that can not be easily gathered elsewhere. There are 24 halftone illustrations of the government at work.

Citizens Made and Remade by W. R. George & L. B. Stowe (Houghton $1.25 n) is a readable and significant account of how young toughs and parasites of society have been and can be made into useful citizens, self-governing and self-supporting. Mr George, the originator of the George Junior republics, provides the data about their theory and evolution. Mr Stowe, who has been secretary of the school citizens committee, is responsible for the material relating to school states, pupil self-government and pupil participation in self-government. The book includes numerous anecdotes of self-government in practice. Among them is the following speech delivered by a boy in a Brooklyn "school state," which clinched the case for "votes for girls" in the school:

"Mr Speaker, we haven't anything to do about whether women vote or whether they can't, that's none of our business, so it's no sense to talk about it. But it is our business to make our school state the best school state as we can make it. Now I've noticed that the girls don't obey our laws very good an' I don't believe we can ever make them good till we give 'em something to say about makin' 'em. Therefore I think we ought to leave 'em vote so as to make our school state as good as we can make it."

The book concludes with the presentation of a plan applying the principles which have already proved notably successful in the reformation of boys and girls, to law-breaking adults. There are 14 halftone photographs.

Fresh Air and How to Obtain It by Dr T. S. Carrington (National Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis $1) is a profusely illustrated and valuable handbook on the most up-to-date methods for securing fresh air in the home. Its chapters deal with ventilation, window tents, roof bungalows, wall houses, iron frame porches, temporary and permanent fresh air porches, methods of protecting and screening, tents and tent houses, open-air bungalows, suggestions for planning new houses with openair apartments, roof playgrounds, clothing, bedding and furniture. The 150 illustrations include halftone photographs, drawings, floor plans and elevations.

In the Romance of Submarine Engineering by T. W. Corbin (Lippincott $1.50 ) the pictures of divers at work, of diving bells, submarine boats (interiors and exteriors), tunnels, cables, breakwaters etc. will stir the blood and entice older boys and men to read the simple, nontechnical and graphic descriptions which require no scientific training on the part of the reader. The book contains interesting accounts of the "construction of submarine boats, the salving of great ships, the recovery of sunken treasure, the building of breakwaters and docks, and many other feats of engineering beneath the surface of the water."

Of Matthew Henson, author of A Negro Explorer at the North Pole (Stokes $1 n) Peary says "I have taken him on each and all of my expeditions, except the first and also on each of my farthest sledge trips. This position I have given him primarily because of his adaptability and fitness for the work and secondly on account of his loyalty. He is a better dog driver and can handle a sledge better than any man living except some of the best Esquimo hunters themselves." Mr Henson's narrative gives a brief account of his life, and the personnel of the party, incidents of the expedition recorded in his diary, and a description of the final dash to the pole made only by Peary, Henson and four Esquimos. This little book with its record of courage and fidelity will probably be read by many who would hesitate before the more formidable bulk of Peary's own story.

Among the more recent issues from the press, the following are also distinctly worth while :

California Coast Trails, by J. S. Chase.

The following table represents the votes of fourteen experts on children's books, on a tentative selection of the best children's books of 1912, and shows the basis for the selection of the 50 children's books which were included in the recently published New York State 250 Best Books of 1912 for the Village Library. Children's librarians may find it of interest for comparison with their own purchases already made and of suggestion and help in further selection.

In previous years this tentative list has been published in the New York State Tentative List of Best Books but the discontinuance of that publication necessitated this year the preparation of typewritten lists, on which seventeen authorities on children's books were asked by the editor of Best Books to indicate their choices for the small library. They were requested to record their opinions as follows:

Bullivant. Home plays.

3

Burgess. Boy scouts of woodcraft

Mother West Wind's animal friends..

3

Burton. The boy scouts of Bob's hill....

I

Canton. Child's book of warriors Carroll. Alice's adventures

in

Wonderland and Through the

Of the seventeen librarians who were asked to vote, the following (fourteen) rendered valuable assistance through their prompt and cordial cooperation: Miss Caroline Burnite, Cleveland Public Library; Miss Agnes Cowing, Pratt Institute Free Library; Miss Anne T. Eaton, University of Tennessee; Miss Margaret H. Evans, Buffalo Public Library; Miss Clara W. Herbert, Public Library of District of Columbia; Miss Caroline M. Hewins, Hartford Public Library; Miss Alice G. Higgins, Utica Public Library; Miss Clara W. Hunt, Brooklyn Public Library; Miss Alice M. Jordan, Boston Public Library; Mrs Edna Lyman Scott, Oak Park, Ill.; Miss Frances J. Olcott, Rockville Center, N. Y.; Miss Ethel P. Underhill, Worcester Free Public Library; Mrs Alice G. Whitbeck, Richmond (Cal.) Public Library; and Miss Martha T. Wheeler, New York State Library. composite of their decisions is tabulated below.

looking glass; illus. by Abbott. (Washington sq. classics).

6

Chamberlain. Europe; a supple

mentary geography..

5

Claudy. The battle of baseball.

8

Collins. The wireless man.

7

Dix. Betty-bide-at-home.

3

Ellis.

4

Finnemore.

2

I

Japan..

5

23

Seawell. The son of Columbus.. Selections from the Riverside literature series for fifth grade reading

I Selections from the Riverside literature series for sixth grade reading...

Seton. The book of woodcraft.
Shakespeare. Works. The Ben
Greet Shakespeare for young
readers, etc. όν.

Sharp.

The spring of the year.
Winter..

8 Smith, E. B. The seashore book. Smith, J. W. Dickens's children.. Stevenson. Children's classics in

7

dramatic form.

Bk. 5..

Swift. Gulliver's voyages to Lilliput and Brobdingnag; illus. by Staynes.

Synge. A book of discovery.

Tailor and the crow (the); illus. by Brooke...

Thibault. Bee, the princess of the dwarfs; retold in English by Wright; and illus. by Robinson.. Thorne-Thomson. East o' the sun and west o' the moon.. Tomlinson. The young minute! man of 1812..

Torelle. Plant and animal children

Van Sickle & Seegmiller. Riverside readers, fourth, fifth and sixth readers..

Wheeler. Russian wonder tales... Whitehorn. Wonder tales of old Japan..

Williamson. John and Betty's Scotch history visit.

Winter. Billy Popgun..

Young. Behind the dark pines..
When we were wee.

Zwilgmeyer. Johnny Blossom.

5

I

3

2

3

7

2

3

I

3

MOST EXCELLENT "BLOOD AND

THUNDER"

3

MARTHA T. WHEELER, NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY The scene of a new story for boys by John Masefield, entitled Jim Davis (Stokes $1.25 n)

is laid on the coast of Devon in the beginning of the nineteenth century, when smuggling was a profitable business, made more fascinating by the serious dangers risked in eluding the vigilant arm of the law. Jim Davis, through accident and no worse fault than a boy's natural curiosity, learns too much about a smugglers' band in his neighborhood, and is carried off by the ringleader, in order that he may himself become so involved in one of their raids that he will preserve silence to save his own neck. Then follow adventures with revenue cutters and dangerous seas, and a terrible fight with cavalry lying in wait for their landing, when horses plunge into the sea, and blood flows red over its waters. The boy is made of flesh and blood, and is not precocious, and indeed the characters all have the individuality that Mr Masefield knows so well how to convey in few words, and, unlike too many, does not think thrown away in a 'juvenile." His vigorous, clear and telling style has attracted more than one grown up reader to follow the tale to the final page. Few writers have in so marked a degree the art of terse, effective expression, in which events move swiftly and the youthful reader never suspects that he is reading literature and liking it! All the thrills which he covets are here, yet the moral attitude, as in Mr Masefield's earlier story of excitements and dangers, Martin Hyde, is entirely wholesome.

Another tale of exciting adventures and terrible dangers is H. Sienkiewicz's In Desert and Wilderness, lately translated by Max A. Drezmal and published by Little, Brown & Co. at $1.25 n. It tells of the kidnaping of a Polish boy of fourteen and a little English girl of eight, whose fathers are engineers stationed at Suez at the period of the Mahdi rebellion and the death of Chinese Gordon. They are carried off by treacherous natives, to secure the safety of a Mahdi follower whose life is in danger. Months of travel across the deserts, through unhealthy tropical regions to Kartoum and to the heights of Abyssinia follow, and their lives are many times in immediate and frightful danger from treachery, uncivilized natives, cruel enemies, wild beasts, poisons, and jungle fever. No Henty boy was ever more resourceful than the young hero; but unlike the Henty boy he is no automaton moved by wire pulling, but an interesting well-individualized human

being. The other characters, good and bad, also have life. An astonishing amount of information about African climate, fauna, flora and tribes is conveyed and made much more than readable. One forgets the rather stiff manner of the translation after a chapter or two; it can not long conceal the power of a great writer. Whether or not this book was written for boys is not indicated by the publisher but it surely belongs to them primarily.

The question of what to give the boy who wants stories of wild adventure, the daring of the criminal at bay and the smell of bloody fighting, and who clamors for nickel tales comes up ever and anon in our library conferences. Someone is sure to suggest Treasure Island, and perhaps Janvier's Aztec Treasure House follows. These are admirable but may prove insufficient as a stop gap; though they bring to the boy a sample of better things in style while satisfying his natural appetite, there is danger that he may relapse, because not quite ready either to move on to the best tales of adventure for older readers, or to exchange his ideals for quieter ones. Perhaps the average children's librarian, who does not often share the taste herself, has not been sufficiently alert to discover and remember the better books which meet the need and has lost track of serviceable tools. There are grades of merit even among books which do not rise to the standards of those described above. If a boy is bound to read about crime and sensational dangers it is better (though he should not be preached at) that he regard them from the good citizen's angle of vision than the criminal's own, and that the story be told cleanly, as in such books as Hunting's Witter Whitehead's Own Story and its sequel. One hesitates to put these books on brief lists recommended for purchase, such as our annual annotated Best Books, because it is neither necessary nor desirable to cultivate an early taste for detective stories among children whose reading naturally follows more profitable lines; yet they should be kept in mind and gratefully made use of when the need arises. Charles Pierce Burton's Boys of Bob's Hill is another example of the sort of book that may prove very useful in some cases, yet which would hardly find a place in a list of choice books for boys. Would a carefully annotated record of these relatively wholesome books not unreservedly recom

mended but cordially indorsed on occasion, be practicable?

RECENT STATE PUBLICATIONS OF INTEREST TO LIBRARIES

C. B. LESTER, NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Reports of a number of state institutions are now available but this article mentions only such publications as contain something of general interest. It may be suggested, however, that a library which can make use of material along any special line of charitable or correctional work would find the detailed reports, showing just what the State is doing in that field, of advantage on its shelves. Apply in any such case to the various institutions whose reports are needed.

The report of the Commission on Barge Canal Operation is of importance and interest especially to libraries within the territory to be served by the canal. It considers the question of broad general policy with reference to maintenance and operation of the enlarged canal and terminals. Apply to your senator or assemblyman.

The conservation of water and the development and use of water powers has been a question for serious consideration at this session of the Legislature. Libraries should keep up with the more important literature of this subject from all sources. Apply to your senator or assemblyman for the majority and minority reports of the Ferris Commission transmitted to this Legislature and also for the important hydro-electric bills introduced on the subject. The second annual report of the Conservation Commission also has some discussion on the subject of the conservation of water for power purposes. Apply to the commission for this.

The papers and discussion at the first conference of teachers of the deaf have been printed at the New York Institution for the Deaf to which application for the report might be made by those interested.

Several valuable addresses by Dr Thomas E. Finegan, Third Assistant Commissioner of Education, have been printed in pamphlet form and may be obtained from the Department. Recent numbers are: The organization of city school systems. The establishment and development of New York's school sys

tem, Uniformity of standards in school administration.

The voluminous preliminary report of the Factory Investigating Commission was presented to the Legislature of last year. Many of its recommendations were embodied in legislation and the life of the commission was extended for further investigation. At the present session a further comprehensive report on many phases of the labor problem has been submitted. It summarizes the earlier work of the commission and then takes up: the labor law and its administration, the fire problem, manufacturing in tenements, the canneries, child labor, night work of women in factories, bakeries, general sanitary conditions, accident prevention, dangerous trades, foundries and employment of women in core rooms, employment of women and children in mercantile establishments. The work of the commission has already been fundamental in its influence upon labor legislation and these reports are of permanent value. Apply to your senator or assemblyman for them.

Some of the most valuable material with reference to the current working of the State government has been made available through reports of special commissions under executive direction and in special messages from the Governor. Request for these publications should be addressed to your senator or assemblyman or directly to the executive chamber. Among these items may be mentioned: Report of the committee of inquiry, with special reference to the financial aspects of the work of various State departments; Special message (April 10) on election laws, short ballot, and direct primaries; Message (April 7) with communication for the attorney general, relative to diversion of waters of Niagara river; Report of the Public Health Commission; the latter supplemented by a message (March 12) transmitting draft of a bill to carry into effect the recommendations of the commission; special message (January 27) relative to the stock exchanges; Report of commissioner (W. B. Ellison) on revision of the standard fire insurance policy.

The public papers of Governor John A. Dix for 1912 are now available in a substantial volume, containing messages, vetoes, memoranda on bills signed, appointments, addresses and other matter. Apply to the executive offices.

The first school for training in librarianship having completed twenty-five years of successful work there has been made an illustrated compilation of "impressions" of the school and its work in The First Quarter Century of the New York State Library School. Copies may be obtained from the State Library.

The annual reports of the commissioners of the State Reservation at Niagara contain illustrations which might prove useful in our smaller libraries. The text would be of value only in connection with the question of conservation of water power. Probably recent reports can be obtained by libraries on request addressed to the commissioners at Niagara Falls.

Any library interested in material on probation will find on page 39 of the sixth annual report of the State Probation Commission a summary of important facts in the development of probation in this State from 1901, when the first law was enacted, to the date of the report. Apply to the commission if this can be made useful.

The reports of the commissioners of the State Reservation at Saratoga Springs have made clear the soundness of the arguments on which the original legislation of 1909 was based. "It seems beyond question that the action taken by the State was absolutely necessary and that it is already fully justified." The nearly completed acquisition of the properties of immediate importance has brought results of state-wide interest in the restoration of the natural flow of these famous waters. The current report is profusely illustrated. Apply to the commissioners at Saratoga Springs.

In our last article we noted the issue of the first annual report of the Secretary of State. The precedent has been followed by the appearance of a second report for 1912.

The State Library has a supply of the following items, copies of which should be obtained by libraries desiring them before the supply is exhausted. Individual items of this sort are difficult to obtain unless requested while "in print."

Adirondack map 1909

Arbor Day Annual 1911, 1912

Forest, Fish and Game Report (illustrated volume) 1907-1909

Museum memoir 14 (2 vols.)—“ The Eurypterida of New York"