The Prize for the April Competition is awarded to "F. W. Macnamara,” proxime accessit, “Chardonne." The winner of the March Competition is Miss I. B. Sherriff, 80 Lewisham High Road, New Cross, S.E. 14.

We classify the sixty-six versions received as follows: Class I.-F. W. Macnamara, Chardonne, Beetle, Esse quam videri, Lil-Nil, Daedalus, Trina, Serus, Dane, Als Ob, R. A. D., Borderer, Hibernia, Blackheath, It, Superannuated, Lacy, Mike, Irama, Nunkun, Nibbidard, J. E. M., Nemo, Bésigue, Cantab, Gael, Yendu, Jacob, E. S., Magister, S. L. C., Torelore, J. M. C., Menevia, H. S. W., Alandensis, Aspirant, E. M. S. Undine, Cadwal, Anna Knowles Merrit, Wot, Bedley.

Class II.-Woodlea, Holly, Garnet, Cunctatrix, C. M. S., Pixie,
M. C. C., Emil Jay, Pervenche, Vic., M. S.,
C. R. S., Marsouin, M. P., Celia.

Class III. Colin Maiilard, A. L. B., Insu, E. J. C.,
Heather, Max, E. N., Léman, Marianne.

White

EXTRACT FROM SI LE GRAIN NE MEURT," BY ANDRÉ GIDE Ma mère prenait grand soin que rien, dans les dépenses qu'elle faisait pour moi, ne me vînt avertir que notre situation de fortune était sensiblement supérieure à celle des Jardinier. Mes vêtements, en tout point pareils à ceux de Julien, venaient comme les siens de la Belle Jardinière. J'étais extrêmement sensible à l'habit, et souffrais beaucoup d'être toujours hideusement fagoté. En costume marin avec un béret, ou bien en complet de velours, j'eusse été aux anges! Mais le genre Marin" non plus que le velours ne plaisait à Madame Jardinier. Je portais donc de petits vestons étriqués, des pantalons courts, serrés aux genoux et des chaussettes à raies; chaussettes trop courtes, qui formaient tulipe et retombaient désolément, ou rentraient se cacher dans les chaussures. J'ai gardé pour la fin le plus horrible; c'était la chemise empesée. Il m'a fallu attendre d'être presque un homme déjà pour obtenir qu'on ne m'empesât plus mes devants de chemise. C'était l'usage, la mode, et l'on

n'y pouvait rien. Et si j'ai fini pourtant par obtenir satisfaction, c'est tout bonnement parce que la mode a changé. Qu'on imagine un malheureux enfant qui, tous les jours de l'année, pour le jeu comme pour l'étude, porte, à l'insu du monde et cachée sous sa veste, une espèce de cuirasse blanche et qui s'achevait en carcan; car la blanchisseuse empesait également, et pour le même prix sans doute, le tour-du-cou contre quoi venait s'ajuster le faux-col; pour peu que celui-ci, un rien plus large ou plus étroit, n'appliquât pas exactement sur la chemise (ce qui neuf fois sur dix était le cas) il se formait des plis cruels; et pour peu que l'on suât, le plastron devenait atroce. Allez donc faire du sport dans un accoutrement pareil!

TRANSLATED BY "F. W. MACNAMARA "

My mother was very careful that nothing in her expenditure for me should suggest to my mind that our circumstances were appreciably better than those of the Jardinier family. My clothes were in every detail just like Julian's, and came, like his, from the "Belle Jardiniere." I was extremely sensitive about dress, and it was pain and grief to me to be always hideously turned out. In a sailor suit and cap, or in velveteens, I should have been in the seventh heaven. But neither the sailor style nor velveteen suits were to Madame Jardinier's taste. So I used to wear little scanty jackets, short trousers, tight at the knee, and striped socks; socks that were too short and became baggy, hanging down in a most afflicting way, or else they fell into my shoes and hid there. I have kept the worst horror for the last; the starched shirt. I had to wait till I was on the verge of manhood before I could prevail on them not to starch my shirt-fronts. It was usual, it was the fashion, and there was no more to be said. And if I ended by getting my way, it was simply because there has been a change of fashion. Just imagine a wretched boy who, day after day, the whole year round, at games and at lessons, has to wear, hidden under his jacket, without any one being the wiser, a white thing like a guardsman's cuirass, ending off in a garrote; for the laundress, no doubt into the bargain, also starched the neckband to which the collar had to be fixed, (Continued on page 340)

"The arrangement of the book is admirable."-H. J. DAVIS, Esq.

Senr. Maths. Master, Ashes School for Boys, Anerley, S.E. 20.

"It is an admirable book and was strongly recommended by H.M. Inspector."-DAVID DAVIDSON, Esq., The Schoolhouse, Woodhead, Fyvie, N.B.

"I think it is admirably arranged."-Miss H. G. BROWN, Blackheath High School, Wemyss Road, S.E. 3.

"It has given great satisfaction to my mathematical staff."-J. K. WILKINS, Esq., Headmaster, City and County School for Boys, Chester. "I think it is splendid."-R. MUIRIE, Esq., Kelvinside Academy, Glasgow.

"The clear and logical arrangement, the bold diagrams, and the careful grading of the exercises are to be commended."---An H.M. Inspector of Schools.

and if this latter were ever so little too loose or too tight and did not exactly fit on to the shirt (which nine times out of ten was the case) the most torturing rucks were produced, while the slightest perspiration made the shirt-front an abhorrence. Let him who will try going in for athletics in such a garb!

All those whose versions rank in Class I may feel proud of their skill in translating; those in Class II were not far behind, and the few in Class III are there chiefly for lack of a fluent English style, one or two, notably and "Marianne," gave us cause to suspect that English is not their mother tongue.

Léman

"

The prize version is a straight piece of nervous English, and we particularly commend such phrases as were to Madame Jardinier's taste, and the laundress, no doubt into the bargain. Chardonne's" effort was very nearly as good.

Several competitors-" Magister," " Dane," " Emil Jay," are commended for finding the happy rendering guy for fagoté. Unfortunately, "Emil Jay follows this up by putting tunic for complet. This word upset a good many people: "M.S." with completely in velvet is typical of one kind of error, and "Cadwal," with ready-made, represents another favourite idea. It merely means a suit.

A few translators did not realize that La Belle Jardinière is a large Paris drapery store, and therefore confused it with Madame Jardinier, a very natural mistake; thus

A. K. M.," the fair Madame Jardinier ; R. A. D.," from Mrs. Gardiner ; "S. L. C.," fair Mrs. Gardiner. Blackheath" and "Vic" probably did not know that the passage is taken from André Gide's account of his own childhood. They anglicized everything, and La Belle Jardinière became The Little Wonder ("Blackheath ''), and Barker's ("Vic"). This would have been suitable when translating fiction or adapting a play, but not in biography. "Blackheath" also says the socks were ribbed instead of striped, and some other readers joined him in this error

Yendu," "C. M. S." If Gide's socks had been ribbed, côtelées is the word he would have used; moreover, the ribbing would have prevented them from opening out at the top en tulipe. This tulip business was a stumbling block to many; for instance, Irama" has it slip down in tulip fashion, but tulips do not slip down, they open out. We commend "A. K. M's" curling over, bell-fashion, but the whole of his version was not in keeping with this happy idea; he begins with the ponderous expression should insinuate to me, and translates faux-col as turn down collar. It means a separate, or detachable collar. "Pervenche "

thought it was a stiff collar; it may have been, but not necessarily so. She also mistook se cacher for se coucher.

We were disappointed at the number of muddles made over notre situation de fortune était sensiblement supérieure ; the meaning is so very straightforward and yet some boggled over situation de fortune-social position (" M. S."); position in life (" Jacob"); and others over sensiblement, giving it as obviously ("Woodlea," " Max," " Marianne "), visibly ("M. C. C."), perceptibly ("Jacob," "Bodley,' "C. R. S.,” “M. P."), evidently ("Pixie ''); "Insu" calls it slightly, which is far from the meaning. Irama," J. M. C.," and Cunctatrix" are particularly commended for appreciably better off. "E. S." followed an erroneous train of thought and said the Gides's financial position was sounder than the Jardiniers'.

complained because the laundress starched both the neckband and the collar.

We were sorry about those little mistakes of "Cadwal's ' because his English is so good. Another version spoiled by what seem to us unnecessary errors was Garnet's"; he translates carcan, neck-stretcher, and begins with when paying the money for my everyday expenses.

There were many differences of opinion about béret, and we accepted cap, tam o'shanter, hat, and beret. Superannuated" called it a bonnet, but is not this too Scotch for a French boy's headgear ?

Some very conscientious workers translated the title, but only one—“ S. L. C.”-got it right: except a corn of wheat die; it is in the Bible, John xii. 24: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone..." The French version has it : En vérité, en vérité, je vous le dis, Si le grain de froment qui tombe dans la terre ne meurt, il ne produit rien..."

For May we set a very easy French poem for two reasons, first, because it is typical of the work of Jean Richepin, the Beggars' Poet, who has recently died, and secondly, to encourage those who fight shy of verse. Even in prose writing rhythm is essential, hence translating verse is such an excellent exercise.

While this text-book more than covers all Elementary Examinations in this subject, its special design is to meet the requirements of the excellent Syllabuses issued by the Royal Society of Arts, the College of Preceptors, Oxford and Cambridge Locals, the London Chamber of Commerce, and the National Union of Teachers.

The exercises and the principles introduced therein are so carefully graded in point of difficulty that the student is trained to work the most difficult set of transactions without being appalled at any stage of his study. No exercise is too long or too complicated to be completed between each lesson. The questions will be found very useful for testing the student's knowledge at each stage of his work. Examination Papers of the Royal Society of Arts, the College of Preceptors, the Oxford and Cambridge Locals, and the L.C.C. are included. 500,000 copies sold.

No competitor will be awarded a prize more than ONCE during a given year, though the name of the competitor gaining first place will be published each month.

All entries, which must be accompanied by the Coupon printed on page 341, must reach the office by the first post on May 14, 1927, addressed “PRIZE EDITOR," The Journal of Education and School World, 3 Ludgate Broadway, London, E.C. 4.

CITY OF LONDON VACATION COURSE. - This will be held in London, on July 28-August 11, under the direction of the Right Hon. H. A. L. Fisher. The Secretary, Montague House, Russell Square, London, W.C. 1, will supply particulars. All members of the course are expected to attend the general lectures, to be given by speakers of acknowledged authority, on various aspects of "Citizenship and Education." The remaining courses are groups of lecture demonstrations of teaching method and practice, for teachers of seniors, juniors, and children respectively. A new feature this year is a special course in English for foreign students. The social side will be well provided for. Three research scholarships have already been awarded by the City of London Vacation Course for educational research. A further scholarship, value £300, will be given, and a similar award, a Bush Scholarship, will be offered to enable a British teacher to study American methods.

THE STUDENT'S

BUSINESS METHODS

Theory and Practice of Commerce

and

Commercial Correspondence.

By ARTHUR FIELDHOUSE, Accountant,
66 Trinity Street, Huddersfield, Yorks,

who will forward Specimen Pages and Index on receipt of Post Card addressed to P.O. Box A 27, Huddersfield, Yorks.

Twelfth Edition. 416 Pages. 3/6. 80 TEST and EXAMINATION PAPERS containing 1,300

QUESTIONS.

This is the only practical up-to-date book on Commercial Correspondence and the Theory and Practice of Commerce, and is characterized by the same qualities that have made the author's other text-books so popular. The lessons are well graduated and the teacher is saved the drudgery of preparing Test Papers, one of which follows every chapter, in addition to numerous Examination Papers. PRACTICAL Work is provided in the Series of Business Transactions included in some of the Test Papers. It is the only Complete Guide, covering all the Public Examinations. Small-priced books may be had on the subject, but as they do not cover the Syllabuses they are dear at a gift. Efficiency should be the first consideration. It is an excellent Handbook for the Junior in the Office. 100,000 copies sold.