102 
NATURE 
[OcroBer 26, 1916 
Miss G. J. Sanpers, formerly principal of the Low- 
thorpe (Massachusetts) School of Horticulture and 
Landscape Architecture for Women, has been ap- 
pointed principal of the Swanley Horticultural College. 
A PAMPHLET issued by the Bradford Education Com- 
mittee describing the courses in chemistry and dyeing 
held at the Technical College in that town is symptom- 
atic of the altered outlook towards the various branches 
of the chemical profession brought abdut by the world- 
war. These college courses are, in the first place, 
arranged to meet the growing requirements of the 
local dyeing industry. Together with the study of 
colouring matters, practical instruction is given in the 
art of dyeing in a dye-house with full-sized machinery 
combined with a finishing plant for completing the 
commercial treatment of cloth. As in many other 
technical colleges, there is an entrance examination, in 
which English and mathematics are compulsory. 
Special stress is laid on the fact that a sound secondary 
education up to the age of sixteen or seventeen is a 
preliminary asset of the greatest importance. 
combined course in chemistry, dyeing, and the allied 
subjects extends over a period of four years. A similar 
course has been devised for those taking up chemical. 
work in other industries, such as in oil and soap works, 
or in metallurgy or gas engineering. Both these courses 
include a certain proportion of mechanics and engineer- 
ing bearing specially on chemical industries. Students 
passing satisfactorily through either of these courses 
receive the college diploma, but the associateship of 
the college is reserved for those who have had one 
year’s practical experience subsequent to the award of 
the diploma, and who have submitted a thesis on 
some previously approved subject. The ultimate object 
of the curricula of this college is to turn out practical 
chemists, dyers, and pharmacists, and that these quali- 
fications are appreciated by manufacturers is seen from 
the encouraging list of appointments secured by the 
alumni. 
AN appeal on behalf of the Endowment Fund of the 
School of Oriental Studies at the London Institution 
has been issued by an influential committee of which 
-Lord Curzon is chairman. The objects of this new 
institution are three in number :—(1) To provide a 
place where the Englishmen who will presently be 
engaged in governing or garrisoning the Oriental and 
African parts of the Empire may learn the languages 
and study the literature, the religions, and the cus- 
toms of the peoples with whom they will be brought 
into contact; (2) to offer a training to those who are 
about to proceed to the same countries to take part 
in commercial enterprise or avocations; (3) to furnish 
in the capital of the Empire a meeting-ground and 
focus. for the scholars of the East of all nationalities 
on_their visits to this country. Evidence has been 
accumulating in recent years that the training of our 
Civil Servants and officers in the languages and modes 
of thought of Oriental peoples falls short of the ideal 
which we ought to have in view. In the new rela- 
tions that will develop when the war is over there 
must be a higher standard of efficiency in these re- 
spects if our rule is to continue to commend itself 
to those with whom we are brought into relations. 
Information has been received that important steps 
are already being taken in Germany to-give a -higher 
education ‘to Germans: about to proceed to the East. 
Provision will be made in the new London school for 
all the more important languages of the Near, Middle, 
and Far East, and of Africa. The committee desires 
to raise an endowment fund of 150,000l., towards 
which they have now asa result of a preliminary 
appeal about 10,000]. Donations and subscriptions 
NO. 2452, VOL. 98] 
The- 
| may be paid to the head office or to any branch of the 
London County and Westminster Bank, or to the secre- 
‘tary of the executive of the appeal committee at the 
School of Oriental Studies, Finsbury Circus, E.C. The 
governing body of the school has appointed Dr, E.. 
Denison Ross, C.I.E., to be its @irector, and he will 
take up his work almost immediately. Dr Ross has 
travelled extensively in the East. Among his numerous 
works is the ‘‘ Tarikh-i-Rashidi,”’ a history of the 
Moguls of Central Asia. 
A series of resolutions referring to the claims of 
humanistic studies to scientific attention was adopted a 
couple of months ago by a conference representing the 
Classical, English, Geographical, Historical, and Modern 
Language Associations (see NATURE, September 7, p.23)- 
The committee of the Association of Public School 
Science Masters has just expressed agreement with the 
principles of education stated in the resolutions; and 
in answer to an invitation to make a statement with 
regard to education in the natural sciences, it has sent 
the following to the chairman of the conference :— 
“‘ Natural science in education should not displace the 
‘humanistic’ studies, but should be complementary to 
them. 
»needs in particular :—(1) Search for Truth: imagina- 
tive power indicates new fields in which further know- 
ledge of truth may be revealed; its subsequent estab- 
lishment depends on accurate observation, with con- 
stant recourse to nature for confirmation. The one 
| aim of natural science is, in fact, the search for truth 
based on evidence rather than on authority. 
the study of the subject implies accurate observation 
and description and fosters a love of truth. The 
special value of Natural Science in the training of 
Mind and Character lies in the fact that the history 
of the subject is a plain record of the search for Truth 
for its own sake. (2) Utility: There are certain facts 
and ideas in the world of natural science with which 
it is essential that every educated man should be 
familiar. A knowledge of these facts assists men (a) 
to understand how the forces of nature may be em- 
ployed for the benefit of mankind; (b) to appreciate 
the sequence of cause and effect in governing their 
own lives; and (c) to see things as they really are, 
and not to distort them into what they may wish 
them to be. It is the business of Natural Science in 
education to bring this knowledge within the range 
‘of all.” The statement is signed by Prof. H. H. 
Turner, president of the Association of Public School 
Science Masters, and by Mr: A. Vassall. chairman of 
committee. Probably arising out of the conference 
referred to above, a Council of Humanistic Studies 
_has been constituted, comprising representatives of the 
British Academy, in addition to the five associations 
mentioned above. Its object is to watch educational 
developments in the interests of the studies represented 
by these bodies and to co-operate, if possible, with the 
representatives of natural science. The president is 
Lord Bryce, and the chairman Sir Frederic Kenyon, 
,to whom communications may be sent at the British 
Museum. 
SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 
Lonpon. 
| Geological Society, June 28.—Dr. Alfred Harker, 
president, in the chair.—Dr. A, Smith Woodward; A 
| new species of Edestus from the Upper Carboniferous 
, of Yorkshire; with a geological appendix by J. Pringle. 
| The fossil confirms the interpretation of Edestus as a 
| row ‘of symohysial teeth of an Elasmobranch fish. 
| The row of eight bilaterally svmmetrical-teeth, fused 
; a ‘ 
In this capacity natural science meets two 
Hence © 
eS 
