Febbuabt 25, 1910] 



SCIENCE 



317 



The author first classified his material into three 

 groups: (a) those who expect to go to college, 

 (6) those who wish to use their chemistry voca- 

 tionally, (c) those who wish chemistry as part 

 of a good general education. He regarded (a) 

 as a majority of influence, but (c) as a numerical 

 majority. He next showed that the best course 

 for class (a) would really serve classes (6) and 

 (o) better than any other course. 



Going more into detail, it was shown that for 

 all three classes the course should be along broad 

 general lines. The fundamental principles, the 

 leading facts and the most useful theory should 

 be taught. More than all else the scientific mode 

 of thinking should be inculcated, together with 

 the habit of going to things themselves rather 

 than to authorities for facts. The ability to 

 attack hard problems systematically and success- 

 fully should be imparted to the pupils. 



This sort of course was shown to be the best 

 possible preparation for college chemistry, also for 

 vocational chemistry and for general training. 



In the last part of his paper the author took 

 up briefly the matter of how the kind of course 

 outlined might be taught, and attempted to con- 

 vey an idea of the spirit of the method rather 

 than pedagogic details of method, placing em- 

 phasis upon open mindedness and breadth rather 

 than upon specialization in high school chemistry. 



Content and Method of the First Course in Chem- 

 istry: M. D. SOHON. 



The social development has been so largely 

 shaped through the application of scientific prin- 

 ciples that an understanding of the elementary 

 principles of physics and chemistry is necessary 

 for the ordinary man. 



The introductory course should be so adapted 

 as to be within the capacity of any child in the 

 high school. It should be planned for the many 

 rather than the few. 



The content of the course should be such as to 

 give a comprehensive view of the principles in- 

 volved in ordinary chemical phenomena, together 

 with non-technical treatment of commercial prod- 

 ucts, their sources, utilization and preparation. 



The difficulties of the subject are largely arti- 

 ficial and due to acceptance of traditional methods 

 and content. The theoretical conceptions are diffi- 

 cult, but fortunately such are not essential to the 

 study of the principles involved in the elementary 

 study of the subject. 



This can be done better with elementary pupils 

 by the systematic study of topics and of processes 



than by the study of elements. Traditional meth- 

 ods followed by texts fail to make use of modern 

 experiences and facilities in their method and 

 arrangement. The subject should be approached 

 from the side of the pupil, sacrificing, if necessary, 

 the formal development as a science. 



Laying aside the old methods and examining 

 the subject from the side of the pupil, there is 

 ample material to be drawn upon, facts worth 

 knowing. Their, relations and values may be 

 taught with little or no regard to abstractions. 



For the pupil who will continue in school it 

 will serve as a foundation for more intensive 

 work. The pupil who does not continue will have 

 had his interests aroused to increased efficiency. 



Pressure should be brought to bear upon the 

 scnools to make the instruction more practical. 

 It is within the power and is the duty of the 

 society to meet this and say what is desirable or 

 practical and not leave this to popular clamor or 

 self-constituted authorities. 



The Relations of the Common and of the more 

 Uncommon or Immiscihle Reagents: Chabuss 

 S. Palmeb. 



A short paper urging the teaching of the action 

 of the common acids, bases and salts on the com- 

 mon oils, fats, waxes, and such substances as 

 paper, sizing, ink, cotton, wool, etc. All this 

 should be shown the beginner, and adopted and 

 incorporated with the usual good theory and 

 practise. This means more thorough courses in 

 preparatory chemistry comparable with the com- 

 pleteness and thoroughness of the good old-fash- 

 ioned specializing in Latin and Greek. This 

 toning up of preparatory chemistry should come 

 from the inspiration and insistence of the college 

 influence on the preparatory school. 



Elementary Chemistry in the Vocational High 



School: Lyman Goeham Smith. 



The vocational school trains for efficiency in 

 special lines of work, and generally makes but 

 indirect use of ehemistiy. Employers are demand- 

 ing that the pupil acquire habitual knowledge, or 

 that he be well drilled; educators, on the other 

 hand, unanimously emphasize the value of the 

 development of initiative, and of the power of 

 independent judgment. The latter must be pro- 

 tected, as it is against the best interests of pupils 

 to make them merely the profitable tools of em- 

 ployers. Schools can do much to train more effi- 

 cient and useful workers, but the spirit of ideal 

 democratic American education is not to be neg- 

 lected. 



