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THE ALUMNI JOURNAL. 



tant point in the education of a young 

 man, when he is able to demonstrate by 

 experiments made by himself that he is 

 exact. It involves the elements of per- 

 sonality and independence. To know 

 that he is able to ascertain the composi- 

 tion of many of the innumerable forms of 

 matter about him brings him into closer 

 touch with nature. There is a sense of 

 power in this knowledge which is hard to 

 describe, and yet it can often be discerned. 



I believe it is a common and natural 

 quality in young people, and by no means 

 eradicated in older people, to deceive 

 themselves about the quality of their 

 knowledge or their abilities. It is one of 

 the most important objects in teaching to 

 so inspire the young that they may keep 

 in touch with the work of great minds, 

 and yet not get discouraged at the weak- 

 ness of their own efforts. 



Young people are quick to perceive how 

 easy it is to humbug others about their 

 attainments and abilities. Having more 

 or less by instinct deceived others about 

 one's ability, it becomes still easier to de- 

 ceive one's self about it. The exact work 

 in the chemical laboratory is an excellent 

 antidote to undue self-esteem. The prop- 

 erties of matter and the laws that control 

 matter are capable of demonstration by 

 anyone who is sufficiently skilled, and 

 any exaggeration, any inexact statement 

 or false conclusion about them is easily 

 disproved. This is so soon learnt by the 

 student that it cannot fail to exert a ben- 

 eficial influence upon his character. It 

 is easy to deceive our fellows — at least 

 for a time. It is impossible to pervert or 

 deceive nature. 



VALUABI^E LESSONS IN EXACTNESS. 



In the study of Quantitative Analysis 

 the student determines by means of pro- 

 cesses conducted with great delicacy and 

 exactness, and weighings made on scales 

 of extreme sensitiveness, the amounts of 

 the various constituents of a substance. 

 In this work every speck of matter counts, 

 and a loss ofthe minutest amount renders 

 the results valueless. The study of 

 quantitative analysis has a remarkable 

 effect upon a careless lad. To have his 

 work represented by figures assigned by 

 himself is a new experience to him. The 

 delicate but relentless needle of the bal- 

 ance reveals not only the inaccuracy of 

 the work but the lack in the youth, His 

 self-esteem is often deeply wounded ; even 

 his social standing, wealth and popularity 

 are scored by the balance. It is the instru- 

 ment of exactness. It records one's de- 

 fects. It cannot be cajoled, bullied or 



deceived. ()ne may sing to it, declaim 

 before it, implore it, offer to bribe it, but 

 to no purpose. It indicates in figures 

 one's ability to perform operations, for 

 the most part simple, with exactness. I 

 have seen careless boys, who were bright 

 enough to get along in their studies with- 

 out any injury to their health, manifest 

 extreme surprise when the balance an- 

 nounced their inability to attain exact- 

 ness. Further surprise and considerable 

 chagrin I have seen displayed when the 

 balance has pointed out an attempt to be 

 dishonest and "cook" results. I recall a 

 remark made by a very bright but ex- 

 tremely careless young fellow (now a most 

 distinguished physician). "The needle 

 of that wretched balance," said he, "is 

 like an immense bee's sting. Every time 

 I go to it some cherished quality is 

 pricked." I really think that the bal- 

 ance was the first real check that that 

 boy's self-esteem had received. Careless- 

 ness is often an indication of self-conceit. 

 He was a fellow, however, who was at 

 once aroused by an obstacle, and so before 

 he finished his work in quantitative anal- 

 ysis he had acquired an exactness which 

 was most satisfactory. His other work, 

 and the young man himself were power- 

 fully influenced by it. I have had stu- 

 dents in quantitative analysis who be- 

 came so irritated at their failure to obtain 

 exact results that they gave up even foot- 

 ball in order to practice the manipulations 

 involved in the analysis. 



TEACHING IMPORTANCE OF DETAIL. 



In all analytical work there is an ele- 

 ment which I consider of the highest 

 importance, and that is practice in the 

 organization of work and division of time. 

 By skillful arrangement of the numerous 

 operations a great deal of work can be 

 done in a given time, and yet with little 

 danger of confusion. This is an excellent 

 training in executive management. One 

 also comes to appreciate the importance of 

 the small detail. Young men are often 

 inclined to underestimate the full value 

 of what appear to be minor details. Ex- 

 perienced men know that success is largely 

 owing to punctilious attention to little 

 things. Again, in quantitative analysis 

 every speck of matter must be accounted 

 for. This principle pervades the universe. 

 Its application in a man's work results in 

 thoroughness, and demands most patient 

 and persevering application. Few young 

 people appreciate quite fully how very 

 hard the men work who achieve success 

 in fields of intellectual labor. 



Probably the greatest cause of failure 



