THE CRIMSON BOOKSHELF' REVIEWS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Mr. Paine's "First Down, Kentucky" would have been even more perfect if he had only deferred the writing a month or two. Since the book's publication Centre has succeeded in beating Harvard and we understand that "Bo" MecMillin has become engaged.

The book tells the story of a little group of Texas boys and their leader Bowman MacMurray. Together they make a success of their high school football and then go to Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, where the effects of their presence on football are immediate and profound. Form there on it is a story of one gridiron success after another, with an interlude caused by the war, until finally the team comes against Harvard in 1920. There is the semblance of a plot with a real villain and there is also a little love interest.

As a football story the work in distinctly good. The telling of developing a team, of the coaching difficulties, and the descriptions of the games are rather impressive. For the rest, however, not so much can be said. As a novel it is third rate and as a book for boys of, say, twelve years old, it could not be said to be anything but second date. The best of Southern characteristics, honor and courage, are predominant throughout and all the boys are "worthy young fellows". The leader, MacMurray, is the worthiest. In fact his only lack is a sense of humor, and Mr. Paine has the good fetes to poke a little fun at him in this respect. It should send every boy who reads it flocking to Centre for life there as described in the book is completely idylls.

The story shows some sings of having been written in a hurry, but these are explainable on the ground of its timely appearance