‘ 
January 1ty 1917 | 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 
Larce MrTEor on January 4.—This brilliant object 
was observed at about 10.20 p.m. at the Royal Ob- 
servatory, Greenwich; by Mrs. F. Wilson, Totteridge ; 
by the Rev. Canon Grensted, Liverpool; and by the 
Kev. H. C. Bender, Chelsea, S.W. As viewed from 
the metropolitan district the meteor traversed the 
region of Pisces, while, as seen from Liverpool, the 
path lay amongst the stars in the western part of 
Canis Major. 
Mr. Denning writes us that the data already to 
hand indicate that the object was very low in the 
atmosphere, its height being approximately from 
forty-four to eighteen miles above the earth’s surface 
from a point six miles E.N.E. of Salisbury to four miles 
S.E. of Tetbury. Had the meteor survived during 
another twenty-five miles of flight it would have fallen 
to the ground in the locality about ten miles S.E. of 
Ross, or twelve miles E. of Monmouth, and this may 
have actually occurred, though the descent was not ob- 
served. The fallen mass may, however, yet be dis- 
covered. In the case of the meteorite of October 13, 
1914, though the light and detonation were noticed 
over a considerable area, the fall of the object was 
not witnessed, but it was accidentally discovered, em- 
bedded in the soil, on the following day. 
Extra-FocaL PHOTOMETRY.—Among the many 
methods employed in photographic photometry, the 
extra-focal method developed by Parkhurst has the 
great advantage that only a simple equipment is re- 
quired. The plate being exposed in the camera beyond 
the focus, the resulting images have relative densities 
varying with the brightnesses of the stars, and, by 
means of a Hartmann microphotometer, these can be 
compared with artificial star discs of known relative 
magnitudes. At the Laws Observatory, University of 
Missouri, investigations of the method have lately been 
made by R. H. Baker and Edith E. Cum- 
mings, using a s-in. photographic doublet, at- 
tached to a 7}-in. refractor as guiding _ tele- 
scope (Bulletin No. 24). The greatest known 
source of error is sky-fog, the effect of which is 
greatest for the fainter stars. This and other possible 
sources of error have been fully investigated, and 
means of overcoming them have been found. Tests 
of the accuracy attainable were made on eight plates 
containing double exposures of selected circumpolar 
regions, on which 196 stars were suitable for measure- 
ment. The star images ranged from o-3 to 0-5 mm. 
in diameter, and it is shown that the advantage of 
such small images in reducing overlapping and expo- 
sure time does not involve any loss of accuracy. The 
probable error of a single observation was about one- 
twentieth of a magnitude, so that the extra-focal 
method compares favourably with other methods, 
Twelve eclipsing variables are under investigation. 
HyDERABAD ORBSERVATORY.—From the annual report 
of the director of the Nizamiah Observatory, Hyder- 
abad, for the year ending October 5, 1916, we learn 
that, although serious inconveniences have been caused 
by the war, substantial progress has been made with 
the worl: for the Astrographic Catalogue. Besides the 
investigation of proper motions by measurement of 
plates talken at Oxford, Mr. Pocock reports that 134 
plates were taken and measured during the year. In 
zone —17°, 143 plates, containing 56,302 stars, have 
now been completely reduced and the results partly 
printed, while in zone —18° copy for press has been 
prepared for ro2 plates, containing 42,545 stars. Much 
work has also been done in connection with the mag- 
nitude scales of the various catalogues used in connec- 
tion with the astrographic worl. 
NO. 2463, VOL. 98] 
{ 
NATURE 
RYE) 
EDUCATIONAL POSITION AND OUTLOOK. 
FTER-WAR problems dominated the various sec- 
tional meetings of the Conterence of Educational 
Associations held last week, and the two schemes of 
reform suggested by the bkducation Ketorm Council 
and tthe Workers’ Educational Association were fre- 
quently in evidence. ‘Lhree main lines of thought 
could be noted. One took up the burden of the Master 
of Balliol’s inaugural address in his insistence upon 
the need for an educated democracy. ‘hus Principal 
Maxwell Garnett, ot the Manchester School of Tech- 
nology, speaking on the vocational outlook before the 
Child Study Association, urged that primitively interest 
was aroused by things to be done; thus permanent 
neurographic records were formed, and from these 
neurograms interest systems were created which tended 
always to grow. Hence it was wise to develop a 
single wide interest and a power of concentrated atten- 
tion, and such interest systems, developing in 
adolescence, if centred round one’s vocation, would 
produce a body of workers who would be at once 
more effective and more contented. At the same time, 
there was need to reserve from all classes those who 
would become prophets and thinkers. This last was 
the note of Prot. Shelley’s address before the Teachers’ 
Guild; a healthy democracy must evolve an aristocracy 
whilst at the same time fostering the forces that 
would destroy it, and always there must be a selection 
of the most vigorous personalities who would éxpress 
the ideals and aspirations of the age. This involved, 
as Principal Garnett also insisted, some other method 
than the crude intellectual test of selecting those who 
should proceed by scholarships to higher centres of 
learning. Prof. Gilbert Murray had pointed out at 
the previous meeting the corollary to this, that there 
should be secured to ithe youth of all classes the best 
education for which each was intellectually fitted. 
A second main line of thought had to do with the 
classics-science controversy, with science in favour. 
Thus Sir Alfred Keogh, presiding at the Education 
Reform Council meeting, urged that the lack of know- 
ledge of elementary facts of science and Nature shown 
by Ministers and administrators was a national mis- 
fortune, and that every boy destined for public life 
should have a very liberal education both in science 
and classics. The other side was given at the Associa- 
tion for the Reform of Latin Teaching, where, how- 
ever, Dr. Rouse deplored the almost complete failure 
of the reformers to influence the teachers of classics. 
On the question of the teaching of science in second- 
ary schools, an interesting point was raised by Prof. 
Nunn, in the discussion on women’s work in boys’ 
schools, before the Froebel Society. He thought that 
whilst the biological sciences were safe in their hands, 
the physical sciences were not. Such _ practical 
developments of mathematics and the physical 
sciences as engineering were nearer to men’s 
interests, and if women were to treat these 
in any but an academic manner they must 
be brought into ‘direct contact with such practical 
developments. 
A third main line of thought was that of the posi- 
tion, prestige, and salaries of teachers. At no pre- 
vious conference has this point been so frequently 
emphasised by chairmen and lecturers, and in refer- 
ence to all grades and classes. Greater culture and 
efficiency and a wider training were constantly in de- 
mand, and to attract the right men and women to the 
profession a more generous recognition and remunera- 
tion were needed—and the teachers were not those 
who insisted; they only applauded. 
The annual meeting of the Geographical Association 
was held at the London Day Training College on 
January 5-6, with Sir Thomas Holdich, president, in 
