English Journal - Volume 48, Issue 7, 1959

The Journal policy of specific attention to the English program in the junior high school led the editor to arrange for the writing of this solid article. Mrs. Reeves, who is the supervisor of secondary school English in the Houston Public Schools, identifies three major principles which should underlie the literature program, and illustrates with specific examples.

This article may not be designed to win friends among editors and publishers of current anthologies, but it may influence people. Mr. Warner, an ex-marine and an English teacher at the Longmeadow, Massachusetts, High School, expresses some very frank opinions about the anthologies available for use in high school. (As one who enjoys publishers’ parties at the annual convention, the editor reminds readers that responses to the article should be addressed to the author, not the editor!)

What major linguistic principles should the high school teacher apply to the teaching of grammar? In this period of transition in the teaching of the English language, teachers will welcome this succinct analysis. Dr. Williams, a former student of C. C. Fries, is a professor of English at the Wisconsin State College, Superior, Wisconsin.

Russian education is much in the spotlight, though newspaper columnists seem to know more about it than educators–or even than the Russians themselves! This article is based on an analysis of English language textbooks used in Soviet schools, and thus gives some indications of how English is taught in Russia. Mr. Vogel is a teacher at the Washington-Lee High School in Arlington County, Virginia, and is working on a doctoral dissertation in comparative education at American University.

With the recent acceleration of interest in the able student, the Advanced Placement Program has received wide attention. This summary presents new information on Advanced Placement candidates in English. Mr. Valley, of the Educational Testing Service, is the program director for the College Entrance Examination Board.