During the past year, 1914-1915, the library has served directly 147 towns in the state; 312 requests were received in response to which 987 publications in the form of books, periodicals, and pamphlets, in addition to many bibliographies and letters, were sent out by the library. It will readily be seen that during the past year alone our extension work was almost as heavy as it was during the twoyear period from September, 1911, to September, 1913. To carry on this work properly requires a large part of the time of one member of the library staff, and the work, as we believe, is only in its beginning. Provision must be made within the near future for the appointment of an additional member of the library staff, whose main duty it will be to care for the extension work. It will also be necessary to make provision as soon as possible for the duplication of books and other literature for which there is frequent demand both at the university and out in the state.

In North Dakota we thus believe that it is the legitimate function of the state university library to serve not only the university community, but, in so far as is possible, according to its means and equipment, the people away from the university as well. The library is officially recognized by the University authorities as being a very definite and essential part of the extension organization of the institution in that it acts as a bureau of general information, sends out books, pamphlets, periodicals, and documents, compiles bibliographies, and refers the inquiries it receives demanding expert and technical knowledge, to the men on the faculty who, by reason of the positions they hold, are highly qualified to render service in matters which pertain to their respective lines of work. It would seem, from the many letters of appreciation we have received from people over the state who have taken advantage of this service, that we are working along the right lines.

BRAM OF THE FIVE CORNERS:

ARNOLD MULDER. A. C. McClurg & Co., Chicago, 1915. 8vo., 466 pp. Price, $1.25.

It has been the misfortune of more than one great sociological movement to fall into the hands of the ignorant and unscrupulous who have used a justly popular interest for the purpose of financial exploitation. To appreciate this fact we need only to remember the dramas of Brieux dealing with the social evil and contrast them, frank, clear, scientific as the lectures of a medical professor, with the prurient pack of plays that have nauseated the intelligent public. The subject of eugenics has been even more unfortunate. Based upon sound scientific observation and reasoning, it has been misinterpreted by unknowing writers, persistently falsified as to purpose, and continually assailed by the unreasoning prejudices of those who do not even take the trouble to acquaint themselves with its principles. In view of the recent investigations of Davenport and others and the unbiased statistics regarding the rapid increase of the feeebleminded, the idiot, and the insane and the consequent burden and peril to our race, such an ostrich-like attitude is not only mistaken, but comes not far from being criminal. It is, consequently, a relief to greet a book which treats the subject in a capable manner, without exaggeration, and written in such a manner that all may understand.

This theme forms the mainspring of the action in Bram of the Five Corners. Like the author's previous novel, The Dominie of Harlem, the scene is laid in one of the Holland communities of the Middle West, among a sturdy, God-fearing people whose sterling qualities this country has reason to appreciate. The picture is fair, for it not only reveals plainly these qualities, but also the regrettable tendencies to magnify dogmas and to regard science as necessarily conflicting with religious truth. The author is the editor of a daily paper in one of these communities of which he is himself a native; he knows his people well and speaks from intimate knowledge.

The hero is Bram Meesterling, a shy, simple-minded country boy of fine instincts, who receives the "Gleam" of enlightenment from the minister, Dominie Wijnberg, who comes to the community from the East. Bram's people decide that he shall go to college and seminary as a preparation for the ministry; but, before leaving home, he is practically trapped into an engagement with Hattie Wanhope, a pretty country girl, whose father is mentally unbal

anced and who herself belongs to the class of "children that never grow up"; a moron, as the scientists call it. In the city Bram sees the light from a lecture by a Dr. Victor of the state university (whom, by the way, it is not difficult to identify as Dr. Victor C. Vaughan of the University of Nichigan). After consulting the doctor, he breaks the engagement with Hattie, promising her that he will never marry as long as she remains single. His action arouses a storm. The home folks condemn his course and term his motive a disbelief in Providence. He is rejected by his relatives and the church, barred from his chosen career, and realizes what it means to suffer for convictions. Having become a journalist in the city, he does valuable work in behalf of social service, and this portion of the story demonstrates the author's appreciation of the possibilities that await the newspaper man in this connection. As is to be expected, he meets a suitable mate in Cordelia Elliott, a settlement worker. The two fall in love and the test is on. But Bram is true to his promise from which he is, however, toward the end of the story, released by the hasty marriage of Hattie with a young farmer who had long tried to win her. Happy in the consciousness of having been true to his convictions and the ideals that Dominie Wijnberg had early placed before him. Bram is at last united to Cordelia.

Any brief outline is powerless to give any adequate notion of the dramatic interest of the novel. Rarely has the writer of such a Tendenzschrift displayed more ability in weaving about a serious, scientific theme a fabric of narrative that so grips the reader's attention. The characters are real personages drawn from the author's association and observation; the scenes and events are fresh and unique. One watches the creation of a soul and individuality in Bram Meesterling with as sincere an interest as he would find in a character of Balzac or George Eliot. The topic is one that might easily lend itself to indelicacy but Mulder lays himself open to no accusation of vulgarity save, possibly, at the hands of the prdues whom we have always with us. As a novel, it shows excellent technique; as a thesis, it is full of scientific truth intelligibly exprest. Bram of the Five Corners deserves a wide circle of readers, and is a most helpful story to put into the hands of young people and of those who are really desirous of knowing what the science of eugenics actually stands for, divested of the garb of ridicule and perversion that the ignorant and prejudiced have cast about it.

Department of Romance Languages,
University of North Dakota

H. R. BRUSH

THE HIGH SCHOOL: JOHN ELBERT STOUT, Professor of Education, Cornell College, Iowa. D. C. Heath & Company, Boston, New York, Chicago. 1914. XXIV+322 pp. Price, $1.50.

Admittedly the American high school is coming into its ownat any rate so far as attention is concerned. It is being talked about, written about, and criticized as never before. Clearly it is in the lime-light. The educational press and the magazine world teem with articles discussing various phases of its work; some of them are helpfully constructive, others crassly destructive; some are written from a wealth of experience and knowledge, while others bear all the evidences of ignorance and prejudice. The daily newspaper enjoys its daily fling; about Commencement time it flings bouquets with a lavish hand, but at other times not infrequently the objects flung are both heavier and dirtier. And the makers of books are not forgetful of this interesting institution. Some approach it from one point of view and others from quite a different angle, but all, so far as they have come to my attention, are more or less intelligent attempts to help solve the great problem of the education of our youth. The book here being reviewed is one of the sanest of the many that have been put forth.

I think perhaps I should go one step farther and say that Professor Stout's The High School is not simply "one of the sanest" but the sanest study, the most satisfactory discussion, of the high school situation that I have seen, and I think I have seen the most of them. The one great reason why it is so satisfying is that it is based upon the bed-rock facts of adolescence. From the beginning to the end of the book, the nature and needs of the adolescent are ever before us as the basis of the entire discussion and the reason for all the suggestions made. This is pretty well put in the Introduction written by Dr. Coffman, formerly of the University of Illinois now Dean of the College of Education of the University of Minnesota: His constant problem is, what habits, what knowledge, what ideals, and what forms of organization are of most worth to high school pupils. His answer is, those ideals and attitudes, and those forms of organization are of the most value, that have the largest number of relations of identity with the most serviceable phases of social life outside the school. The educational values of the different subjects of study are, therefore, determined by their social utility.

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"Although this is not a new point in general education, this book is one of the pioneer attempts in the field of secondary educa