A thorough examination of the whole matter has brought to light no evidence which contradicts the statement of John Josselyn, who was a guest of Samuel Maverick several days in July, 1638, that Mr. Maverick, the minister, was father of Samuel, the commissioner (Josselyn’s Two Voyages, 1865 edition, pages 13, 20 and 190); nor of the statement of Col. Cartwright in 1665 that Mr. Samuel Maverick had mother, wife, children and brothers living in Massachusetts at that date. (N. E. H. and G. Register, vol. 48, p. 207).
There is no record of the death of the widow of Rev. John Maverick, and I have no doubt that she was the mother of Samuel Maverick and lived with him during her widowhood. A point worth noticing in this connection is that Samuel Maverick in writing to a man who lived near where Rev. John Maverick had lived after his marriage in England, says that his mother “presents her humble service.”
The direct evidence of Josselyn and Cartwright both of whom had ample opportunity by association with Samuel Maverick to learn about the family, is not disqualified by the unsupported opinion of these two eminent historical scholars.—Editor.
BOOK NOTICES
A HISTORY SYLLABUS FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS. Published by D. C. Heath & Co., Boston, Mass., 1904. $1.20 net.
This Syllabus consists of four outlines in History. (1) Ancient History (the major portion Greek and Roman), (2) Mediæval and Modern European History, (3) English History, and (4) American History and Government. General suggestion to teachers in regard to the method and use of the outlines and useful bibliographies furnish helpful and necessary data for the school work of preparation and recitation.
The primary object of the syllabus is to provide definite and practical material in training pupils to meet the college entrance requirements. Those schools, also, which do not prepare their pupils to pass college examinations will find the book useful.
The syllabus is wisely not intended for boys and girls of thirteen years of age. Pure narration is best for them at this age, as the living voice serves to arouse interest and to furnish a stimulus for the sterner work of wide and varied reading.
Grave, but not unsurmountable difficulties, will arise in the actual working out of this syllabus from the inadequate preparation of the teacher and from the failure to provide the student always with the books for reading.
Yet these difficulties ought to be overcome, since the slavish method of simply hearing the recitation from the text-book must give way to the more comprehensive method of reading many writers.