8 4 6 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



teries by which the blood is distributed to 

 the superior portion of the scalp. The hair- 

 follicles, as is well known, are very vascular. 

 Their functions require this vascularity, and 

 an adequate, constant supply of oxygenated 

 blood. If this supply be diminished, the 

 growth and nutrition of the hairs are pro- 

 portionally affected ; and, finally, the pulp 

 inclosed in the follicle withers and dies, as 

 does any other part when deprived of the 

 pabulum vitas. This effect occurs on the 

 crown, because interruption of the circula- 

 tion in arteries is always felt most in the 

 parts to which the terminal branches are 

 distributed. 



"Such is our explanation of the fact 

 that baldness is so frequently observed in 

 the young and middle-aged men of the pres- 

 ent generation. The remedy is to repudiate 

 the present fashion of hats. Let some in- 

 ventive genius devise a substitute for the 

 unseemly, as well as hair-destructive, article 

 which is now the mode, and we are firmly 

 convinced that toupees will become objects 

 of curiosity rather than utility, and the bald 

 pate will again be venerated as the distin- 

 guishing trait of old age." . . . 



Austin Flint, M. D. 



NO. 14 "WrST TntRTY-THIRD Strket, I 



New York City, August 25, 1887. ) 



THE MEANING OF EDUCATION. 

 Editor Popular Science Monthly : 



Sir : In an article on " Modern Over- 

 Education" in the July number of "The 

 Popular Science Monthly," taken from 

 " Land and Water," the writer says, " The 

 Latin word educo, from which our English 

 word is derived, means simply to draw out 

 or to train." 



It will be remembered that there are 

 two words in the Latin, spelled alike, but 

 with somewhat different meaning : the one 

 educo, educcre, meaning " to lead forth," " to 

 draw out," etc., from which we get educe and 

 eduction ; the other, educo, educate, mean- 

 ing " to bring up a child physically or men- 

 tally," "to rear," "to educate," also "to 

 nourish," "support," etc. It is from the 

 latter, of course, that we get our word 

 "education," from which it will appear 

 that the idea originally conveyed by it was 

 not simply that of leading or drawing forth, 

 but of rearing, nourishing, and the like. It 

 seems to me well to bear in mind that the 

 educator must see to it that the minds 

 placed under his care need nourishment, as 

 well as the drawing forth or training of the 

 faculties, if they are to be properly devel- 

 oped and strengthened. In other words, 

 there must be wholesome food for mind as 

 well as for body, besides the necessary ex- 

 ercise or gymnastics. 



Mere exercitation, independently of what 



is presented to the attention, can scarcely be 

 expected to accomplish the best results. 



I have ventured to send you this note 

 because I have reason to believe that quite 

 a number mistake the true etymology of 

 our word " education," and that there is 

 something to be gained by a proper consid- 

 eration of its true origin. 



Very respectfully yours, 



L. L. Hollapay. 

 Hampden Sidney, Virginia, July 9, 18S7. 



AN EXPLANATION. 



Editor Popular Science Monthly : 



Sir: I had not intended to reply to any 

 further communication of Miss Gardener's, 

 but as in her letter, published in your 

 September issue, she accuses me of a willful 

 deception, it seems necessary that I should 

 again address you. 



In my paper on " Brain-Forcing in Child- 

 hood " I stated that the human head does 

 not grow after the seventh year, and that 

 the hat that is worn at that age can be worn 

 just as well at thirty. For this statement 

 Miss Gardener, in her first communication, 

 called me to an account, and I in my an- 

 swer admitted, as I thought frankly, that I 

 had made a mistake, and that I should have 

 said brain instead of head. She now, in 

 her last letter, endeavors to make it appear 

 that I had asserted that, by a slip of the 

 pen or by some other inadvertence, I had 

 said head when I meant brain. 



My language admits of no such inter- 

 pretation except from one anxious to misin- 

 terpret. I made a mistake. I thought the 

 fact was as I had stated it, and when I found 

 out my error, and that it is the brain and 

 not the head that does not grow after the 

 age of seven, I made the proper correction. 

 In all the points necessary to my argument 

 I was right, for the hair, skin, muscles, etc., 

 of the head can not be regarded, even by 

 Miss Gardener, as contributing to intelli- 

 gence. 



Miss Gardener's attack is a quibble al- 

 together unworthy of her. She might prop- 

 erly have censured me for my thoughtless- 

 ness or ignorance, but that is all. I have 

 never been ashamed to confess my mistakes, 

 and to allow my adversaries to get what- 

 ever comfort from them they can extract, 

 and she is welcome to make the most of my 

 error in this matter. 



As to the point in question, it is scarce- 

 ly to be supposed that, knowing that Miss 

 Gardener was in possession of my whole 

 statement, I should have endeavored to de- 

 ceive either her or the public in the matter. 

 William A. Hammond. 

 [Want of space compels the termina- 

 tion of this correspondence with the present 

 letter. Editor.] 



