CONCERNING THIS TEXT BOOK LEADERS in the religious education are gradually coming to see that moral and religious training does not consist solely in formal instruction, nor even in such instruction plus an appeal to the religious emotions and to the will, The direct influences of occupational and free-time environment and activities are today recognized as of the utmost importance for the determination of life ideals and principles of conduct. In the formative period of youth, especially during adolescence, wholeness of life and integrity of moral and spiritual fiber in character can be safeguarded only through well-rounded, carefully guided development of body, mind, and spirit. Recreational activities, however, in order to minister to the ends of religious education require recreational leadership of a high order. Such leadership must be trained with special reference to work with girls as well as with boys. It is in this specialized field that the present volume is intended to serve as a training textbook. Pedagogically accurate and authoritative, it is never- theless simple and readable, written especially for the rank and file of teachers of girls classes in the church school. For a completer statement of underlying principles the student is referred to the larger volume, Gzrlhood and Character, by the same author. The gregarious instincts of young people stand out and are so commonly recognized that we ought long ago to have made Iarger provisions for their needs. It matters not that we may think that young people are simply frivolous and purposeless in following these instincts, or that the group of young folks is without serious purposes. In their gatherings they are living out their lives, and they are learning quite unconsciously the social life. Perhaps we would prefer to have them less frivolous. . . . We cannot force them to anticipate their later stages. Somewhere these young people will gather, and they will be just themselves. . . . Youth grows in the soil of personality its one outstanding appetite is for friendship. It is strongly gregarious. To be with young persons in a natural way, under normal conditions, is to do the most that can be done for them the rest is but incidental Cope, Religious Education in the Church.....