Page 55 - 1916 February - To Dragma

134 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

training i n outside reading and reporting of the same, is entirely at
sea when he receives heavy college assignments.

I f then we are to assign references, other than fiction, f o r outside
reading and class reporting, how many shall they be, and f r o m what
source shall they come? From an experience of eight years I should
like to say i n answer to the first—not more than once i n two weeks.
Monday I have f o u n d to be the best day. D i v i d e the class into t w o
divisions, so that each student w i l l report once i n two weeks, and
have Monday as report day. Insist upon the students giving oral
reports. A t first allow brief notes, but by the second semester require
noteless reports to be given. T h e references may increase i n length
and difficulty, as the students proceed f r o m class to class, f o r I have
f o u n d that reference work is as valuable f o r Freshmen as f o r Seniors.

The choice of books is a difficult one. The average high school
can afford f e w ; the average town library is a barren treasure house;
the average teacher does not care to spend her own money f o r them.
Moreover, except i n rare cases, the books used by college students
are not read with profit by the high school boy or g i r l . A n d it
must also be remembered that Freshmen and Seniors alike may be
sent to the same books, since the history courses vary i n so many
high schools.

I am giving below some lists of books—every one of which I have
found very serviceable i n my high school history classes. T h e y are
books f r o m which the average student can gain something really
worth while, and at the same time keep his interest. They are also
considered the best of authorities f r o m an authentic point o f view.

For Greek and Roman history I recommend the following:
f l . Troy—Benjamin

Epochs o f Ancient H i s t o r y Series 12. Greeks and Persians—Cox
13. E a r l y Rome—Ihne
[4. Rome and Carthage—Smith

5. A Source Book of Roman H i s t o r y — M u n r o
6. A Source Book of Greek H i s t o r y — M u n r o
7. Schliemann's Excavations—Schuchhardt
8. Roman L i f e i n the Days of Cicero—Church
9. Private L i f e o f the Romans—Preston and Dodge
10. Private L i f e of the Romans—Johnston
(The last named book I have found invaluable. I t is published
by Scott, Foresman and Co., and is worth a hundred times the $1.00
which it costs.)