her popularity Is Dolly Madison, the
Nations Hostess" by Elizabeth Iippin~
colt Dean. Something of the charm of
the woman who for so many years was
the central figure IN Washington society
iy revived IN this book and much of the
background against which she moved is
delineated. IN her house. facing La
fayette Square, now part OF the Cosmos
Club Dolly Madison received most of
the personages Of Washington, the
President, cabinet officials. judges, Army
and Navy officers and diplomats, as well