June 9, 192 1] 



NATURE 



475 



It is proposed to appoint a committee of nine to 

 manage the low-temperature station for research in 

 biochemistry and biophysics, which is nearing com- 

 pletion. Five members of the committee are to be 

 nominated by the council of the Senate and four by 

 the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. 



The Syndicate to consider possible alterations affect- 

 ing the Mathematical and Natural Sciences Tripos is 

 to consist of Dr. Fitzpatrick, Sir Joseph Thomson, 

 Prof. H. F. Baker, Sir Ernest Rutherford, and 

 Messrs. VV. B. Hardv, A. Hutchinson, W. H. Mills, 

 J. Barcroft, J. F. Cameron, A. Wood, C. G. Darwin, 

 R. H. Fowler, and G. P. Thomson. 



Dr. H. Hartridge, King's College, has been ap- 

 pointed senior demonstrator in physiology. 



Owing to the continued difficulties of railway 

 travelling, the vote on the admission of women to 

 membership of the University or to titular degrees 

 has been postponed from June i6 to October 20. 



The Arnold Gerstenberg studentship will be awarded 

 to the science student of proper standing who writes 

 the best essay on one of the following six subjects :— 

 The Ultimate Data of Physics, Philosophical Aspects 

 of the Theorv' of Relativih", Mechanical Explanation 

 and the Problems of Biology, The Theory of an 

 "Elan Vital " and Related Conceptions, Heredity and 

 Memorv, Instinct and Intelligence. 



Manchester. — Dr. Harold Robinson, senior lec- 

 turer in physics and assistant director of the physical 

 laboratories, has resigned his appointment as from 

 September 29 next. 



The following have been recommended for the 

 degree of Doctor of Science : — Frederick William 

 Atack, William Broadhurst Brierley, Colin Campbell, 

 Robert George Fargher, William Harold Pearsall, and 

 Henrv Smith Holden. 



In connection with the department of coal gas 

 and fuel industries of Leeds University a Corbet- 

 Woodall scholarship in gas engineering- is being 

 offered. It is of the annual value of 60Z., and tenable 

 for three vears, with the possible extension to a fourth. 

 Full particulars can be obtained from the registrar 

 of the University. The latest date for receiving appli- 

 cations for the scholarship is June 15. 



Summer schools for practical work in open-air geo- 

 graphy, geology, botany, and allied sciences will be 

 held under the auspices of the Geographical Associa- 

 tion at Chamonix (July 28-August 11) and in Snow- 

 donia (August 13-27). The original glacial researches 

 of De Saussure, Forbes, and Tyndall will be retraced 

 in the Chamonix district, and, similarly, Ramsay's 

 work on the ancient glaciers of North VVales will be 

 studied in Snowdonia. Particulars of the arrange- 

 ments may be obtained by sending a stamped ad- 

 dressed envelope to Mr. H. Valentine Davis, 

 "Noddfa," Wistaston, Crewe. 



The Bulletin of the National Research Council for 

 March (vol. ii., part i. No. 9) contains a classified 

 statement compiled by the Research Information Ser- 

 vice of the funds available in 1920 in the United States 

 for the encouragement of scientific research. The 

 publication falls into seven sections, of which the first 

 is introductory, and sections ii. to vi. contain lists of 

 the medals, prizes, fellowships, etc., in connection with 

 which specific mention is made of research. In sec- 

 tion ii. the various medals and prizes are brought 

 together ; section iii. deals with grants for research ; 

 section iv. with institution funds for research ; and 

 section v. with the fellowships and scholarships avail- 

 able for research workers. In every case reference is 

 made to the awarding body, the nature of the research 

 for which the award is made, the frequency of award, 

 NO. 2693, VOL. 107] 



and usually the monetary value. Section vi. consists 

 of an index to the subjects in which funds for research 

 are available ; while section vii. forms an index to the 

 various institutions which make awards and to the 

 funds from which grants for research are allotted. A 

 truly remarkable arqount of information from widely 

 scattered sources is thus brought together conveniently 

 in a single publication. 



The programme of the Summer School of Civics, 

 to be held this year at Guildford, Surrey, from 

 July 30 to August 13, offers opportunities for good 

 all-round social study. The courses of lectures to be 

 given fall into three groups. In the first come those 

 on geography, descriptive economics, primitive and 

 present-day institutions, and anthropology ; through 

 these the student will be given a condensed view of 

 community life at the present day. In the second 

 group are the courses which develop a theory of com- 

 munity life, e.g. those on social biology, psychology, 

 philosophy, etc. In the third group come the courses 

 on the principles and practice of civics, social educa- 

 tion, public administration, and economic problems. 

 A special course for teachers on modern developments 

 in education will also be given. Informal discussions 

 will be, as formerly, a great feature of the school's 

 work, and there will be exhibitions of civics, rustic 

 surveys, housing and town-planning schemes, and 

 excursions in Guildford and the neighbourhood. Mr. 

 A. Farquharson will be responsible for the general 

 direction of the school, and a number of well-known 

 lecturers have offered their services. The inaugural 

 lecture will be given by Prof. Patrick Geddes, pro- 

 fessor of sociology and civics in the University of 

 Bombay, and special lectures on psycho-analysis are 

 being given by Miss Barbara Low. Full particulars 

 of the school may be obtained from Miss Margaret 

 Tatton, secretary. Civic Education League, Leplay 

 House, 65 Belgrave Road, Westminster, S.W.i. 



One of the prime features of the Education 

 Act of 1918 was that establishing day continuation 

 schools for young persons entering upon employment 

 at fourteen years of age. Immediate provision was 

 to be made by the various local education authorities 

 for education during working- hours for such young 

 persons for seven or eight hours weekly for forty 

 weeks of each of two following years. Many large 

 firms in the North of England, chieflv textile and 

 engineering, took advantage of the provision so made 

 and established for their own employees classes of a 

 liberal character during working hours. Some educa- 

 tion authorities, of which Manchester is a notable 

 example, also established facilities for continued dav 

 education. The London County Council was one of 

 the very few authorities which adopted the Act, and, 

 the Board of Education thereupon named an appointed 

 day in the terms of the Act. The Education Com- 

 mittee of the L.C.C., among its other activities, made 

 large provision for the means of continued dav educa- 

 tion, which received a gratifying response. It is there- 

 fore a matter of much surprise that the Education Com- 

 mittee of the Council resolved on May 9. and con- 

 firmed at a meeting held on June i. that the Council's 

 interim scheme adopted on Mav 4 of last year be 

 amended so as to provide for the continued dav educa- 

 tion of employed young persons up to 15 vears of 

 age only. The reason given for this decision is that 

 the cost of continued education for two years under 

 the .\ct is too great in face of the growing un- 

 willingness of the people to pay incieased rates. 

 Apart from the serious injurv to the young persons 

 concerned, it is a proposal of very doubtful legality, 

 and it is to be hoped that the recommendation to the 

 Council, which was carried bv a majority of only 

 one, will be summarily rejected. 



