J0NE 20, 1913] 



SCIENCE 



933 



ing himself with the methods and status of 

 instruction in his own field, and of informing 

 himself on " the progress of public opinion in 

 regard to international arbitration." The re- 

 port of Dr. Daniels is a most interesting 

 series of " reactions " to the endless succession 

 of scenes and people that passed before him. 

 It is notable for its tart remarks on the Ger- 

 mans, for its complimentary references to the 

 English, and for its conclusions, which run 

 thus: 



Three facts particularly struck me in my journey 

 tlirough the Orient. The first is the political and 

 uidustrial might of Great Britain. . . . The second 

 fact is that the Asiatics are more highly civilized 

 than one dreams of before making the journey. 

 . . . The third fact is the supremacy of American 

 influence in China and Japan. 



Dr. McPherson devotes more attention to 

 educational affairs, but, like Dr. Daniels, has 

 some hard words for the Germans. He found 

 Paris the most profitable place he visited, and 

 he says : 



If I shall ever be so fortunate as to have a year 

 to devote to historical study abroad, I shall prefer 

 Paris to either Berlin or Oxford. 



More to the point, perhaps, is his final ques- 

 tion. 



And now it is only fair to face the question, 

 what assurance can I give the trustees that as a 

 consequence of my year abroad the purposes of 

 the trust and of the founder are to be promoted? 



He interprets these purposes as two — " to 

 promote the cause of civilization by rendering 

 the beneficiaries better qualified for . . . their 

 high duties . . . and to further international 

 comity by helping to dispel provincial preju- 

 dice and ignorance." In other words, he in- 

 fers that research is no principal object of the 

 Kahn Poundation. In this he is probably 

 right. For the arc of travel contemplated by 

 the founder would appear to place the resi- 

 dence necessary for investigation out of the 

 question. On the other hand, American col- 

 lege professors, as a class, are so accustomed 

 to European travel in any case, that there 

 would not seem to be much need for fresh 

 stimulus in this direction. It might be sug- 

 gested, therefore, that, if the foundation is to 



fill a distinct niche, the objective should be to 

 enable American teachers to acquaint them- 

 selves with the Orient. The undoubted influ- 

 ence of the United States upon Japan in the 

 past, and her growing influence in China to- 

 day, to say nothing of the Philippine situa- 

 tion, might well serve to indicate to the trus- 

 tees this more definite idea of the main pur- 

 pose of the benefaction. As matters stand, 

 the aim is too nondescript to induce confi- 

 dence. 



E. M. W. 



THE NATIONAL CONFEBENCE COMMITTEE 



The sixth conference of the National Con- 

 ference Committee on Standards of Colleges 

 and Secondary Schools was held at the rooms 

 of the Carnegie Foundation, 576 Fifth Ave., 

 New York, N. Y., on February 19, 1913. The 

 following delegates were present, representing 

 the organizations indicated: 



Headmaster Wilson Farrand, Newark Acad- 

 emy, representing the College Entrance Ex- 

 amination Board, — Vice-president. 



Professor Frank W. Nicolson, Wesleyan 

 University, representing the New England 

 College Entrance Certificate Board. 



Dean Herman V. Ames, University of 

 Pennsylvania, representing the Association of 

 Colleges and Preparatory Schools of the Mid- 

 dle States and Maryland. 



Principal Frederick L. Bliss, Detroit Uni- 

 versity School, representing the North Cen- 

 tral Association of Colleges and Secondary 

 Schools. 



Dean Frederick C. Ferry, Williams College, 

 representing the New England Association of 

 Colleges and Preparatory Schools, — Secretary- 

 treasurer. 



Secretary Clyde Furst, as substitute for 

 President Henry S. Pritchett, representing 

 the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement 

 of Teaching. 



Dr. Kendric C. Babcock, specialist in higher 

 education in the National Bureau of Educa- 

 tion, as substitute for Hon. Philander P. 

 Claxton, the United States Commissioner of 

 Education. 



