194 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LI. No. 1312 



of the sciences and argued that the teaching 

 of science might be made more stimulating 

 to young minds by some treatment in each 

 case of the i)ersonality and achievement of 

 the man who had discovered the scientific fact 

 or law in question. He further advocated 

 separate courses in the history of science in 

 the four fundamental fields of physics and 

 chemistry, zoology and botany. He also raised 

 the question of the age and academic position 

 of the men to offer such courses. 



The discussion was opened by Dr. Harry E. 

 Barnes, of The IsTew School for Social Ee- 

 search, who noted that of the four papers on 

 the program only one was by a professor of 

 history and expressed regret that of all the 

 workers in the history of science probably 

 even less than this twenty-five per cent, were 

 professed historians. He emphasized the high 

 value and promise of the history of science 

 compared to the old political history, and 

 sketched the progress particularly of Amer- 

 ican historiography of science. He also men- 

 tioned the increased space given to the history 

 of science in the new Syllabus of Professor 

 James Harvey Robinson's well-known course 

 in the Intellectual History of Europe. 



Charles H. Haskins, dean of the graduate 

 school of Harvard IJniversity, who was chosen 

 at this meeting second vice-president of the 

 American Historical Association, expressed 

 his sense of the importance of the history of 

 science and desire that a conference in the 

 subject might become a permanent feature of 

 the program. In speaking of Professor Hen- 

 derson's course at Harvard in the history of 

 science, he suggested the advisability of re- 

 quiring one laboratory course as a pre- 

 requisite to the course in the history of 

 science, so that the students woidd not con- 

 sider the history of science as a substitute for 

 science itseK. 



Dr. Walter Libby, of the University of 

 Pittsburgh, after a brief tribute to the 

 memory of Sir William Osier as a friend of 

 the history of science, advised that courses 

 should be given for freshmen in the general 

 history of science, and saw large possibilities 

 for advanced work in this new field of univer- 



sity research. As for the less easy problem 

 of the intermediate courses, he suggested the 

 treatment of the history of physics, chemistry, 

 and the like by experts in those subjects with 

 the possible cooperation of the professor of 

 the history of science. A treatment of va- 

 rious epochs by the department of general 

 history with emphasis on the relation of sci- 

 entific progress to the advance of civilization 

 was also to be desired. He alluded to the 

 course in the history of science and civiliza- 

 tion now required of freshmen in the com- 

 bined arts and medical course at the Uni- 

 versity of Toronto, and to courses offered in 

 the histories of medicine, pharmacy, and psy- 

 chology at Pittsburgh. 



In view of the good attendance at this con- 

 ference, although it was not arranged for 

 until almost the last moment, and the fact 

 that the program was a little too crowded, I 

 am inclined to suggest that another time 

 there should be at least two conferences 

 planned, one for papers embodying historical 

 research, and the other for a discussion of the 

 teaching of the history of science. 



Lynn Thorndike 



Western Beservb Univeesitt, 

 Cleveland, Ohio 



THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR 

 THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE 



FINANCIAL REPORT OF THE PERMANENT 

 SECRETARY 



L. O. HOWARD, PERMANENT SECRETARY, IN ACCOUNT 



WITH THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION TOR THE 



ADVANCEMENT OP SCIENCE 



Dr. 



To balance from last account $7,575.45 



To receipts from members: 

 Annual dues previous to 



1918 $435.00 



Annual dues 1918 479.00 



Annual dues 1919 31,330.00 



Admission fees 535.00 



Life membership fees 500.00 33,279.00 



To other receipts: 



Sale of publications $22.50 



Interest on accounts at 



bank 114.35 



Miscellaneous receipts, in- 

 cluding treasurer's pay- 



