Columbia College Books

Pledge of Allegiance issues are examined in this book about the flag and related topics. The book could use some updating with more historical information about the topic addressed. For example, the Pledge was the origin of the stiff-arm salute that was adopted later by the National Socialist German Workers Party. The early salute for the Pledge of Allegiance was the straight-arm salute. Francis Bellamy was the author of the Pledge (1892) and cousin to Edward Bellamy, author of an international bestseller that launched the nationalism movement. Edward's book was translated into every major language, including German. Francis and Edward were both self-proclaimed socialists in the Nationalism movement and they promoted military socialism. They wanted government to take over all schools and impose robotic chanting to flags. When the government granted their wish, government schools imposed segregation by law and taught racism as official policy. That behavior even outlasted German National Socialism. The Pledge's early right-arm salute was not an ancient Roman salute, and the 'ancient Roman salute' myth came from the Pledge. In addition to the notorious salute, American socialists (e.g. Edward Bellamy teamed with the Theosophical Society) also bear some blame for the notorious symbol usd by the National Socialist German Workers Party on its flag. While Edward and the Theosophical Society worked together, the same symbol was used by the Society. It was used as alphabetical symbolism for socialism, and adopted later by German socialists as their flag symbol. Although an ancient symbol, it was altered for use as overlapping S-letters for 'socialism.' It was deliberately turned 45 degrees counter clockwise and always oriented in the S-direction. Similar alphabetic symbolism is still visible as Volkswagen logos. People were persecuted for refusing to perform robotic chanting to the national flag at the same time in the USA and Germany (to the American flag, and to the German symbol flag). All of the above are modern discoveries (do a web search for "stop the pledge") by a different writer, America's leading authority on the Pledge of Allegiance (the author of "Pledge of Allegiance Secrets"). On the other hand, the author Joel Westheimer completely evades the topic of the Pledge's early gesture, and he seems to be unaware of the recent historical discoveries. It is hard to believe that he did not think about the topic, and one can only imagine that he decided to evade it, though it is unclear why.

"Reading The Media: Media Literacy In High School English" by national media education expert Renee Hobbs (Associate Professor of Communication at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) chronicles the successful practice of highschool English teachers who developed an innovative curriculum for their students that incorporates popular media, television, journalism, film, and 'new media' information sources, as well as the specific, measurable impact that this curriculum supplementation had on the students' academic performance. "Reading The Media" documents how a media literacy course significantly improved reading comprehension, writing, critical analysis, and other academic skills. Teachers are also provided with practical information on how to revise their lessons plans and activities to take advantage of media literacy strategies to increase student motivation and equip basic citizenship skills. Superbly organized and presented, "Reading The Media" is a welcome and very highly recommended addition to high-school and home-school Media Literacy and English Language Studies curriculums.

This is a must read. It really tells it like it is and we need this kind of information to get the job done. I wish every parent and teacher could read this book. It is now a handbook that I keep close.

Epilogue:
At my ripe age, I still brag about late antiquity Alexandria, its scientists, mathematicians and great theologians, even to establishing a Confraternity for John Philoponus the Great seventh Century scientist philosopher. Attending a graduate elective in the philosophy of science by the eminent professor De Venezio, kept the flame of my interest burning. My visit in 1964 to the ancient university of Padua, capital of the organic tradition in science, in response to the invitation of my Thermodynamics professor I. Sorgato, left me impressed. He kindly showed us around, and I still remember the anatomy theatre attended by John Evelyn in 1646, where he saw three corpses dissected (you could examine a photo of the anatomy theatre in Hugh Kearney's 'Sience and Change'.

Rise & Role of University:
Natural philosophy, mathematics and medicine during the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern period took place in the setting of the Medieval universities. The earliest University foundations were in Bologna, Paris and Oxford but these were followed by dozens more in the next few centuries. What almost all universities had in common was their independent self governance, supported by both church and state. Their major purpose was to train men to be lawyers, physicians, and theologians, but they were also increasingly sought by the gentry to educate their sons in the cultural skills necessary for courtly life. Although historiography has usually tended to downplay universities' influence during the scientific revolution, scholars consented that the universities had a valuable role in providing an enclave for science in the Middle Ages. They have been portrayed as reactionary bastions of Aristotelianism against the onslaught of the new philosophy, after Thomas Aquinas, a view which is now under attack. As more work is done on what was actually being taught and studied at the universities in the sixteen and seventeenth centuries, universities have been revealed as more educationaly effective institutions than previously thought. The large majority of early modern men of science had university educations and many continued to work in them after graduation.

University Life and Records:
Plenty of primary sources are in print for nearly all the medieval universities. Major collections exist for Paris (Paris, 1891-9), Bologna (Bologna, 1909-39), and Padua (Venice, 1884-8), etc. "A useful collection of sources in translation for those without Latin is Lynn Thorndike University Life and Records (this book). Sources for the early modern period become harder to come by as the sheer volume of material has probably precluded publication programs. Padua has an ongoing project. There is a large collection of registers and statutes for many colleges, schools and universities in the University Library Reading room just to the right of the door into the West Room and much, much more in the education section." James Hannam

* An Invective Against the New Learning: (No.11, pp. 22-24)
Bishop Stephen of Tournai to the Pope (1192-1203)
A. Having obtained indulgence, let us speak to our lord, whose gentleness emboldens us, whose prudence sustains us in our inexperience, whose patience promises impunity. To this the authority of our ancestors compels us and a disease gradually insinuating whose ills, if not met at the start, will be incurable in the end. Nor do we say this, father, as if we wished to be censors of morals, or judges of doctors, or debaters of doctrines. This load requires stouter shoulders, and this battle awaits the robust frames of spiritual athletes. We merely wish to indicate the sore spot to your holy paternity, to whom God has given both the power to uproot errors and the knowledge to correct them.
B. The studies of sacred letters among us are fallen into the workshop of confusion, while both disciples applaud novelties alone and masters watch out for glory rather than learning. They everywhere compose new and recent summulae and commentaries, by which they attract, detain, and deceive their hearers, as if the works of the holy fathers were still not sufficient, who, we read, expounded holy scripture in the same spirit in which we believe that apostles and prophets composed it. They prepare strange and exotic courses for their banquet, when, at the nuptials of the son of the King of Taurus his own flesh and blood are killed and all prepared, and the wedding guests have only to take and eat what is set before them. Contrary to the sacred canons there is public disputation as to the incomprehensible deity; concerning the incarnation of the Word, verbose flesh and blood irreverently litigates. The indivisible Trinity is cut up and wrangled over in the streets, so that now there are as many errors as doctors, as many scandals as classrooms, as many blasphemies as public squares.

* Regulation of Booksellers, Paris 1275: (No. 44, pp. 100)
The university of masters and students at Paris as a perpetual reminder. Since that field is known to bring forth rich fruit, for which the care of the farmer colonus provides painstakingly in all respects, lest we, laboring in the field of the Lord to bring forth fruit a hundredfold in virtues and science, the Lord disposing, should be molested or impeded, especially by those who by a bad custom hang about the university of Paris for the sake of gain, which they make in mercenary works and assistance, we ordain by decree and decree by ordinance that the stationers who vulgarly are called booksellers (librarii), shall each year or every second year or whenever they shall be required by the university, give personal oath that, in receiving books to sell, storing, showing, and selling the same and in their other functions in connection with the university, they will conduct themselves faithfully and legitimately.
Also, since some of the aforesaid booksellers, given to insatiable cupidity, are in a way ungrateful and burdensome to the university itself, when they put obstacles in the way of procuring books whose use is essential to the students and by buying too cheaply and selling too dearly and thinking up other frauds make the same books too costly, ... , we have decreed that the same booksellers swear, as has been stated above, that within a month from the day on which they receive books to sell they will neither make nor pretend any contract concerning those books to keep them for themselves, nor will they suppress or conceal them in order later to buy or retain them, but in good faith, immediately they have received the books or other things, they will offer them for sale at an opportune place and time. ... They shall also swear that, when they sell the books, they will not assign or transfer them entirely to the purchasers nor receive the price for them until they have communicated to the seller or his representative what price he is going to receive, and that concerning the price offered for the book they will tell the pure and simple truth without fraud and deceit, nor otherwise in any way shall they attempt anything about their office by cupidity or fraud, whence any detriment could come to the university or the students.


Science and change, 1500-1700 (World university library)

The Mind's Eye: Art and Theological Argument in the Middle Ages (Publications of the Department of Art and Archaeology, Princeton University)

Evans Clinchy, a fine writer and long time school reformer, outlines a path to school change that will work. His book explains shortcomings of the system and why it can't or won't change. He describes the various alternatives to conventional schooling and how they can be implemented on a board scale as a means to providing parents choices for their children. In the end, the larger conventional system will have to change or become a minor alternative itself.

This 347-paged paperback originally sold for $2.95 in 1965, but sells for twenty times that today as a used book. The reason this volume appreciates in monetary value is its author's anthropological and sociological insights into the role of schooling in relation to the Japanese State. The book is divided into two parts. The first part comprises two essays written by Passin, while the second part consists of translations of Japanese documents on schooling such as the 1615 "Laws Governing the Military Households".

Passin's first essay is a hundred pages addressing schooling before Japan's industrial age from 1603 to 1867. It is interesting to note that this small island nation had 17,000 schools by 1867. The role of schooling for the State was training its subjects for administrative, military, and industrial positions. Classes of people in society exhibited differential access to classes of schools, which in turn were tied to status and classes of jobs.

Passin's second essay looks at the resulting class system in the Japanese State and how its principles of hierarchy confronted the functional concept of universal education in the context of social change and mobility. Schooling is discussed in terms of control and continuity.

What is interesting about this volume is how Japan became a nation-state, and schooling was conceived as a functional need of the State. This is quite similar to what happened in Renaissance Europe. Next the industrial age transformed a great deal of society, which made it difficult to maintain traditional Japanese culture. The commonalites of the Japanese experience with the European experiences in wrestling with the industrial age is enlightening. The phenomenon of schooling in conjunction with the establishment of the modern State is also intriguing.

Reading this book encouraged me as a supervisor to reflect on my practice, and is a helpful tool to improve supervisory skills, in turn improving the effectiveness of teachers.

In the first section, there is a discussion of the `Myths of Supervision.' Many of the myths encouraged me to confront my images of what the `ideal supervisor' should be. The book then looks at a developmental perspective of supervision. I learned that just as with children, doing the same for each teacher, is necessarily not the best practice. The book helped me to think about how such things as age, experience, and education play into the employee's expectation of their supervisor helping to define the relationship.

The dance between supervisor and supervisee as describe in this book helped me to reach new depths in my search for continuous improvement. As a supervisor, I have become more mindful of my supervisory practice. As I implement supervisory changes, I have encouraged teachers to truly become `Reflective Practitioners.'

One of the great lessons learned from this book is the similarity between best practices with children and best practice as a supervisor. This parallel awareness helped me to understand that supervisors who help teachers maximize their potential will focus on: the relationship, allow teachers to learn from mistakes, ask pivotal questions to deepen understanding of topics they are exploring.

I recommend this book to Early Childhood professionals, who have supervisory responsibility, including: Principals, Head Start Managers, Child Care Directors and Head Teachers who may supervise. Many of us assumed these roles without formal training, yet this book will give us things to implement and much to think about.

Mary Lu Love, mllove@mediaone.net

I love the blunt honesty of the student voices in this guide. It really makes you feel like you're talking directly to a student instead of reading something wholly technical. There are sections on everything from diversity to nightlife, to academics of course. Everyone thinking about University of Missouri should get this Prowler book.

Unscripted Learning is an "easy to use" guide for teachers to use in integrating improvisation and performance into the life of a classroom. It also puts the practitioner on firm theoretical footing and opens up the possibilities for development of teaching practice in the context of supporting collaborative learning environments in the 21st century. Educators who are looking for new tools and new ways for supporting students at all levels in all subjects should have this book.

Virginia and Donna have done it again in this compelling story about friendship that will have you reevaluating your own friendships and how much they mean to you. Jewell, Carmen, and Regina couldnt have been anymore different from one another. Jewell, the childhood actress, grew tired of her overbearing mother, Vivian, controlling her every move and wanted to do something different with her life. Regina, the party girl, knew that she had to go to college to follow the collegiate tradition set forth by her family. Carmen, the smart one with the hardest luck, knew she had to do something with her life that didnt involve her lowlife brother and his friends. So Jewell, Regina, and Carmen decided to attend Columbia University where they formed an unbreakable bond of friendship. As their lives go on, they face all kinds of trials and tribulations but they held on to their friendship if nothing else. This story will make you laugh and cry as you step into the lives of these three women who needed each other from the very start. I had the privilege of meeting the beautiful and talented authors behind this story at one of their book signings. They are more beautiful in person than they are in their pictures. Keep up the excellent work, V and D!!
Latasha
Vice President of B~more Readers with W.I.S.D.O.M Book Club
Baltimore, Maryland
b_morereaderswithwisdom@yahoo.com
www.myspace.com/bmoreraderswithwisdom

Better Than I know Myself....was really a great read. As I read it I could actually feel the intensity of the scenes. I could identify with the closeness of Carmen, Jewell, and Regina. Their love, concern, issues, fall-outs, relationships, were so gut wrenching real. If you have ever had a friendship that was truly geniune... where you loved your friend unconditionally...then you will definitely understand and enjoy this book. You, as the reader will actually move into apartment 5D and take the journey with them as they experience love, trails, and tribulations. When they laugh, you'll laugh, when they cry, you'll cry, when they triumph you will cheer them on and when the err you will feel their pain. This book is an awesome read. If you have never experienced a best friend and knowing someone better than themselves and them knowing you better than you know yourself, then you need to come and take this ride, sometimes bumpy....sometimes smooth, but oh so real roller coaster ride with three best friends who TRULY KNEW EACH OTHER FAULTS AND LOVED EACH OTHER, ANYWAY! Come on and take this journey with the "sisters" of 5D, bought together by a letter, but stayed together because of love.

Kudos to the authors for such a fine read.

I loved this book! It was hard to put down and I highly recommend!

I bought this book and forgot I had it. When I came across it aqain, I couldn't put it down. Carmen, Regina,and Jewel were three characters that you adopt into your life as their lives unfold. Three women with different life experiences came together as friends and ultimately sisters. I love how they were loyal and loving during the good times and bad. Carmen was a quiet storm of strength and courage, Regina was a burst of energy and determination that sometimes led her astray, and Jewel had a elegant dignity of class that exemplified love and compassion for her freinds. You become a part of these three women lives and feel there losses and accomplishments. I am so glad I picked this book up to read, a must read...

'BETTER THAN I KNOW MYSELF' has been on my Amazon wishlist for ages, I had just never gotten around to ordering it but when I found myself with a little extra time on my hands I decided it was finally time to pick it up and what a treat I'd been missing! I fell in love with the story of these three college roommates and life long friends from the very beginning. I enjoyed the way the story shifts point of views between the three ladies. I enjoyed the way their story spanned over almost two decades to reveal all aspects of these three women's lives and I also enjoyed watching the characters develop over time.

Honestly, the only thing that kept me from giving this book a five star review was the ending. The beginning of this book grips you from the very first page and keeps you guessing until almost the last, however, what seemed an intriguing plot point at first just seemed senseless and unnecessary to me by the end, more for show than anything else. Had the ending been handled differently this would have definitely been a five star book but please don't let that deter you because all in all it was still a great read!