NATURE 
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, ‘ror: 
THE NEWER EDUCATION. 
(1) Dr. Montessori’s Own Handbook. By Dr. M. 
Montessori. Pp. viii+136. (London: Heine- 
mann, 1914.) Price 3s. 6a. net. 
(2) The Montessori Method and the American 
Bieaol., Isy;Prof. F. E.,Ward... Pp: xvi+ 
243. (New York: The Macmillan Co. ; 
London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd., 1913.) 
Price 5s. 6d. net. 
(3) A Path to Freedom in the School. By N. 
~MacMunn. Pp. 162. (London: G. Bell and 
OMS, FOL4.). Price 2s, net. 
(1) BOOK by Dr. Montessori is an event in 
vs the educational world; it creates an 
interest beyond that due to its intrinsic merit. 
The ‘‘Handbook” is a distinct advance on the 
“Method” in that the descriptions of how to use 
the apparatus are now given in orderly sequence 
and in much more detail; that the name “direc- 
tress”’ is now replaced by “teacher,” and that, 
instead of the “ passivity,” which was quite over- 
emphasised in the ‘‘ Method,” we read in the 
“Handbook” of what the teacher has to do as 
well as to refrain from doing; and the importance 
of teaching the right way to do actions is fully 
recognised. There is, too, less of that tendency 
to decry current knowledge and practice which 
has undoubtedly done much to hinder appreciation 
of her own valuable work. 
Like the ‘‘ Method,” the ‘‘Handbook”’ is dis- 
appointing in that it says nothing of the difficulties 
the teacher meets when the children do not behave 
in the expected way, nor are the principles by 
which the teacher must be guided dealt with. The 
book is in truth a Handbook, with the limita- 
tions of the “ Handbook” or “ Manual,” as con- 
trasted with a brain-book intended for those who 
work by intelligent application of principles rather 
than by rules. The reader, too, should be 
cautious in accepting the few physiological or 
psychological statements it contains. For ex- 
ample, a sharp distinction is drawn between sen- 
sory and motor training, though each involves 
the other; again, the psychology of the first para- 
graph of p. 122 will not withstand examination. 
But to those who have already grasped the prin- 
ciples on which their teaching should be founded, 
the “Handbook” will be of very real assistance. 
It gives, as might be expected, the best account 
yet published of how to use the apparatus. Dr. 
Montessori’s deep sympathy with the child, her 
patience with its halting efforts, are beautifully 
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659 
visible throughout its pages. Patience, indeed, is 
not the right word, since it may suggest con- 
trolled impatience, and of impatience there is no 
trace; no matter how disappointingly slow the 
child’s progress may seem to be, one cannot 
imagine Dr. Montessori doing otherwise than 
watching nature’s progress with expectant and 
deeply interested hopefulness. 
(2) Prof. Ward’s book is for the most part a 
laborious, detailed, uncritical résumé of Dr. 
Montessori’s views as given in “The Montessori 
Method.” There are so many summaries, 
arranged numerically, and under (a), (b), (c), and 
so on, that the work is not stimulating—it does 
for the reader what he should do for himself. 
The best chapters are those not so directly dealing 
with Montessori practice. 
(3) Of books criticising the meagre results of 
our secondary education there have been many, 
but none comparable in interest and importance 
with that of Mr. McMunn. Lively and vigorous in 
its English, sometimes putting conclusions more 
strongly than sober critics, even friendly ones 
may approve, it is, above all, valuable for its 
constructive side, and is the outcome of definite 
and successful experience. Inspired by Dr. 
Montessori’s work, he endeavoured to found his 
class-teaching of older students on the concept of 
freedom, and the method of “partnership” was 
the outcome. 
Nothing in education is wholly new, except 
perhaps the relative importance attached to the 
different means employed. Thus, in university 
classes in mathematics the writer, following the 
Jesuits, has for years put those students who 
understand to explain to those who do not—a 
plan excellent for both. Mr. McMunn improves 
much on this: in teaching French he arranges 
that the boys teach each other, irrespective of 
supposed ability ; something like it has been done 
in teaching history, where by the aid of a school 
library each, even the most backward, is enabled 
to bring a contribution to the lesson. 
Mr. McMunn has so worked out and applied his 
ideas that mutual self-education by the boys is 
carried to a much greater extent than in any other 
school, so far as the writer knows, and with 
extraordinary success—new intellectual life and 
interest have been generated in the boys, especi- 
ally in those who before were deemed stupid or 
backward. If other teachers can use the method 
as he has used it, and apply it to other subjects, 
secondary education will take an immense stride 
forward. 
In regard to little children, from Dr. Montes- 
sori in Rome; in regard to schoolboys, from Mr. 
DED 
