THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE. 



447 



John Hyde, Department of Agriculture, 

 Washington, D. C. 



Permanent Secretary. 

 L. O. Howard, U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 

 General Secretary. 

 Prof. William Hallock, Columbia 

 University, New York. 



Secretary of the Council. 

 D. T. McDougal, New York Botani- 

 cal Gardens. 



Secretaries of the Sections. 



Mathematics and Astronomy: Prof. 

 H. C. Lord, Ohio State University. 



Physics: J. 0. Eeed, University of 

 Michigan. 



Chemistry: Prof. W. McPherson, 

 Ohio State University. 



Mechanical Science and Engineer- 

 ing: William H. Jacques, Boston, Mass. 



Geology and Geography: Dr. R. A. 

 F. Penrose, Pierce. Ariz. 



Zoology: Prof. H. B. Ward, Uni- 

 versity of Nebraska. 



Botany: A. S. Hitchcock, Manhat- 

 tan, Kan. 



Anthropology: G. G. McCurdy, Yale 

 University. 



Economic Science and Statistics: 

 Miss C. A. Benneson, Cambridge, Mass. 



Treasurer. 

 Prof. P. S. Woodward, Columbia 

 University. 



The National Educational Associa- 

 tion, which held its annual session at 

 Charleston during the week beginning 

 on July 9th, is the leading representa- 

 tive of the many educational associa- 

 tions of the country. Its membership 

 includes the ablest teachers of educa- 

 tion in colleges and the most successful 

 school superintendents and teachers. 

 Its meetings give occasion for discus- 

 sions of matters of educational theory 

 and practice in many ways comparable 

 to the discussions in scientific societies. 

 The program of the present meeting 

 shows that like the scientific associa- 

 tions, the National Educational Asso- 

 ciation has become differentiated into a 

 number of practically isolated sections 



with differing interests. There are sep- 

 arate departments of Kindergarten Edu- 

 cation, Manual Training, Child Study, 

 Normal Schools, Libraries, etc. The 

 Department of Superintendence now has 

 a special meeting at a different time 

 and place. There are also general ses- 

 sions, and these have not become mere 

 formal business meetings. The leading 

 topic for discussion this year seems to 

 have been the proposed National Uni- 

 versity at Washington. The most ob- 

 viously important service which the 

 Association has rendered to educational 

 endeavor has been its elaboration 

 (through efficient committees) and pub- 

 lication of reports on Secondary Edu- 

 cation, Elementary Education, Rural 

 Schools and College Entrance Require- 

 ments. These reports represent if not 

 demonstrable facts, at least the well- 

 considered opinion of competent judges 

 and they have had a highly beneficial 

 influence. Dr. J. M. Green, of Newark, 

 will preside over next year's meeting. 

 The decision in regard to the place has 

 been left to the executive committee, 

 the claims of Detroit, Cincinnati and 

 Tacoma having been especially urged. 



The opening of a summer school at 

 Columbia University and the attend- 

 ance at Harvard University of a large 

 proportion of all the school teachers of 

 Cuba are important steps towards in- 

 creasing the usefulness of our institu- 

 tions for higher education. The 

 grounds, buildings and equipment of 

 Columbia University have cost in the 

 neighborhood of $10,000,000, and to let 

 these lie idle and rusting for nearly one- 

 third of the year is evidently wasteful. 

 But it is not only a question of the 

 most economical administration of these 

 trust funds that is at issue. The teach- 

 ers of the country, perhaps 500,000 in 

 number, have had just enough educa- 

 tion to profit particularly by attendance 

 at a university. They are engaged at 

 their work during three-fourths of the 

 year, but their summers can be spent in 

 no more pleasant and useful way than 

 by attending a university summer 



