170 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. VoL.XXVIir. No. 710 



and the best teacher will make for himself 

 the best selection. The derivation and 

 elucidation of mathematical principles, 

 facility in their use and application, and 

 an understanding of the basis on which 

 principles and methods rest are all essen- 

 tial. A good text-book — one properly pro- 

 portioned — aids greatly in the work of in- 

 struction. However, it is the teacher on 

 whom reliance is placed in the end, and for 

 the student of average mathematical abil- 

 ity the teacher's influence constitutes a 

 large element. It is highly advantageous 

 for the teacher to have a fair knowledge 

 of the applications of mathematics which 

 the student will make in later work and 

 to have sympathy and interest in such 

 work. Let us also emphasize the impor- 

 tance of having the best of teachers for 

 mathematical instruction. 



Let me add to this that it is my belief, 

 growing stronger after many years of ob- 

 servation, that the average engineering 

 student gets relatively little from lectures 

 on mathematical subjects; that many in- 

 structors talk too much themselves; that 

 the student must have the opportunity to 

 express himself and must be required to 

 use the mathematical language and to try 

 his own skill, and this in other than formal 

 quizzes; and that recitation and drill work 

 are essential factors in giving training to 

 this average student. 



Little can be said in the time at my dis- 

 posal on the ground which should be cov- 

 ered in mathematical instruction. Two 

 classes of matter are studied: (1) funda- 

 mental principles forming the skeleton of 

 the work, and (2) the more complicated 

 topics, involving further detail and insight. 

 There will be little difference of opinion 

 on the first class. There will be more on 

 the second. I have found in the teaching 

 of mechanics and of various engineering 

 subjects that certain topics and methods 

 not ordinarily given in mathematical in- 



struction may advantageously be used in 

 the presentation of the work. The teacher 

 of thermo-dynamics or of electro-dynamics 

 has other topics to suggest, and still other 

 topics will come from other sources. Not 

 all of these may be allowed. In fact, it 

 makes little difference what particular 

 topics are included so long as the student 

 has thorough training in some of the more 

 complex work. The difficulty of giving 

 instruction in complex work lies not so 

 much in the time required, as in the ob- 

 stacle that the concepts lie beyond the 

 student's experience and that he is not 

 ready to comprehend their meaning. If 

 he had the opportunity to study these top- 

 ics after he has reached the subject in 

 which they are to be used, or if he could 

 go back over a part of mathematics after 

 his study has taken him into their field of 

 application, as indeed his instructor has 

 done for himself, the result would be more 

 satisfactory. All these limitations must be 

 considered in choosing the ground to be 

 covered in mathematical instruction. 



Arthur N. Talbot 



UNIVEESrrY OF IlUNOIS 



GRADUATE SCHOOL OF HOME ECONOMICS 

 The Graduate School of Home Economics 

 held its second session at Cornell University, 

 July 13-24. Representatives were present 

 from eleven states and Canada. It is the pur- 

 pose of this school to consider some of the 

 results of the latest investigations in science, 

 economics and art with their applications to 

 work in home economics; the program, there- 

 fore, covered a wide range of subjects. 



Practical demonstrations of household ap- 

 pliances were given by Misses Van Rensselaer 

 and Rose, of the department of home eco- 

 nomics in Cornell University. "Biology in 

 its Relation to Home Economics" was dis- 

 cussed by Dr. J. G. Needham, of Cornell Uni- 

 versity ; " Political Economy in its Relation 

 to Home Economics " was discussed by Pro- 

 fessor Eett«r and Professor Kemmerer, of the 



