July 8, 1921] 



SCIENCE 



23 



superior capacity and hence possibility of 

 superior attainment, involves a wider recog- 

 nition than now exists of the positive 

 use which modern psychologists are more 

 and more making, in their development 

 of the applications of psychological science, 

 of the fact that not only are there such marked 

 differences in native intellectual capacity or 

 ability among persons as to permit the setting 

 up, on a basis of intelligence tests, of such 

 categories as idiot, feebleminded, sub-normal, 

 average normal, superior and genius, but that 

 within the group of so-called mentally normal 

 human beings, which includes most college 

 students, there still exist rather large differ- 

 ences in intellectual capacity. We all know 

 this to be a fact, but few of us give it suffi- 

 cient attention ; few of us give it sufficient im- 

 portance as an aid in guiding our practical 

 activities. Now the value of the university's 

 product is, as Terman well says, determined 

 as much by the original quality of the raw 

 material with which it works as it is by salary 

 budget, instructional methods or curriculum. 

 In an abundantly documented recent paper, 

 this active exponent of modern psychology 

 reveals the high significance which an analysis 

 of the intellectual status of the student body 

 of a university might have as a basis for posi- 

 tive action by any university determined to 

 make the best use of its available resources 

 for the advancement of American learning. 

 He shows the positive economy in money, 

 time and mental energy that could be effected 

 by certain radical changes in university ad- 

 ministration, and the highly desirable results 

 which would come from these changes in the 

 way of enabling the university to fulfil its 

 highest function in the advancement of learn- 

 ing both through teaching and research. And 

 only by such fulfilment can the nation make 

 the most of its potential mental capacity. 



I seem to have wandered somewhat from the 

 particular subject which the title of my paper 

 indicates to be especially mine this afternoon. 

 But all of the things I have talked about 

 have their definite relation to research in the 

 universities. Yet one important phase of this 

 subject I have alluded to by no more than a 



fortuitous juxtaposition of words. The rela- 

 tion between research and teaching is a sub- 

 ject which alone calls for another and longer 

 paper than all of this present one, which 

 ought to be inflicted on you some time by 

 somebody. This is not the time nor am I the 

 brutal body to do it. But I can not refrain 

 from calling your attention, in my last mo- 

 ment with you, to the additional evidence of 

 the curious and abnormal character of the in- 

 stitution we call university in America, which 

 is afforded by the strange and highly injurious 

 artificial opposition that has been created be- 

 tween research and teaching by the customs 

 and methods of American higher education. 

 Research and teaching are inseparable from, 

 and indispensable to, each other in a real uni- 

 versity. An institution which does radically 

 separate or oppose them is not a university, 

 however good and useful some other thing it 

 may be. The University of Minnesota is a 

 university because it is an institution which 

 recognizes the intimate relationship and co- 

 incidence of teaching and research. And we 

 may feel assured that under its new president 

 it will continue, and with ever-increasing effec- 

 tiveness, to fulfil its genuinely university 

 function. 



Vernon Kellogg 

 The National Eesearch Council 



THE METRIC SYSTEM IN JAPAN 

 The American Metric Association has re- 

 ceived from the Decimal Association of Lon- 

 don a brief statement by Dr. C. E. Guillaume, 

 director of the International Bureau of 

 Weights and Measures, relating to the prog- 

 ress of the metric system in the Far East, 

 This was written on May 23, 1921, and we 

 have had it translated for the information of 

 the readers of Science. We have received 

 from official Japanese sources additional in- 

 formation in regard to the Japanese metrio 

 law, passed on April 11, 1921, and the pro- 

 gram for rendering it effective^ 



Practically all readers, of Science will be 

 glad to know that the Britten bill, now known 

 as H. R. 10, is being endorsed by national 

 organizations and has a fair chance of pass- 



