562 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LII. No. 1354 



In recognition of the fact that the progress 

 of astronomy in America has made magnifi- 

 cent contributions to that science, it is be- 

 fitting that we should find in the oldest school 

 for astronomical graduate work a course per- 

 taining to the history of astronomy in Amer- 

 ica. The Detroit Observatory of the Univer- 

 sity of Michigan has in itself a wonderful 

 history, in respect to training astronomers who 

 have all been leaders in astronomical research. 

 Dr. W. Carl Rufus's work in the history of 

 astronomy consists of two courses — the first 

 being the general history of astronomy and 

 the second following with the history of 

 astronomy in America. The second course is 

 of particular interest to us now, since it is 

 building the framework upon which the his- 

 tory of science in America must rest. 



A cooperative course in the history of sci- 

 ence is now being offered for the first time at 

 the !N"orthwestern University. It is given 

 in two divisions, namely: the history of the 

 physical sciences, given by Dr. Henry Crew, 

 and the history of the biological sciences, by 

 Dr. William A. Locy. 



We may venture here to state that this 

 form or division of the history of science 

 teaching is probably the most satisfactory 

 form in which to conduct the whole subject, 

 since it is becoming more apparent that no 

 single individual will be able to teach the 

 subject as a whole. 



At the University of Chicago we find a 

 rather unique institution in the form of two 

 historical courses being offered in the corre- 

 spondence-study department by Dr. G. W. 

 Myers. The history of mathematics and the 

 history of astronomy are given primarily with 

 emphasis placed upon the cultural value. Aside 

 from the regular established course in the his- 

 tory of mathematics and biology, and a new 

 course being offered in the history of astron- 

 omy, Yale University has announced a series of 

 public lectures in the history of science.^ 

 These lectures clearly emphasize this growing 

 movement for a more sympathetic under- 

 standing of the past, a regard for the past 



6 Science, N. S., Vol. LII., No. 1347, p. 383-384, 

 October 22, 1920. 



human relationship of those whose labors 

 have prepared the way. 



And, finally, it is to be accepted as a recog- 

 nition of the worth and importance of the 

 history of science when we read of the suc- 

 cessful conference the American Historical 

 Association carried on in December, 1919.' 

 The interest the historian of the social and 

 political sciences has in the history of science, 

 is decidedly different from the historian of 

 the sciences themselves. One may be termed 

 the cultural interest, whereas the other is the 

 technical interest. That is, the former is in- 

 terested in the history of science from the 

 point of view of methodology and the in- 

 fluence science has had on civilization — the 

 latter is mainly concerned in the development 

 of the concepts in science, and the growth of 

 the subject matter and its influence upon 

 related problems. It is evident that the in- 

 terest can be, with profit, fostered by two 

 widely different organizations, which never 

 meet in common. 



Such has been the progress of the move- 

 ment to cultivate the history of science in 

 the United States within the last few years. 

 The remarks concerning these various steps 

 of the progress are necessarily brief, but suffi- 

 cient has been quoted to indicate that a new 

 cultural epoch in the intellectual history of 

 America is dawning. This cultural epoch 

 must, from the very fact of its influence and 

 interpretation, come to be known as the " new 

 Humanism." 



Frederick E. Brasch 



The John Crerak Librakt, 

 Chicago, III. 



SPECIAL ARTICLES 



OPTIMUM NUTRIENT SOLUTIONS FOR PLANTS 



During recent years numerous investigators 

 have devoted considerable time and resources 

 to the study of the salt requirements of various 

 plants. Plans have been proposed for the ex- 

 tension of this work, with the hope that cer- 

 tain fundamental data may be obtained which 

 shall indicate the composition and concentra- 



7 Science, N. S., Vol. LI., No. 1312, pages 193- 

 194, February 20, 1920. 



