SCIENCE 



Friday, July 9, 1909 



CO'STE'NTS 

 A Review of Current Ideas on the Teaching 

 of Mathematics: Pbofessob S. E. Slocum 33 



William Eimbeek: Edwin Smith 48 



The Protection of Natural Monuments : Pbo- 

 fessob John M. Clabke 51 



The Daricin Centenary (.t Cambridge 52 



Scientific Notes and News .• 53 



University and Educational News 56 



Discussion and Correspondence: — 



"The Daylight Saving Bill": W. F. A. A 

 Remarkable Aurora Borealis: Andbew H. 

 Palmer 56 



Scientific Books: — 



N. E. Winchell and A. N. Winchell's Op- 

 tical Mineralogy: Pbofessob Edwabd H. 

 Kraus. Maclaren on Gold: Db. Waltee 

 R. Cbane 58 



Scientific Journals and Articles 60 



Special Articles: — 



Diplodia Disease of Maize: Dr. Ebwin F. 

 Smith 60 



Societies and Academies: — 



The Geological Society of Washington: 

 Fean^kjis E. Matthes. Section of Biology 

 of the New York Academy of Sciences: Db. 

 Frank M. Chapman 61 



JISS. intended for publication and books, etc., intended for 

 .-cview should be sent to the Editor of Sciekce, Garrison-oa- 

 "ladsoD, N. Y. 



A REVIEW OF CURRENT IDEAS ON THE 

 TEACHING OF MATHEMATICS'- 



The subject of elementary mathematics 

 has been the last to respond to improved 

 pedagogical methods. Eeeently, however, 

 there has been a general awakening of in- 

 terest in methods of mathematical instruc- 

 tion which seems to be universal in its 

 scope, and to have originated simultane- 

 ously in France, Germany, England and 

 the United States. Although the discus- 

 sions have been widely varied, there is 

 practical unanimity on the point that 

 mathematical instruction should be less 

 formal and more practical, and should con- 

 stitute simply an extension of the ordinary 

 experience of the child. 



Although the ideas recently expressed 

 are almost wholly deductions from experi- 

 ence, they seem, for the most part, to have 

 a scientific basis. They recognize, namely, 

 that the child learns as the race has learned, 

 by proceeding from concrete and familiar 

 facts to the general laws underlying all 



' A summary of reports on special topics, as- 

 signed in connection with a course for teachers 

 on the history and teaching of mathematics, given 

 by Professor S. E. Slocum at the University of 

 Cincinnati, 1907-8. The class, part of whose work 

 is here presented, was composed as follows: 

 Charles Otterman, A.B., professor of mathematics. 

 Woodward High School, Cincinnati, Ohio; Albert 

 Schwartz, A.B., principal Linwood School and 

 principal East Night High School, Cincinnati, 

 Ohio; Benjamin H. Sichl, A.B., teacher eighth 

 grade, Morgan School, Cincinnati, Ohio; Charles 

 H. Siehl, A.B., teacher eighth grade, Garfield 

 School, Cincinnati, Ohio; Jesse K. Dunn, prin- 

 cipal Highlands School, Cincinnati, Ohio; F. L. 

 Williams, A.M., principal William Grant High 

 School, Covington, Kentucky; Howard Hollen- 

 bach, B.Sc, instructor in science, Lockland High 

 School, Lockland, Ohio. 



