August ii, 192 i] 



NATURE 



761 



read a French one only with difficulty. These young 

 men have spent many school years during which the 

 study of Latin and Greek absorbed about one-third or 

 one-fourth their total available study hours. What 

 have they got for it ? They cannot read a Latin 

 author or a Greek author at sight. It is true that 

 without their Latin they would not have attained the 

 degree of the University of Dublin. The pro-classic 

 says their minds are the better for it. Well, I freely 

 admit that much mental training was involved, but I 

 do not admit that a sound study of French and German 

 would not have done for them just as much — nay, 

 more. 



The reproach that many students fail as research 

 workers, while it has some foundation in fact, is not 

 a fair one, for it ignores the educational value of even 

 elementary research. I believe the outlook of a 

 student who has carried out one single research of 

 an elementary kind is different from that of one whose 

 outlook is derived solely from the text-book and the 

 examination. He learns first-hand the mental point 

 of view of the investigator. He gets ideas of scientific 

 truth and of the legion of errors which lie in wait 

 around it as may in no other way be acquired. He 

 sees the plausible, prima facie conclusion break down 

 under the control experiment or in the light of the 

 inexorable requirements of other participating laws 

 of Nature. A new conception of the use of mathe- 

 matical analysis and of careful observation is created 

 In his mind. More generally he learns the necessity 

 of "thinking round " his subject. 



These things he learns in some degree even if he 

 is only of average capabilities. If he is one of the 

 higher spirits the interest of the work seizes on him 

 and calls out every power, latent and developing, 

 wherewith he is endowed. These higher spirits work 

 out their own destiny. I shall not dwell on the ways 

 of genius, but rather upon research as an instrument 

 rn the education of less gifted minds. I turn, there- 

 fore, to the interesting question : " Is it possible to 

 teach research successfully? " To teach its methods 

 and its spirit to the average student, whether of 

 science or of the "humanities "? 



The answer I would give unhesitatingly is "Yes." 

 I would be careful to define that this does not imply 

 the genesis of an original thinker from ordinary 

 material. But it implies just as much as when we 

 say we can teach students mathematics. 



I plead, therefore, for lectures in our universities 

 devoted exclusively to studies in research, and I would 

 admit to these lectures students of both junior and 

 senior standing, i.e. the beginners in science as well 

 as- those working for the Ph.D. as now instituted in 

 all British universities. 



Of course, I am not now referring to sj^stematic 

 lectures in this or that branch of science. These are 

 essential to the training of the average student, I 



mean something different. I would define research 

 lectures as mainly relating to the professor's own ex- 

 perience and to that of his assistants and co-workers, 

 each worker contributing one or more lectures to the 

 university course in research. Their subject-matter 

 would relate to the objects aimed at by the research, 

 the difficulties attending the work, and how they were 

 surmounted. Such discourses might be supplemented 

 by others of an historical or retrospective character. 

 These might in some cases be delivered by honours 

 students, and would refer to classic researches of the 

 great masters. For recounting these, experimental 

 illustrations should be given. The inspiration to be 

 derived from such retrospective studies will be known 

 to all who have read the original memoirs of great 

 investigators. There need be no extra call upon the 

 .professor's time. He would simply substitute these 

 for part of his existing routine lecture work. 



The professor is at present too much tied 

 down by routine courses. There is a sort of idea 

 prevalent that it is not fair to his class that he should 

 tell them of his own work, but that this should rather 

 be kept for the academy and for the outside world-. 

 Well, I think it is fair ; and I believe that with 

 reasonable usage the best thing he can do for his 

 class is to tell them of his own work. If this were 

 admitted in high quarters it would be more often 

 carried out. I can imagine nothing more stimulating 

 than a few lectures each term on the work progress- 

 ing in the laboratory of the professor and his co- 

 workers, for not only is the student brought into- 

 touch with the making of knowledge, he is also sure 

 to receive the story in the language of fresh and 

 enthusiastic interest. 



I am aware that occasionally and at scientific asso- 

 ciations within the universitv such discourses are 

 delivered. I would make them a part of the sessional 

 work of the university. If not legally obligatory on 

 the professor, it should be morally obligatory on him 

 to contribute a few such lectures every term, or at 

 least every session. I do not think it would impose 

 additional labours on him. Fresh from his work, but 

 little rearrangement would be required, and his facts 

 would be ready marshalled in his memory. Nor would 

 the telling of his ideas fail to react upon the lecturer — 

 to his benefit and to the elucidation of his subject. 



The one central result aimed at is the presentatiorr 

 of research as something of paramount importance. 

 It should stand for the highest goal of university 

 effort, for, in truth, success in the making of know- 

 ledge is the crown of all human endeavour, and as 

 such the student should be taught to regard it. Teach 

 him this one great ethical truth, and whatever else 

 he mav accomplish or fail to accomplish in his student 

 days, he will enter on his life's work an enlightened 

 and a valuable citizen, not only of his own country,, 

 but also of the world. 



International Exploration of the Upper Air. 



By C. J. P. Cave. 



A MEETING of the International Commission for 

 the Exploration of the Upper Air was held at 

 Bergen on the invitation of Prof. V. Bjerknes, presi- 

 dent of the commission, in the week ending July 30. 

 The commission was appointed by the Meteorological 

 Conference held at -Paris in 1919 to continue the 

 work, in connection with the International Meteoro- 

 logical Committee, which was carried on with marked 

 success from 1896 until the beginning of the war, 

 and with which is specially associated the names of 

 the late Teisserenc de Bort, Rotch, and Assmann, 

 under the presidency of Prof. Hergesell. 

 NO. 2702, VOL. 107] 



The following countries were represented at Bergen :. 

 Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Holland 

 and the Dutch East Indies, Italy, Japan, Norway, 

 Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland; and the meetings 

 were also attended by a number of prominent 

 meteorologists from Norway and Sweden. The pro- 

 ceedings opened with a reception by the president and 

 Mrs.^ Bjerknes at the Meteorological Office of the Geo- 

 -physical Institute, and with a lecture by J. Bjerknes 

 on recent advances in the study of the Polar front and 

 its relation to a succession of cyclones. It was 

 arranged that the morning sessions should be devoted 



