places so urgent that this will, for the time being, be the quickest way of getting them.

But at the same time, the problem of producing good school-books for Africa must be looked at as a whole and from a point of view which takes into account the entire continent. This can be done only by a group of persons who have wide experience of Africa in general or of a large part of it, and who are, in particular, experts in African educational policy. Such a Committee should be as international as possible, and should meet in Europe. It would be a purely advisory body whose function would be to put at the disposal of one area knowledge of what is being done elsewhere, to offer advice where this is desired, and to receive information and suggestions from the workers in the field. It should, by close study, acquire a thorough judgement on African school-books at present in use, their merits and defects, and should suggest general broad principles and schemes showing what these books should be.

Its conclusions will afford guidance to the group of Africans and Europeans referred to above, who are to undertake the work in each colony or language-field. In most cases it will be desirable for each area to form one committee for the whole area and a separate group for each language.

The work of the groups for individual languages (see above) will begin with the examination of the books in that particular language and the selection of those lessons which merit inclusion in the new Readers. In many of the vernacular text-books there is a considerable amount of very valuable material, which only needs revision and better presentation, and many lessons might be reprinted in their present form. For new lessons the Committee will have to find writers. Here every encouragement and help should be given to African writers. It is right for them to learn to write their own books, and they will like to do it. Prizes might be offered for the best lessons on a given subject. The editorial group would also examine material submitted to them, and approve of such as reaches the necessary educational standard and is adapted to local conditions.

The agencies carrying on educational work within a language-field or colony must work in close and unreserved co-operation in the

C

production of school-books. This is a conditio sine qua non. The present practice of separate books for each mission and for government schools may have been defensible in the beginning, but it is impossible to-day in a colony whose government pursues the legitimate aim of building up an organized system of education which, in the matter of the preservation of the vernaculars and the cultivation of racial life, is in harmony with ideals for which Christian missions ought to stand. It seems natural that at least within the smaller language areas the same Readers should be used in all schools. Where this is not possible, the aim should be that all books should follow the same main lines in their structure and arrangement, their conformity with recognized educational principles, and in their manner of presenting native life and institutions. Books intended for use in schools should be approved by the Text-book Committee of the respective area.

A difficulty may arise in regard to the religious content of the books. At present most of the books in use are not purely secular, but give a place to the particular teachings or views of the religious body which has published them. This will be impossible in a common type of school-book. That, however, does not mean that they will be without religion. Any one who knows how the African's mentality is permeated by religion will not think of giving him books which do not take into account this essential attitude. Books must inculcate high moral and ethical standards based on religious sanctions. How this can be done in Africa is a matter to be determined in each local area, and it is not the province of the Institute to offer suggestions.

From the preceding remarks it will be evident that the production of the type of Reader which is really wanted in Africa is not an easy task. This point cannot be too strongly emphasized. If a man of mediocre ability and moderate qualifications sets to work to produce Readers, they will be mediocre, however admirable may be the intention of the writer. Therefore, missions and other educational bodies should be careful not to entrust this task to any man who has not proved that he is specially qualified for it. The danger of publishing Readers which are not first rate will be less when all the available resources can be drawn upon instead of each educational agency producing its own set of Readers. The ideal would be to find somewhere

in Africa a small group of exceptionally gifted people to produce a model set of Readers of very high quality. It would then be easier for people in other parts of Africa to follow their example. This applies to Readers in European as well as African languages.

III

It is evident that a series of standard Readers, for a curriculum extending over several years, can be published only in languages which are spoken by a population large enough to secure a considerable circulation for the books. This is important not only from a financial point of view. The aim of a definitely directed language policy must be the unification of cognate dialects or languages into one literary idiom. Only a language spoken by a large population will in the long run have a literature worthy of the name. A small language cannot maintain a literature except by artificial aid. Before starting books in a new language, the linguistic conditions in the neighbouring districts should be studied with a view to ascertaining which dialect is to be chosen, or whether a cognate dialect already possessing a literature could not be introduced as the school language. The difficulties involved in every effort to use one literary idiom for two already written languages or dialects are not to be under-estimated. It means overcoming tribal pride, inveterate habits, and personal predilections. But on the other hand it is clear that to maintain in Africa hundreds of school languages, each with an educational literature of its own, is impossible. To develop one literary idiom for several dialects or closely related languages is as natural a process as that by which the European languages of to-day have come into existence. For one who tries to understand the trend of modern development in Africa and is thinking of the future, the only alternatives are either a vernacular literature in a limited number of important languages, or no vernacular literature at all.

This does not mean that no books should be published in smaller languages. Many of these will require some literature, particularly for religious purposes, and also as a means of instruction in the lower school standards. There may also be a place for books on native welfare, but there cannot be a fully developed educational literature. The

question of which languages are to be regarded as important and which are not, cannot at present be answered; it requires a detailed investigation, and there are cases in which it is impossible as yet to say which of two languages will one day be dominant.

African languages should be written in a simple, readable script based on phonetic principles. A common system of practical script has to be aimed at. Proposals in this direction have already been published'. In the printing of new books the question of adopting a simple and clear orthography in harmony with the recommendations of the Institute should be considered. The Institute will be glad to offer advice on questions of script and orthography.

IV

Among the books belonging to the second of the five groups named at the beginning of the memorandum, there is one class which was not mentioned, because as yet it hardly exists, though greatly needed, viz. handbooks for teachers and students for the express purpose of teaching African mental culture. If the students are to understand and appreciate the mental heritage of their own race, they must be instructed in it, and to-day practically nobody-neither African nor European-is able to give this instruction adequately, and there exists no possibility of acquiring a systematic knowledge of these matters. Nobody will doubt the importance for an African of studying the inner structure of his own language, as an excellent means for clarifying his mind and teaching him to think logically. But for this a guide is needed-a book or a man-who has learnt to understand the African language, not from the point of view of European idiom, but as the expression of a mind different from the European, an instrument of the African genius. The same is true of African art, music and sculpture, of historical traditions, and, last but not least, of social institutions. Much would be gained if an expert on each of the subjects could write a book embodying the results of his studies, which might be used as a model and adapted to conditions in other parts of the continent. The Institute will be particularly glad to receive any 1 Practical Orthography of African Languages. Published by the International Institute of African Languages and Cultures. London. 1927. Price 6d.

information and suggestions on this point. Its importance is now almost generally recognized, and it would mean a real step forward if effective help could be given to those who have to teach this subject.

Books on welfare subjects are also few in number. Some of them are derived from a single original, which has been translated into various languages. Here it will be easy to find out which is the best in a given group and therefore may be made the basis of a model book. This latter should be written by experts who combine long African experience with scientific knowledge of the subject in question and an understanding of educational method.

V

In higher classes books in European languages will be used along with those in vernaculars; in the advanced standards they will gradually take the first place and be the main channel for transmitting higher education. Their predominant aim will be to initiate the student into western civilization and thought, and they will, therefore, to a large extent deal with subjects of European life. But their background and starting-point should be the African environment. As far as they deal with African matters, they should demonstrate how Africa and African life may be made the object of serious study, since an African cannot be considered as educated if he is ignorant of or indifferent to his own country's history, geography, natural history, social life, and religion.

Books for advanced students, dealing with subjects of a scientific character, will generally be written in a European language. It does not seem advisable to translate purely scientific books from a European language into an African, or to have such books produced in an African language by a European. This will be done by Africans themselves, when the time for it has come. If the African peoples are to possess a literature equal in richness to that of other races, Africans will have to create it.

The demand for books in European languages is growing everywhere in Africa with the advancement of higher education. As their influence will be decisive on the training of the future leaders of the people, they require particular attention. The question whether such