affairs, come slowly by evolution, more rapidly, though sometimes disastrously, by revolution. This particular reform is progressing slowly, but surely, by evolution.

To sum up, Comenius had already attained, in the seventeenth century, the conception of the modern elementary school, because he insisted upon :

I. The equal education of both sexes, and of all classes of persons, through the universal establishment of schools accessible to all.

II. The improvement of the curriculum by elevating the study of the mother tongue to the first place, by introducing the study of history, geography, natural science, training in the mechanic arts (Unterweisung in den menschlichen Berufsarten), the elements of economics and politics, and moral training.

III. A method of teaching" according to Nature," i. e., the constant use of the senses in acquisition (perception, Anschaunung) and the attempt to adapt instruction to the individual needs, tastes, and capacities of the pupils.

Further, in insisting that all classes and both sexes should attend the elementary school whether destined for higher courses or not, i. e., in planning his school system, Comenius sought to realize a scheme by which the lower courses should meet the higher, without any break, from the primary school to the university. Finally, in his appeals to all men of rank and station in behalf of education, and in his repeated insistance upon schools for all, Comenius shows that he regarded education as a function of the state, untrammeled by sectarian influences, and so foreshadowed the free secular school."

While yet in the full vigor of his maturity, Comenius was invited to come to America and become the president of Harvard College. In Cotton Mather's "History of Harvard College," in the Magnalia, book iv, p. 127 (London, 1702), we find : "Mr. Henry Dunster continued the President of Harvard College, until his unhappy Entanglement in 15 See Hermann Hoffmeister, Comenii Didactica Magna in Rücksicht auf die Volkschule, p. 19, where reference is also made to Seyffarth, Comenius, p. 66.

the Snares of Anabaptism; fill'd the Overseers with uneasie Fears. Which Uneasiness was at length so signified unto him, that on October 24, 1654, he presented unto the Overseers an Instrument under his Hands; wherein he Resigned his Presidentship, and they accepted his Resignation. That brave Old Man Johannes Amos COMENIUS the Fame of whose Worth hath been trumpetted as far as more than Three Languages (whereof every one is Endebted unto his Janua) could carry it, was indeed agreed with all by our Mr. Winthrop in his Travels through the Low Countries, to come over into New England and Illuminate this Colledge and country, in the Quality of a President, which was now become vacant. But the solicitations of the Swedish Ambassador diverting him another way, that Incomparable Moravian became not an American." Though Comenius himself did not come to America, his text-books, especially the Janua, did come. They seem to have been used as text-books here in Massachusetts, perhaps in Harvard College itself, more probably in the Boston Latin School.10

16 The writer has before him a copy of the Gate of Languages (Janua) printed in London, 1670. Fifty years after its publication it was the property of the writer's great-grandfather, a graduate of Harvard College of the class of 1724. Following the family line it belonged in 1813 to one of the writer's uncles, who graduated from Phillips Academy at Exeter, in that year, and went out of Harvard a member of the Class of 1818. It seems to have been a text-book in the College, and there are other worn and stained copies in the library."-In Boston as an Educational Center, by Arthur Gilman, a beautifully illustrated and excellent article in the Supplement to the Christian Union, July 4, 1891.

Besides other text-books of Comenius there are four copies of the Janua in the Harvard College library. One of these, a Latin-Greek edition, printed in Amsterdam in 1649, has on the fly leaf the following suggestive legend : Davenport,

Sr. these are to entreat you to step up to Swan's Study and drink a glass of ale. So I rest yours to serve, Jno. Phillips." From the Quinquennial catalogue it appears that John Phillips was a member of the class of 1735, John Davenport was a tutor from 1728 to 1732, and Josiah Swan was a member of the class of 1733. If these are the worthies named on the fly leaf it looks as if the freshman was induced to ask the tutor to step up to the junior's study for liquid refreshments. Those must have been happy times.

Two Latin-English editions of the Janua, London, 1673, and London, 1650, bear the marks of much service, and the latter has on the fly leaves many blotches of yellowish and reddish paint, besides ink drawings and scribblings in boyish scrawl. The former also has some boyish scribbling on the title-page, and on a fly leaf at the back, in a mature hand, "This book belonged to Middlecote Cooke, the Gr. Son

Had "our Mr. Winthrop " prevailed upon Comenius to accept the invitation to become President of Harvard College, who can doubt that some of the improvements we are now so earnestly seeking to introduce into our schools, would have been adopted many years ago, and America and not Europe would lead the world in the excellence of its educational facilities.

HARVARD UNIVERSITY,

CAMBRIDGE, MASS.

PAUL H. HANUS,

of the immortal Elisha Cooke, and son of Elisha Cooke, a family that guided Mass. for 80 years by their virtue & patriotism.

"One of the best of books in itself considered."

The other edition is Latin-Greek-French, printed at Amsterdam in 1643.

The three Cookes are all graduates of Harvard College. They are also entered (doubtfully) in the list of graduates of the Boston Latin School.

In the absence of definite records, for which diligent search has been made, the appearance of these books, two of them especially, would indicate that they were used by boys somewhat younger than college boys. On the other hand, pupils were ready for college rather early in those days, and it may be that these copies of the Janua were decorated by Harvard boys while in college.

V.

THE CATHOLIC CONTROVERSY ABOUT EDUCATION.

Education, to whom does it belong? In a pamphlet published at Baltimore in November, 1891, the Rev. Thomas Bouquillon, D. D., professor of moral theology at the Catholic University of America, Washington, D. C., propounded an answer to this question. Theologians in treatises, Popes in Encyclicals, the hierarchy in councils, letters, addresses, the educated laity in books and journals, had previously answered the same question again and again. Dr. Bouquillon's answer did not agree with that traditionally and logically given. Discussion and criticism followed. Principles and authorities have been weighed and examined. The Reverend professor of moral theology has experienced more than one bad quarter of an hour. But he is none the less militant ; and he is a skillful and versatile combatant.

The fourth and fifth sentences of Dr. Bouquillon's Preface were notable. They read thus: "He has written this pamphlet at the request of ecclesiastical superiors. They deemed that a clear exposition of the principles underlying the school question would be both useful and opportune at this hour, when the practical difficulties in which it was involved have become national concerns; were it only to show that in the matter of education, as in all other social concerns, the true doctrine of the Church is opposed neither to liberty, well understood, nor to the just prerogatives of the state." Evidently "theoretical principles" were to be "dealt with" in the pamphlet, with a very practical application. The author being a Belgian, and a resident at the University for not much more than two years, an attempt on his part to solve the school question in the United States might not have been appreciated by Americans. But the statement that he

had entered the arena "at the request of ecclesiastical superiors," dividing, as it did, the responsibility, gave a new importance to his pamphlet. Who were these ecclesiastical superiors? Doubtless the Rt. Rev. Rector of the University was one, since the learned writer assumed his professorial dignity on the title-page. Rumor named others. Outside of the University, the only member of 'he hierarchy who has publicly committed himself to Dr. uquillon's views, is the Archbishop of St. Paul, nor was his commendation official. Passing through New York, which is not in his archdiocese, Archbishop Ireland was pleased to be interviewed by a reporter of the New York Herald, and in this offhand way, to express a hearty agreement with the professor of moral theology at the University, and a rather contemptuous opinion of all those who differed with him.

The lively interest taken by the Archbishop of St. Paul in the answer to the question: Education, to whom does it belong? may possibly be explained by some recent attempts to solve the school question in the State of Minnesota. In the interview already mentioned, His Grace seems to accept the responsibility for the Minnesota transactions. At Faribault, on August 31, 1891, the Catholic pastor of one of the churches handed over to the local school board, the parochial school in which the children belonging to three Catholic congregations had previously been educated. The terms under which the transfer was made were those proposed by the pastor in a letter dated August 26. "In consideration of one dollar, I agree to place under the management and control of the board of education of the city of Faribault the school building and all its equipments, at present known as the parish school of the Immaculate Conception Church, with the grounds upon which the school building is located, the same to be used by said board for educational purposes under such conditions as that board may determine to be for the best interest of all concerned." The School of the Immaculate Conception is now known as the Hill School. "The crucifixes and all emblems of the Catholic faith were at once re