BOOK NOTES AND REVIEWS 99

theoretical rationales and technical, methodological aspects of the services them- selves. There is a tendency, which some will regret, for the omniscience and om- nipotence of the psychologist, as problem-solver, to be somewhat overdrawn in this enthusiastic portrayal. However, this author has endeavored to “lead from strength” and has on the whole produced a favorable picture of school psychology as a worthy profession.

The School Psychologist is now entering its fourth year of service and retains a freshness of view and breadth of treatment that should insure its value to psy- chologists in the schools for years to come. White and Harris have blended good judgment, rooted in experience, with highly competent literature surveys to produce a readable and helpful reference book and manual, which can also be used as a text. Although principal emphasis is on emotional adjustment (understanding, detection, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation account for 11 of the 19 chapters), the treatment of these topics is well integrated with the context of the educational process. Less detailed, but sound consideration is given in the remaining chapters to administrative and organizational problems, professional and community relation- ships, and research. Vade Mecum FOR RESEARCH GAGE, N. L., Ed. Handbook of Research on Teaching. Chicago: Rand McNally and

Company, 1218 p., 1963. $12.50. This is a most important book for school psychologists and should be in every

professional school library. Produced as a project of the American Educational Re- search Association, under the gifted editorial guidance of Professor Gage, with 31 distinguished contributors, it is the most comprehensive, up-to-date, and authorita- tive reference for research on virtually every aspect of the teaching process. In addi- tion to nine chapters on theory and methodology, there are fourteen others, covering teaching methods, instruments and media of teaching, teacher characteristics, social interaction in the classroom, social background factors, educational levels, and sub- ject matter areas. As a result of superb planning, exceptional performance by con- tributors, and excellent editing, the entire volume is consistently readable and at- tractive, as well as highly informative. PROVOCATIVE AND INFORMATIVE KOERNER, JAMES D. The Miseducation of American Teachers. Boston: Houghton-

Mifflin Company, 360 p., 1963. $4.95. WOODRING, PAUL and SCANLON, JOHN. American Education Today. McGraw-Hill

Book Company, Inc., 292 p., 1963. $5.95. Criticism of American education may very well rival baseball as a national

pastime, but much of it has been trite and uninformed. Both of these books challenge defenders of the system as well as critics by their objective and authoritative probing of significant, current issues.

Koerner’s devastating analysis of “The Establishment” in professional teacher education reads like a “Saber Tooth Curriculum” with data. His relentless exposi- tion of the intrenched power structure that dominates the profession and militantly maintains the mediocre status quo is a recommended shock treatment to the com- placent. His thirteen recommendations for improvement of the academic phases of teacher education, which include abolition of teachers’ colleges and undergraduate