Maech 20, 1908] 



SCIENCE 



457 



the previous preparation of the college 

 student. 



There are, however, no developments of 

 any kind which are so important as those 

 which tend to increase the effectiveness of 

 our undergraduate instruction in meeting 

 the needs of the individual student. I am 

 glad to be able to tell you that this year an 

 important step in this direction has been 

 taken by the initiation of a plan of indi- 

 vidual conferences between the instructor 

 and students in certain first-year subjects. 

 Owing to the inadequacy of the funds 

 available for the purpose— for it involves 

 additional instructors of first-rate ability^ 

 it has been possible this year to put this 

 plan in force only to a limited extent in 

 the subjects of English and mathematics. 

 It is, we believe, of great importance that 

 this plan be largely extended as rapidly as 

 our facilities admit; for it is undoubtedly 

 true that many of the students who now 

 fail to reach our standards could overcome 

 their difficulties if they could receive more 

 help in learning how to study and more 

 personal encouragement and stimulation. 

 The conference plan also develops an atti- 

 tude of cordiality and mutual helpfulness 

 both in the instructing staff and the stu- 

 dent body which is the essence of a healthy 

 college spirit. 



The instruction in the department of 

 mathematics is undergoing a somewhat 

 radical revision, in which the old divisions 

 into advanced algebra, analytic geometry, 

 differential and integral calculus are in 

 large measure obliterated, and the whole 

 subject is presented, irrespective of this 

 traditional grouping, in a manner most 

 economical and advantageous for the stu- 

 dent, and with the help of a large number 

 of concrete applications. 



THE EDUCATIONAL FIELD OF THE INSTITUTE 



It is well, I believe, for the corporation 

 to take under consideration from time to 



time those fundamental principles which 

 express the main purposes for which the 

 institute exists and which should determine 

 the educational field which it is to occupy 

 and the directions in which it is to be de- 

 veloped. In this belief, I present my views 

 for your consideration. 



Its Function as an Undergraduate School 

 First of all, I believe that it should be 

 clearly recognized that one of its main 

 functions, as an independent scientific 

 school, is to educate for the scientific and 

 engineering professions young men who 

 have previously received only a high-school 

 education. It must remain in large meas- 

 ure a school for undergraduates, and must 

 not allow itself through the influence of 

 the policies of universities to become only 

 a graduate school for the professional 

 training of the fonner students of other 

 colleges. The question here at issue is not 

 which is more advantageous— a profes- 

 sional training preceded by a liberal edu- 

 cation of an elective character or a coordi- 

 nation of the two in a single prescribed 

 course— but whether or not there is a large 

 field for education of the latter type. 

 Some may prefer to drive tandem, with a 

 loose rein upon the leader, and some to 

 drive abreast ; but none wishes his freedom 

 of choice restricted. By the establishment 

 in this community of the Graduate School 

 of Applied Science at Harvard University, 

 and by a similar development at other uni- 

 versities throughout the country, ample 

 provision will doubtless be made, as fast 

 as the demand arises, for the engineering 

 education of college graduates. It should 

 be, on the other hand, the especial care of 

 the institute to maintain and develop that 

 combination of liberal and professional 

 training for undergraduate students, for 

 which it has stood from its foundation. 

 If ever the demand for this type of educa- 

 tion should cease, or if ever it be demon- 



