We are indebted to Prof. Allan Abbott of Teachers College, Columbia University, for the following plan for this library classroom and its service to the English department:

1. There should be adjoining the library a room not assigned to regular classes, but available for occasional use by any class that wishes to use for a period material from the library or the special equipment of the room.

2. Equipment. As a laboratory of letters, corresponding to the science laboratories and the art studios, to contain all appliances of occasional use to the English teacher that are too expensive to duplicate and too cumbersome to move about conveniently; e. g., Victrola, reflectoscope, model stage, small actual stage.

3. Arrangement. Seats for not more than 50 students, to be movable chairs with arms for note taking. These seats to occupy not more than two-thirds of the room. At one end a stage about 2 feet high; curtain poles above at the height of the window tops, from which can be hung draperies (designed and stenciled in the art department) of a formal or symbolic sort, to suggest backgrounds of Shakespearean or other plays. A small table and two chairs of formal lines as stage properties. On rear wall an aluminum screen for projections. Electric connection and a low power reflectoscope. Black shades for darkening room. Walls fitted with cork and burlap for easy display of pictures. Filing cabinet for selected pictures and post cards. A model of the Elizabethan stage as reconstructed by Godfrey or Allbright, and of a modern stage, possibly of a Greek theater and others.

4. A few projects:

(a) Victrola. Records from great passages of literature recited well-as by Bispham, Miss Matheson, etc. For the teaching of lyric-well-known songs, as the Schubert setting of Shakespeare's songs, or the original airs; songs of Burns and others.

(b) Reflectoscope. Talks by teachers, or better by students, on travel, on the life and surroundings of an author, on the scenery described in a given book (e. g., Lady of the Lake), etc., illustrated on the screen. Similar talks on the works of a given artist or period, on a scientific topic, on a social topic, as child labor, etc., to be handled as oral composition and written up by the class.

(c) Stage. To be used for the reading (or acting very simply, without costume or make-up) of scenes from a variety of plays, the object being to stimulate the dramatic imagination by the use of a few abstract or symbolic properties, just enough to screen off the actual school-room details.

(d) Wall display. A set of Hogarth's prints displayed when a class is studying eighteenth century literature; made a basis for free observation and discussion for half an hour, with note taking in preparation for composition.

In addition to the above uses of the room, as suggested by Prof. Abbott, the committee suggests that it be used by the librarian and

teachers of English in giving definite instruction to students in the use of reference books and library tools, such as card catalogue, indexes to periodicals, etc. Here also an English teacher could bring a class to look ever illustrated books on a particular time or author, such as the Odyssey or manners and customs of Addison's time, or to spend an occasional "library period" with a class, arousing interest in books recommended for home reading, showing students tempting illustrated editions of these books which may be read in the library during free-study periods, having parts of the books read aloud to arouse interest. This room would make an excellent social center for library reading and debating clubs after school. All departments could use it in ways similar to those suggested for the work in English. Such a room has been planned for the library of the Girls' High School, Brooklyn, N. Y.

For the small high school, where the above suggestions are entirely out of the question, even that of combination of study hall and library, the room devoted to English and history may be made headquarters for the library. This use of a recitation room for the library should be a last resort, for the school library should be accessible to all teachers and pupils during the entire school day, and there is loss when books are shut up in recitation rooms.

For plan of room, size, equipment, etc., see the following references: Bardwell, Darwin L. Report on high-school libraries. In Maxwell, W. H. Sixteenth annual report of the city superintendents of schools. Special Report on high schools. 1904. p. 43-50.

Outlines equipment needed in modern high school. States approximate cost annually.

Fay, Lucy E. School library equipment. In her Use of books and libraries. Boston, Boston Book Co., 1915. p. 375–380. $2.25.

The library room and its equipment. White Plains, N. Y., H. W. Wilson Co., 1916. (Wilson Bulletin. High-school library number. June, 1916. p. 111-113.)

McKnight, Elizabeth B. The high-school branch. Newark Public Library, Newark, N. J. White Plains, N. Y., H. W. Wilson Co. 50 cents.

Contains excellent plan of room and equipment.

Newberry, Marie. The normal high-school library budget. In National Education Association. Proceedings, 1914. p. 817-820.

Discusses cost.

Nunn, Janet. Planning and equipping a high-school library room. Public Libraries, 20: 406–409, November, 1915.

Excellent practical suggestions for a city school

Ward. Gilbert O. High-school library. Chicago, Ill., American Library Association Publishing Board, 1914. p. 2-3.

Wilson, Martha. The school library room. School Education, 35: 29–30, January, 1916.

Practical suggestions for the small high school.

VI. BOOKS.

The following are suggestions as to books needed for effective work

in English:

(a) Reference books.

1. General reference books, such as dictionaries, encyclopedias.

2. Special reference books for teachers, such as methods of teaching English, works on dramatization, short-story composition.

3. Special reference books for students, such as debating helps, one or more good histories of English literature, anthologies.

(b) Good illustrated editions of the great books in standard literature which every boy and girl should know before he leaves high school, such as Arabian Nights, Odyssey, Shakespeare's works, illustrated by our best artists, Rackham. Maxfield Parrish.

The influence of these books in arousing interest in good literature is so great that we urge upon even the small high-school library the importance of making a collection, even if only one book a year can be purchased. Classes on graduating could often give as much as the cost of one book, and often the proceeds of an entertainment will make possible the purchase of several each year. These should be kept for use in the school building.

A suggestive list, with prices, may be obtained from the chairman of this committee.

(c) Books for collateral reading, e. g., those which add to the interest in a study of a literary period; or the works of a special author, e. g., books on the life and time of Addison, Johnson, Shakespeare. Books making the work in Ivanhoe, Irving's Sketch Book, etc., interesting; those adding to the interest in Tale of Two Cities by giving some idea of the French Revolution.

(d) Books for home reading. Biography, fiction, travel, poetry, drama, and readable works on present-day questions, civic and social. The best of contemporary writing as well as standard works. Stimulating and inspiring books that the average high-school student will enjoy. Such books as those used in the Central High School, Grand Rapids, are excellent in vocational guidance.

(e) A representative collection of these books in good editions should form a permanent collection in the school library and be always on hand for pupils to use during free periods. This will awaken interest in many books and lead to a desire to take them home. There should always be some arrangement for duplicate copies which may be borrowed through the school library. Either the school should provide these or the school library should arrange for traveling libraries from the public library. These should be kept the entire school year or for shorter periods and circulate from the school library for home use. This makes it possible for the high-school library to experiment with many different books and try them out on different students in the effort to meet their personal needs. It means using the school library as something of a "sample shop," to show high-school boys and girls what the public library offers them in the way of good reading; and these few books in the school library mean the circulation of many copies from the public library itself when enthusiasm over certain books is awakened.

f. There should be a collection of popular scientific books which can be used as bases for oral themes. Many boys who are not interested in so-called literature begin the reading habit when directed to these books.

The ownership of books and the building up of home libraries should be encouraged by the school library. There should be a suggestive collection of good editions to own, Everyman, Cranford series, Temple edition, Ben Greet Shakespeare, and a list of prices and publishers.

In building up the high-school library care should be taken not to lumber the shelves with deadwood. Avoid whole sets of standard authors whose works are never read and subscription books, which are usually of slight value.

As aids in buying books we suggest the following book lists for highschool libraries. Without exception these lists have been prepared for the medium-sized and small high school.

Fay, Lucy E. Selection of books for a small high-school library. In her Use of books and libraries. 1915. p. 149-182.

Hall, M. E. Books for the browsing corner of a high-school library: a list of illustrated editions. In Wilson. Bulletin, June, 1916.

p. 118-121.

Hitchcock, Alfred M. List of books for home reading. Hartford, Conn., Hartford High School. 5 cents.

Oregon. Library Commission. Books for high-school libraries. Salem, Oreg. 25 cents.

United States. Bureau of Education. List of books suited to a high-school library, compiled by the University High School, Chicago, Ill., 1913. University of the State of New York. Division of school libraries. Annotated book list for secondary schools: English section. Albany, N. Y., 1914. Wilson, Martha, ed. Books for high-school libraries. Chicago, American Library Association Publishing Board, 1914. 50 cents.

Wisconsin. Department of Education. List of books for high-school libraries in the State of Wisconsin. Madison, 1911. 15 cents. Supplement, 1911-12. 15 cents.

LISTS OF BOOKS FOR HOME READING.

Grand Rapids Public Library. List of books used in vocational and moral guidance in the English department of the Central High School, Grand Rapids.

National Council of Teachers of English. Report of the Committee on Home Reading. Chicago Normal College. 10 cents.

Newark (N. J.) Public Library. Reading for pleasure and profit. 1913. 10 cents. Graded list of books and readings prepared in cooperation with teachers of Barringer High School.

VII. PERIODICALS.

So much of the work in the modern high schools deals with contemporary affairs that periodicals are essential. For oral report, topics for theme work, and debate, the following periodicals are recommended: Independent, Outlook, World's Work, Literary Digest, Current Opinion, Survey, Review of Reviews, American City, National Geographic Magazine, Scientific American, and Popular Mechanics. For examples of best contemporary short stories, essays, poetry, travel, and biographical sketches and discussion of current

topics high-school libraries find the following useful: Atlantic Monthly, Harper's Monthly, Century, Scribner. Whenever possible the school library should have on file the Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature. For the small library we recommend the World's Work, one good weekly magazine, and one of the four monthlies above mentioned.

In the small library gifts of magazines from the homes of students can often be secured. These can be bound or clippings made from them for English work.

For list of periodicals for high-school libraries consult:

Fay, Lucy E. Periodicals recommended for a small high-school library. In her Use of books and libraries. 1915. p. 137-138.

Horton, Marion. Periodicals for the high-school library. Library Journal, July, 1916. p. 522-524.

New York City. Department of Education. Report on the high-school libraries of New York; by Darwin L. Bardwell. In Sixteenth annual report of the city superintendent of schools for year ending July 31, 1914. Special report on high schools. p. 43-50.

Newark Public Library. High-school branch. White Plains, N. Y., H. W. Wilson Co., 1913. 50 cents.

VIII. CLIPPINGS FROM MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS.

For either the large high-school library or the small these are inexpensive aids in English work when properly selected, classified, and filed. They are particularly valuable for local affairs-those of the city or town in which the school is situated. Newspaper clippings may be mounted on cheap mimeograph paper 8 by 11 inches and filed in manila envelopes or folders 9 by 11 inches. These can be kept alphabetically in a vertical file or drawer and arranged by heading written on upper left-hand corner, "Commission Government," "Shipping Bill," "Unemployment," etc.

Clippings from magazines are particularly valuable for good examples of the short story, description, narration, etc. These may be bound as in the Barringer High School, Newark, N. J., or fastened in Gaylord pamphlet binders (Gaylord Bros., Syracuse, N. Y.), or simply covered with manila paper such as the biology folders found in high schools. They are loaned for home use the same as books and are of great value.

For references on methods of keeping clippings and their use in high-school work see the following:

Dana, J. C. The vertical file. White Plains, N. Y., H. W. Wilson Co. 50 cents. Practical suggestions for keeping clippings.

Johnston, W. D. The newspaper morgue. In National Education Association. Proceedings, 1914. p. 812.

McKnight, E. B. The high-school branch. 1913. pp. 17-18. (Modern American library economy as illustrated in the Newark Public Library.) White Plains, N. Y., H. W. Wilson Co. 50 cents.