30 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLI. No. 1044 



tain knowledge of the physical world ahout 

 them ; and, second, that they may gain through 

 this knowledge the power to control the forces 

 of nature for their own benefit, and for the 

 benefit of others. In other words, we wish 

 them to acquire knowledge which they will use 

 in every-day life." 



This work with other recent publications 

 from a similar point of view represents a re- 

 action against the prevailing formal text-books 

 and formal treatment for beginners in the 

 study of science. Those who consider funda- 

 mental things in physics to be the laws and 

 generalization of the science will, perhaps, 

 feel that the traditional logical development is 

 very much neglected at some points. On the 

 other hand, there is a growing demand among 

 experienced teachers and critics of educa- 

 tional efficiency for a readjustment of text- 

 book treatment. Where the strictly logical 

 conflicts with what is considered profitable 

 educational procedure the tendency is to defer 

 logical organization of subject-matter till later. 

 Experienced teachers, critics of education and 

 the general public are demanding less drill 

 work in abstraction and more practical work 

 dealing with experiences and appliances such 

 as one encoimters in the world of reality. 

 Lynde's book is a valuable contribution to the 

 problem of teaching physics in a more prac- 

 tical way. 



The first two chapters deal with a multi- 

 tude of familiar mechanical contrivances, with 

 discussions of the lever principle and other 

 simple machines. This reminds one of the 

 popular old text-books on natural philosophy 

 of fifty or seventy-five years ago, and it is an 

 altogether desirable revival. The chapter on 

 mechanics of liquids is introduced with dis- 

 cussion of a city water supply, water supply 

 for country homes, wells, etc. Following a 

 chapter dealing with atmospheric pressure a 

 variety of air appliances are discussed, inclu- 

 ding pumps, the pneumatic tank system of 

 water supply for homes, the hydraulic ram, 

 the air-pump, types of vacuum cleaners, the 

 fire extinguisher, the siphon, the trap, the gas 

 meter, etc. In the chapters on heat a similar 

 list of important familiar appliances are to be 



found. As a rule the author presents a de- 

 scriptive treatment of a series of practical 

 physical situations in order to form a basis 

 for discussion of the principles involved. 



The chapters on electricity, light and sound 

 follow more closely the customary treatment 

 and contain less of the distinctive feature of 

 the first half of the book. For the sake of 

 consistency in the general plan there is much 

 material of a practical and illustrative nature 

 that should have been incorporated in these 

 latter chapters. It is somewhat disappointing 

 to find a commendable book with so many 

 amateurish free-hand drawings. 



F. F. Good 



Teachers College, 

 Columbia Univeesitt 



THE FOBSTTH DENTAL INFIBMABY FOB 

 CBILDBEN 



This Boston institution, pioneer among 

 charities for the adequate care of the mouths 

 and throats of the children, poor or rich, of a 

 large city, was dedicated formally by the Gov- 

 ernor and others on Tuesday, November 24, 

 and began its actual work the first of Decem- 

 ber. It is in the form of a splendid memorial 

 erected by Thomas Alexander Forsyth and 

 John Hamilton Forsyth to their brothers, 

 James Bennett Forsyth and George Henry 

 Forsyth, of whom, however, at present only 

 the first -named is living. The amount already 

 provided for this important work, it is under- 

 stood, in the building and in endowment, is 

 well along towards three millions of dollars. 



Beautiful bas-relief bronze doors (" The 

 Mother, giver of life and love " and " The 

 Commonwealth, giver of health and learn- 

 ing ") by Roger Noble Burnham, a bronze 

 bust of James Forsyth by Bela Pratt and one 

 of George Forsyth by Mr. Burnham, and 

 charming Dutch and American tiling of elab- 

 orate design (A. H. Hepburn), are perhaps 

 chief among the internal works of art of the 

 beautiful white marble building, situated on 

 The Fenway, north of the Museum of Fine 

 Arts, although bronze doors (" Uncle Kemus," 

 " Bre'r Rabbit," " Alice in Wonderland," etc.), 

 also ornament the entrance-way for the chil- 



