February 9, 1893 J 



NA TURE 



359 



illustrations. At the end of the paper detailed lists of experi- 

 ments for practical courses in electricity and optics are given. 

 Samples of the apparatus used were exhibited at the meeting, 

 those for optics being particularly simple and ingenious. — 

 Prof. A. M. Worthington said his experience led him to a 

 very hearty agreement with Mr. Sanderson on ail essential 

 points, and he thought there was now a close agreement amongst 

 teachers as to the best methods. He therefore wished to ask, 

 Had not the time now come at which the Physical Society might 

 usefully endeavour to exert direct influence on science teach- 

 ing ? As the scientific instruction of a person who intends 

 following a scientific calling is generally divided into stages, 

 and conducted in different places under different teachers, he 

 thought it was desirable that those in charge of his training at 

 e^ch stage should say up to what point his instruction should be 

 carried before he reaches them. Other matters in which the 

 society might do useful work were (i) reporting on text- 

 books and condemning the bad ones, and (2) furthering the 

 adoption of the decimal system. At present, he said, an enor- 

 mous extension in the teaching of physical science is taking 

 place, and it seemed within the power of the Physical Society 

 to place itself at the head of the movement. Another point 

 which required to be settled was the relative importance of 

 physics and chemistry at different stages of a student's education. 

 — Mr. L. Gumming agreed with the general principles laid 

 down by Mr. Sanderson. In attempting to carry out such 

 schemes numerous difficulties presented themselves, especially 

 where the science master had not control over the .subdivision 

 of the boys' time. He had tried teaching the science of arith- 

 metic to boys in the lower forms, but the results were not 

 encouraging, for he found very few who could do much in it. 

 They seemed to devote themselves much more readily to con- 

 crete problems and the art of manipulation ol rules. Graphical 

 statics was very valuable. As regards experimental lectures, he 

 believed them to be very important, especially in junior classes. 

 For scholarship boys a different method had been tried with 

 success. Instead of performing lengthy experiments completely 

 before the class, the essential parts were gone over, and for the 

 minor points the results obtained in experiments made before or 

 after the lecture were given, so that all the data for reducing' 

 the results were to hand. This saved considerable time. He 

 had hoped Mr. Sanderson would say something about the 

 slide rule, and wished to learn his opinions on its use. 

 — Dr. Stoney said he was very much struck with the methods 

 of teaching brought forward by Mr. Sanderson, and remarked 

 that his own work would have been considerably lightened if 

 such a scheme had been developed many years ago. Experi- 

 mental methods were very valuable, provided the inaccuracies 

 of measurement be kept in view. Plotting curves was also very 

 instructive, and might be made a means of furnishing the 

 fundamental notions in the differential and integral calculus. 

 As to the introduction of chemistry, his experience went to 

 show that this should be done at an early age. Dynamics should 

 also be begun early. — Mr. W. B. Croft thought that if the 

 Society did make rules to regulate the teaching of physical 

 science, these rules should not be too strict, for the ages and 

 aims of boys might differ widely. At Winchester the science 

 teaching was carried out on the lines recommended by a 

 committee of the Royal Society appointed to consider the 

 subject. (Leaflets showing the scheme adopted were here 

 distributed to members.) The object of the scheme was not 

 merely to make science a means of education, but an 

 ntegral part of the education of the pupils. He also made 

 point of keeping the lecture experiments up to date. — 

 -Mr. Rentoul said dynamics should not be taught as a mathe- 

 matical subject, but experimentally. He thought it of the 

 first importance that boys should learn how to find out facts 

 for themselves, and for this practical work was essential. 

 — Prof. Ayrton remarked that the conditions under which 

 science was taught differed in different places. He himself 

 taught with the object of enabling the persons under instruc- 

 tion to improve the industry. For this purpose he believed the 

 analytical method more suitable than the synthetical one advo- 

 cated by Mr. Sanderson. It also had the advantage of being 

 more scientific, for it was more natural, being, in fact, that used 

 by children from birth, for they had no other means of learning 

 the nature and properties of their surroundings. In his first 

 year's technical course the work was synthetical, whilst in the 

 third year the students, having analysed existing apparatus, were 

 taught to devise new or improved forms, and hence the work 



NO. I 2 15, VOL. 47] 



became more synthetical. — Mr. F. J. Smith said it was 

 important that students be taught to measure by the balance, 

 micrometer, spherometer, and as soon as possible. He also 

 inquired how far Mr. Sanderson's pupils could help themselves 

 in making the apparatus required for the simple experiments. 

 — Dr. Gladstone agreed with many points in the paper. Lately 

 he had had to do with schemes for improving the teaching in 

 elementary schools. Children were naturally philosophers, but 

 at present their curiosity was considered objectionable and 

 sternly repressed. Efforts were now being made to alter this 

 state of things. Kindergarten classes in infant schools were a 

 step in the right direction. It was very difficult to introduce 

 analogous methods in the higher standards, but natural science 

 had now obtained a footing. Although the methods of teach- 

 ing adopted might be those suitable for pure science, care 

 should be taken to put in practical illustrations, for when suit- 

 ably chosen they are sources of great interest to children. — Mr. 

 Sanderson, in reply, said the slide rule was used throughout the 

 course. Mechanics was taught by actual machines, such as 

 pulley blocks, screw jacks, &c. The boys made some apparatus, 

 but to make all would require too much time. — The President, 

 when proposing a vote of thanks to the author of the paper, 

 said that in Ireland the opinion that boys and girls cannot be 

 taught science greatly predominated. They found considerable 

 difficulty in getting any continuation of the kindergarten teach- 

 ing sanctioned. Possibly drawing might be allowed, but this 

 seemed all they could hope for at present. He wished to 

 emphasise the fact that in such schools the object was education, 

 and practical applications of science were not important except 

 in so far as it created an interest in the subjects. At present 

 scientific teaching was in an experimental stage, and as in other 

 things, progress is made by trial and error. Many different 

 methods were being tried, and it was important to know which 

 were successful and which failures. He thought the Physical 

 Society might be useful in collecting information on the sub- 

 ject by issuing a circular of questions to science teachers, and 

 subsequently drawing up a report on the subject. 



Royal Microscopical Society, December 21. — Dr. R. 

 Braithwaite, President, in the chair. — After the formal business 

 necessary to be done at the meeting preceding the annual meet- 

 ing, the Society adjourned as a mark of respect to the lately 

 deceased Sir Richard Owen, K.C.B., the first president of the 

 Society. 



January 18. — Dr. R. Braithwaite, President, in the chair. — 

 This being the annual meeting the President gave an address 

 on the development of mosses and sphagnums, illustrating his 

 subject with drawings and slides under microscopes in the room. 

 — On the Rev. Canon Carr proposing, and Mr. W. T. Suffolk 

 seconding, a hearty vote of thanks was given to the President 

 for his interesting address. — The annual report and the treasurer's 

 statement of accounts having been read and adopted, the fol- 

 lowing were elected as officers and council for the enduing year : 

 — President : Mr. A. I). Michael ; Vice-Presidents : Dr. R. 

 Braithwaite, Mr. F. Crisp, Mr. James Glaisher, and Prof. 

 Charles Stewart ; Treasurer : Mr. W. T. Suffolk ; Secretaries : 

 Prof. F. Jeffrey Bell, Dr. W. H. Dallinger ; Ordinary Members : 

 Dr. Lionel S. Beale, Mr. A. W. Bennett, Rev. Canon Carr, 

 Mr. E. Dadswell, Mr. C. Haughton Gill, Dr. R. G. Ilebb, 

 Mr. G. C. Karop, Mr. E. M. Nelson, Mr. T. H. Powell, Prof, 

 Urban Pritchard, Mr. F, H. Ward, and Mr. T. Charters White. 



OXF-ORD. 

 University Junior Scientific Club, February i.— The Pre- 

 sident in the chair.— At the conclusion of private business Mr. 

 J. E Marsh gave an exhibit of some products of the electric 

 furnace. He had brought for the inspection of the club some 

 specimens, from M. Moissan's laboratory, of fused lime and uran- 

 ium reduced from the oxide. He explained the construction of 

 the furnace, and the methods of using it and of obt -lining the 

 temperature of the arc. He further commented on M. Birthelot's 

 views as to the limit of temperature of the furnace, pointing out 

 that the maximum value was that of the temperature of vapor- 

 isation of carbon, and that in all cases this was obtained. After 

 a shdrt discussion Mr. F. Finn, who has just returned from 

 Africa on a worm-hunting expedition, described the incidents of 

 his journey. His remarks were illustrated by a number of 

 lantern slides showing scenes on the coast, chiefly at Mombasa 

 and Zanzibar. His first stay was at Lamu, where he did not 

 get any worms, the natives misunderstanding his signs and bring- 

 ing bones. He described his impressions of Zanzibar at some 



