BLACKIE AND SON'S EDUCATIONAL WORKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2929, 4 May 1910, Page 58

BLACKIE AND SON'S EDUCATIONAL WORKS.

Messrs Blackie and Son. Ltd., have always been in the front rank as publishers of educational works, 'and the new series which they are issuing will undoubtedly add to their reputation. A brief notice of some of the more recently published works will indicate the important work which this firm is doing in the elementary world. An Elementary Practical Geography for middle forms bv Frederick Mort, M.A., B.Sc, F.G.S. F.E.S.G.S., is intended to meet the changed methods of teaching geography. Other aspects besides that of pure topography have become prominent, . and there is a general tendency to treat the science in a practical and concrete manner. Hitherto there has been no text book to assist the teacher; the want is now supplied. Among the subjects dealt with are the points of the compass, how to determine latitude and longitude, elementary surveying, contouring, and section drawing, etc. Commercial Correspondence and Office Routine is another new text book which should be welcomed in secondary schools where an attempt is made to fit pupils for commercial life. Though primarily prepared for use in English schools, and containing a good deal of information of a kind not wanted elsewhere, there is much that is valuable of a general nature which youths will find useful. Graduated Exercises in English Composition appears to be another new departure. It is intended to supplement the exercise, usally oiven in "vammars. or devised by teachers. T'hese are graduated from those which depend mainly upon memory up to easy themes for the purpose of paraphrasing. Theuriet's "L'Abbe Daniel" is added to the list of longer French text books. The interest of the student is likely to be maintained by learning this beautiful prose idyll. German Conversational Sentences will be of service to those learning German, as alsc Goethe's " Der Burger-general." The intention is to unite four things of supreme importance—a text of great interest, a text having a ■ distinct connection with first-class literature, a text unencumbered with grammatical or translations, a text accompanied by such exercises as shall suffice to test whether the work read has been mastered, etc.