Decembeb 16, 1921] 



SCIENCE 



593 



tural " tyi>e and perhaps open to the major- 

 ity of students, or of the sort suitable only 

 for those who have already begun specializa- 

 tion. These are, of course, quite different prop- 

 ositions, but the consensus of opinion is that 

 the latter type — where the student has at 

 least had a fair introduction to the subject — 

 is the one capable of the greatest good. In 

 one instance, a historical study of chemistry 

 and zoology is regarded as a " general cul- 

 tural course offered to all students who have 

 the scientific background which would enable 

 them to carry the work intelligently." An- 

 other institution opens its course on the 

 history of chemistry to all students, " but 

 prerequisites are insisted upon." Some schools 

 simply require that applicants shall have had 

 one full year in the science. Others allow 

 any students within the institution to attempt 

 the work if they wish to, but insist that it 

 be taken by all who are majoring in the de- 

 partment. A geology instructor says that 

 " good training in geology is prerequisite to 

 history of geology " — a requirement which 

 is not very definite. Though one, teacher — a 

 chemist — considers his history a purely cul- 

 tural course, he admits only those who have 

 had some work in organic chemistry in ad- 

 dition to the general courses. Another in- 

 structor has a different vision. He hopes 

 that the course which is now open only to 

 students working in his department, will ulti- 

 mately become a cultural one and open to 

 everyone. At one college giving a history 

 course it is claimed that " the lecturer has 

 maintained a certain standard by assuring 

 himself that each student has taken courses 

 in the biological as well as the physical sci- 

 ences." The department of chemistry in one 

 of the western universities is in a position 

 to offer a strong course on the history of sci- 

 ence from the fact that it admits to this 

 class only " graduate and upper class stu- 

 dents in chemistry with extensive prerequi- 

 sites, including French, German, advanced 

 mathematics, and physics — general courses." 

 These brief references show that in many 

 institutions it is now possible for those stu- 



dents who are specializing to obtain courses 

 on the history of their subject. 



PUBLICATIONS BY PRESENT TEACHERS OF THE 

 HISTORY OP SCIENOE 



The administrators to whom the present 

 inquiry was directed were asked to supply 

 lists of the papers and books dealing in any 

 way with the history of science and written 

 by members of their instructional staffs. The 

 results obtained are probably in no way a fair 

 indication of what has been accomplished, for 

 aside from the few well-known books already 

 referred to, apparently only a little has been 

 done, even including thesis work, popular bio- 

 graphical sketches, bibliographies, and un- 

 jjublished papers which have been read before 

 local or possibly state scientific societies. 



CONCLUSION 



It has been a pleasure to read the com- 

 ments and suggestions of those who have so 

 generously assisted in the present inquiry. 

 Many of these ideas have been embodied in 

 earlier parts of this paper. By far the 

 majority of the letters received are strongly 

 in favor of pushing the history of science to 

 the position of a regular feature of the cur- 

 riculum. In some schools the faculty is too 

 small to add any subject whatever to the 

 course of study. In such institutions, it is 

 not unusual that the mathematics professor 

 would be glad to offer a course on the history 

 of mathematics. A physics teacher " would 

 like to see such a course in physics offered, 

 but lack of time makes it impossible at pres- 

 ent." In spite of the historical material 

 which every science lecturer now and then 

 introduces into his courses, one of them 

 writes : " most of our students know very 

 little about the history of science. Much 

 more attention should be given to this sub- 

 ject." A professor of chemistry thinks " it 

 very advisable to give a short history of the 

 development of chemistry. Will do it when 

 it can be squeezed in." This indicates the 

 general difficulty. 



A college dean, as if sensible of inexcus- 

 able negligence, hastens to remark: 



