PAPERS ON HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE 413 



HOW CAN WE HUMANIZE PHYSICS? 

 W. H. P. Huber, Elgin High School, Elgin 



This paper has been prepared at the request of the 

 Chairman of this section. The subject assumes that 

 Physics as taught today is a dry, formal, and system- 

 atized subject which does not lend itself to the life needs 

 and interest of the student. The charge may be partly 

 true. If so it should merit the attention of every teacher 

 interested in the welfare of the human race, so that it 

 may be returned to its rightful sphere of influence and 

 usefulness. 



Probably the most important factor in humanizing 

 Physics will be found in the teacher. First, he must 

 have a good knowledge of the content of the subject and 

 its relative value. More important still, he must be able 

 to impart it to the student in such a simple way that it 

 will be easy to understand. He must also be filled 

 with enthusiasm for the work so that everyone in 

 the class will be inspired to put forth his best effort. 

 The view point and limitations of every individual in 

 the class must be known. 



Let us turn for a moment to the modern business men 

 and industrial leaders ; they no longer do things the way 

 they did a decade ago. Old buildings are torn down. 

 New and elaborate structures are erected. Old machin- 

 ery is discarded; new and improved is installed. The 

 latest and most efficient methods are sought and used. 

 In teaching Physics the prudence of the business man 

 and industrial leader should be followed. Traditional 

 and devitalizing material should be eliminated. Formal 

 methods may be changed. Highly specialized material 

 frequently occurs in many of our text books. In most 

 cases it will be better to omit the greater part. It is 

 better adapted to students of an engineering school than 

 to the average high school boy and girl. If used to any 

 great extent it will confuse the mind and develop a lack 

 of interest causing the course to become unpopular in 

 the school. 



Another important need today in nearly all secondary 

 science is to secure a text-book with real scientific knowl- 

 edge and stimulating material which functions in every 



