e . -- ti.... Eductioln THE GLASS COFFIN, by Maurice Druon, translated from the French by Hum- phrey Hare, Charles Scribner's Sons, 242 pages, $4.50. MAURICE DRUON writes clearly and simply about the people in his short story collection, The Glass Coffin. His characters range from soldier to count and from artist to stable-boy. A hint of fantasy, of secret unreality, serves to in- crease the reader's awareness that Dru- on's characters actually react to their adventures in very natural ways. A strong reminder of de Maupassant runs through the collection and, as in the stories of the French master, one is never confronted with a single flaw in characterization. The title is taken from the first story. Before his death, an elderly count seeks to ensure that the relative to whom he entrusts his fortune will agree to an un- named condition in his will. The old man refuses to give any hint regarding the condition and the relatives also refuse to accept the agreement. They are further scared off by a glass coffin containing the body of a young girl which the count keeps in his chateau. Eventually the 27th relative on a family list, who is convinced that his life is not worth living anyway, agrees to accept the condition. The clause in the will is re- vealed with the death of the old man, who simply wanted the family name to be carried on by the heir to the fortune. Magnificently Druon says: "There was a rather sharp 'Oh' from stout Madame de Carcaillan. The rest of the family man- aged to maintain their self-control." The Glass Coffin includes two kinds of stories. Druon's first grouping can loose- ly be called love stories. The stories are unconventional, their romance is sad rather than joyous. "The Cloud of Fire" relates the story of a woman who has gone insane at the death of her lover and lives in her unreal world, telling passersby of the dream she still believes exists. A dying woman in "An Old Love" cannot understand why she is to die before. her husband, since he has gone ahead of her in everything during their long years together. "The Black Prince," originally publish- ed in "Sports Illustrated," is the story of the Arabian stallion of Gog Magog and his love for the mare Roxanne. From their children a new breed of stallion is brought to Cambridge from Carthage. The second group of stories includes tales of soldiers and their lives during and after war. The best one of the lot, "In the Train," describes France in 1942 through the eyes of a passenger on his way from Paris to Marseilles. The nar- rator walks from car to car and sees all of France mirrored in the train's pas- sengers. Strangely, Druon closes the story with a totally unnecessary comment. The pas- senger gets off the train, musing to him- self that "in spite of the loudspeaker shouting 'Achtung,' the victors were not those that were under arms." Every word in the story has made this evident: Druon does not have to aid the reader in arriv- ing at this conclusion. It is a flaw in his story telling-one of the few. Druon, on the whole, is a master of the form, and living proof that French excellence inthe art of the short story id not begin, and end, with Maupassant. -Jean Tenander BOYS AND GIRLS TOGETHER, by Wil- liam Saroyan, Harcourt, Brace and World, 153 pages, $3.95. WILLIAM SAROYAN'S novel Boys and Girls Together is a frank look at the life of a married couple: its tenseness, pathos and ultimate frustration. The publishers optimistically and shortsight- edly term it a comedy; but in its depiction of the anxieties of modern life, it is far from comic. It is a commentary on the sterility of contemporary life. The main characters are usually re- ferred to simply as the man and the woman. The man, a writer, has at age 39 passed the period of his productivity. Al- though he loves his children and his young and dissatisfied wife, his family has strangled him. His wife plagues him; she always wants more, wants things bet- ter than they are. In the introduction, .Saroyan quotes: "But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. Verily." The novel, to a great extent, emphasizes the psychological, emotional differences between man and woman-the boys and girls are not really together but only play at being together. The man and the woman are in subtle conflict and their in- herent separateness is not merely a con- temporary problem. Verily, it is a problem for all time. Saroyan's unique style is once again in evidence in Boys and Girls Together. It is a simple style, sometimes almost bor- ing, with simple words and, at times, simple thoughts. Saroyan mainly writes in a direct, realistic dialogue. Also, he uses some brief and scattered description. His characters reveal themselves through their dialogue; the writer seldom enters into the process. Saroyan in this novel proves himself a good but not a great writer, an interest- ing stylist but not a great innovator in style. His topic is tried and true; in fact, it is becoming trite. His observations are ordinary. Yet at moments, recalling the beauty of The Human Comedy, Saroyan's under- standing of and empathy with the dilem- ma of modern man becomes clear and moving. At certain points in the dialogue between the man and the woman, it is apparent that although they talk to one another, neither comprehends what the other is saying - or perhaps what the other is suffering. Also, throughout the novel the man's desire to have children, and his great devotion to the boy and the girl he already has, is stressed. Is this his bid for immortality in a life which goes so quickly, with so much anguish and so little satisfaction? Perhaps the most eloquent part of the novel is its conclusion. A friend of the man and the woman, an older man who was a portrait painter for society and married to a young girl, dies suddenly. The impact on the man is strong: he feels impending age and with it a sense of hopelessness and lack of accomplishment. But the impact on the dead man's wife is more important. Superficially, she grieves at his death. But she cannot keep up her facade long. The episode and the novel ends with a proposal for a gala trip to Reno and a drinking spree-since there are 24 hours until the funeral. Saroyan ends a rather weak novel with a powerful punch. He drives home his point of the cruelty of life and of the senseless actions people are driven to when they can find no happiness. -Marjorie Brahms TREASON IN THE TWENTIETH CEN- TURY, by Margaret Boveri; G. P. Put- nam Sons, N.Y., $5.95, 357 pages. TN AN ATTEMPT to discover the unique features in the modern "landscape of treason" Margret Boveri has often lost sight of the forest for the individual trees. Treason in the Twentieth Century is the first volume of a projected study of treason in modern times. Perhaps some of the seeming incompleteness of the book is a result of Miss Boveri's intent to expand and complete her treatment of the topic in later volumes. Miss Boveri takes individual cases of convicted "traitors" of the past 40 years and from the study of their lives attempts to discover a common denominator of personality which would explain the phe- nomenon of modern treason. The book contains vast discrepancies in the quality of the ideas and the writ- ing. In the first portion of the book, "Landscape of Treason," she analyzes the reasons for a man's betrayal of his country, his roles or his cause. She pre- sents some original and well-conceived hypotheses to explain the various be- trayals. Miss Boveri contends that the anatomy of treason has changed. Nowadays the spy is seen as an intellectual betraying his cause not for money, but from disillusion- ment. But "the intellectual rarely remains a convert once and for all. He begins to train the same restless, critical faculty which had led him to find fault with his own country and its political beliefs onto the adopted country or the new ideology." In one of Miss Boveri's best written and best conceived chapters, she traces the path of the Western world from feudalism to the nation-state, and explores the subconscious effects of these transitions on the citizens. The citizens went from the pre-1789 awareness of "belonging that did not depend on the political system, but had its roots in the land, in its soil, its traditions and language and familiar surroundings and was more a matter of the heart than the head." The changes that arose after 1789 were more intellec- tual than emotional. It identified the na- tion with a political idea and "therein lie the seeds of the explosive forces in our present landscape of treason." Another factor contributing to the probability of treasonable acts today is alienation. "The person or body to whom one swore allegiance, the very essence of the oath in the traditional form, has disappeared without trace. As a result the question of treason is befogged, for it is now no longer clear just exactly who or what can be betrayed if the oath is broken." "The first citizens in the landscape of treason are the- homeless, the displaced persons, the people without families." Also prone are those border people, not ex- actly homeless, but torn between two cultures which pull at them, she notes. The other portions of Miss Boveri's book are inferior to the introductory and con- eluding chapters. She devotes entire sec- tions to a presentation of facts of cases involving the French Collaboration and the German Resistance Movement. After reading these chapters one is still not certain what has been her point. She has drawn no clear lines between the material and her conclusions. Strangely enough, this doesn't appear to question the legitimacy of the conclusions but only the purpose of the case histories. Still, the book is worth reading carefully in the beginning and end of skimming in the middle. -Malinda Berry harmonic CS 6340, $4.98). Orchestra, LONDON stereo $5.98 (Monaural CM 9340, T HIS IS the fifth record of Strauss miscellany Boskovsky and Co. have made for London Records, and the end is not in sight. In fact, it's beginning to look as if Boskovsky were out to record the entire Strauss repertoire, an unnerving project to say the least. Boskovsky is a consistently fine Strauss conductor, even if his renditions of Strauss waltzes do get bogged down a bit at times by the retards which are pur- portedly part of that mysterious pheno- menon generally referred to as "the Strauss style." A good example of such a case is the "Du und Du" (You and You) waltz sequence from "Die Fledermaus," which is given a livelier performance by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops on their record containing a suite of ex- cerpts from that opera. The other waltzes on the record are beautifully done. The introduction to "Tales From the Vienna Woods" is su- perbly carried off, the main waltz melo- dies are done slowly (but not too slowly) and Anton Karas contributes an idio- matic traversal of the solo zither part. The "Roses From the South" is another old favorite, but Boskovsky makes it sound fresh and new, with the climaxes as fine an example of rich brass sound as anyone could ask for. Boskovsky has a habit of turning up in- teresting and unhackneyed "new" Strauss items, and the best example of such on this disc is the Spanish March, "based on 'original motifs' and guaranteed to bring any marching regiment to grief." Josef Strauss, a brother of Johann, Jr., is represented by the Eingesendet Polka and a mazurka called "Brennende Liebe" (Burning Love). The former, whose title is helpfully translated in the program notes as "a little message," is not an exceptional tune, but it is lively enough to hold one's attention. The "Burning Love" Mazurka is not as much of a "recording debut" as the notes would have one believe; for the major part of it has been available for some tune as one of the melodies utilized by Antal Dorati in his ballet' made up of Straussiana, listed under the name "Beau Danube." On that record, conducted by Jean Martinon, it is given a brisker per- formance. Eduard Strauss' "Bahn Frei Polka" is given an interesting treatment. I have heard three different renditions of this little gem, and each 'is an entirely dif- ferent conception. Fiedler seems to think that the title has something to do with a horse race, and the familiar racetrack fanfare is used to start off his version. The Dorati performance, wldch begins with a police whistle, is accompanied by program notes which say that the title, "literally translated as "Free Road," really means pull out the throttle, full speed ahead with the music!"; and indeed the Dorati version is the fastest of the three. The Boskovsky rendition extends the connection between the title and a railroad even further, translating it as "Line Clear" and accompanying it with "train sounds" (produced with brushes) and a train whistle. Lest this review end on a negative note, however, let me note that those who have been collecting Boskovsky's records right along will not want to overlook this one; and those who have only just begun to realize his talent in this field will find this a highly pleasing record. Lon- don's sound throughout is fine and rich, although the loud passages are not with- out distortion. The stereo aspects (in- eluding the aural impression of a train chugging around from speaker to speaker in the Bahn Frei Polka) are superb as well, making the record one that is well worth having. -Steven Haler "Do-or-Die" Exam Toward Further Advances leaving age is fifteen. The examination re- sult is final-on this depends the whole of a child's future career, however much a mother may protest. There is, however, a condition which helps a few children: if at age thirteen it is obvious that a stu- dent is unsuited for his school, he can transfer to the other one. This transfer scheme has been very beneficent to some children, but it has missed many students who deserve transfer. Some children de- velop much slower mentally and turn out to be very good students at the age of fourteen, while others who gained en- trance into the grammar schools fall be- hind in their studies later on. THE ONE-DAY examination has impor- tant social consequences. The gram- mar school children feel assured of a bright future and career. They wear uni- forms, learn foreign languages, and gen- erally enjoy the school life. The other children, those in technical schools, for example, resentfully call them "snobs." Students not in grammar schools gener- ally take less interest in their work be- cause they know they will leave at fif- teen. Children living in bad social condi- tions often go to these "secondary mod- ern schools" because they have been giv-' en no encouragement at home to study, causing an aggravation of the social situ- ation. In effect, an English person's whole life, if he was educated after 1944, has been effected in a minor or major way by the examination. THE SYSTEM obviously had its disad- vantages and in the 1950's a new type of experimental school was founded to answer widespread criticism of the Eng- lish school system. In 1949, London had eight of these so-called "comprehensive" schools; in 1961 there were 59 of them. Children take a junior leaving examina- tion during their last .year at primary school. But unlike the Eleven Plus, the exam is not the rigid deciding factor for comprehensive school entrance. Also tak- en into consideration is the record of the child's progress through the primary school and opinions held by the teachers on the child's aptitude. Finally, the par- ents play an important role and have the right to appeal against a school commit- tee's decision. Very often, children are tested again within the first term at their new school, so their classification can be reviewed. The comprehensive schools offer up to seven years of courses. The academic pu- pil can take the examinations at sixteen and eighteen, leading to entrance into the universities. Pupils can also take exam- inations in some academic subjects at age 16, and then specialize in others, like law or economics. The comprehensive school also offers technical subjects with exam- inations offered in these subjects. Within a comprehensive school, there are very often "sets" or small groups of students who proceed at different speeds according to the set. If a pupil is quick to grasp French he will learn the language in a fast set, while if his mathematics are poor he will proceed in a slower set. More and more children at the comprehensive schools are staying on into the sixth form (age 17 to 18), taking advantage of the wide scope in the courses offered, and thus gaining entrance into the uni- versities. More students may also gain university admittance with the inaugura- tion of a new examination in 1965 lead- ing to a Certificate of Secondary Educa- tion. The present examination which leads to entrance into the universities is an ex- ternal one, and is mainly in the academic subjects. The proposed examination would be on a "subject" basis, so that candidates would be free to enter for any subject or combination of subjects. THE ENGLISH comprehensive system seems to be very like the American high school system. While being lauded in England as providing a much fairer op- portunity for all types of children, doubt is growing in America as to the efficiency of the high school approach. Evidently many people feel that bright students are being held back by the slower ones. Let us hope that somewhere between the Eng- lish system of education and the Ameri- can, there is a happy compromise. In England, the comprehensive system, from a social point of view, is much superior to the other types of schooling. Because the children are all on one educational level, there is no feeling of superiority and inferiority. The children come from wide- ly differing social backgrounds. Some par- ents, in fact, worry that their children will be influenced by the "rougher" elements, while others think that their children must encounter varied attitudes at some stages, and decide the school experience is the best opportunity. Children who do come from slum areas, for example; are shown as much consideration in these schools as the others, and can follow up their particular aptitude in a way that would never be possible in the secondary modern school. AS MORE AND MORE students benefit from freer opportunities, more of them are entering the universities. They are generally assisted through grant aids or scholarships. 82.4 per cent of English uni- versity students were aided in 1961-62. A recent amendment by the government was passed in February, 1962. removing the age limit of 25 to qualify for a grant. Many more places are needed and seven new universities are being built in differ- ent areas of England. The ratio of stu- dents entering the universities in the United Kingdom is, of course, lower than in the United States. There are now 18 degree-granting universities in England, one in Wales, four in Scotland, and one in Northern Ireland. The universities do not form part of the national system of edu- cation within the province of the Ministry of Education but are independent and self-governing. The old established uni- versities of Oxford and Cambridge may look askance at the hasty building of these new universities, but they are need- ed. AT PRESENT, only four per cent of the English school population enters the universities. According to an article in the London "Observer," despite the rapid building of new universities, this ratio will not improve greatly during the next ten years. The general rule for entrance is that two subjects of the examination at advanced level must be held, but accord- ing to a recent letter printed in the Ob- Oxford University: The PrivileA server a student with four "A" level sub- jects could not gain admission into any university. Evidently all places were taken before her. Obviously, the more "A" level subjects a student obtains the more he is assured of a university place. It is ironic that clever students who want to teach and would help solve the problem of teacher shortage are still being barred from the universities. Authorities are acutely aware that prospective teachers should be given places, and yet in view of the ever increasing and more specialist knowledge, they feel that the entrance standard should perhaps not be lowered. These administrators have to decide be- tween retaining the university education as it stands, that is, an opportunity which is only offered to relatively few, or a new policy that would afford university edu- cation as a further education for intelli- gent, prospective teachers and the like. The new universities will offer about 3,000 places each at first, but this figure will be tripled during the next decade. Most of them are being built in the small- er more rural towns. Besides being a more peaceful and beautiful setting for the universities, this has proved practical, be- cause the huge industrial areas have no provision for accommodating students liv- ing around the university. Also, the initial cost of buying land in the midst of the big cities for the building and extension of the universities is highly prohibitive. The university life is very much the same in England as in America. Students generally work hard, usually live in hos- tels in the areas around the universities, and more or less take over the local cafes and coffee shops. An informal survey taken among Rhodes scholars at Oxford and Cambridge showed that many of the Americans thought the educational level to be slightly inferior to the "Ivy League" universities of the U.S. and to be similar to that of the state universities. Others said they felt there was less frantic cram- m ing and tension among English stu- dents. A SURVEY made this year by the Lon- don School of Economics showed fairly conclusively that a quarter of the children in the country who had fail- ed the eleven pl in grammar sch With a fact i the local educa soon in follow Council's examp ination. In 194 more democrat should be effect ed the eleven r new ideas are he TALES OF OLD VIENNA. JOHANN STRAUSS, JR.: Spanish March, Roses from the South, Du und Du, Demolirer Polka, Tales from the Vienna Woods; JOHANN, STRAUSS, SR.: Radetzky March; EDUARD STRAUSS: Bahn Frei Polka; JOSEF STRAUSS: Burning Love Mazurka; Eingesendet Polka. Willi Boskovsky conducting the Vienna Phil- Time