682 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXVII. No. 696 



larly, belongs to you, to me, to every man, 

 woman or child in this great city, who pays 

 taxes or rent. I am merely one of the 

 instruments for making it most effective. 

 Having centralized my efforts, for the time 

 at least, upon it, I shall welcome every 

 suggestion by which the ideal may be 

 more nearly approached. Human nature 

 prompts a desire for helpful advice and 

 sympathetic criticism. I may add, what is 

 presented this evening will likely provoke 

 an amused smile on the part of those of 

 you who are associated with large well- 

 organized corporations. 



Every department of an educational in- 

 stitution requires some form of organiza- 

 tion. A chemical department is more 

 acutely affected by lack of organization 

 than any other of the various subdivisions 

 of an educational plant. The nature of the 

 work classes a chemical laboratory under 

 the head of department stores. Every 

 chemical department has some style of 

 organization. Much consideration of the 

 subject has resulted in settling upon the 

 plan here outlined as most suitable to an 

 institution as the College of the City of 

 New York, which is of collegiate grade 

 only, not offering graduate or technical 

 courses of study. Perhaps with slight 

 variations parts of the plan may commend 

 themselves to other institutions. 



The pedagogic phase of the subject, first 

 in importance, is to be considered as the 

 last of the three topics. The material ar- 

 rangements for securing the best results 

 will be taken up next time. This evening 

 I desire to direct your attention to the con- 

 sideration of the executive phase, which in- 

 volves the selection of a staff, the proper 

 care for a large plant, its upkeep and con- 

 trol over current expenses, whereby the 

 largest output and the greatest use may 

 result with the least expenditure. 



Complaint is frequently made in this 



country on the part of directors of labora- 

 tories and teachers of chemistry, that they 

 are overcome with detail work. This com- 

 plaint is, as a rule, well founded, but it is 

 my belief that a system of organization can 

 be adopted which wiU relieve the directors 

 of much of the detail work, subdividing it 

 in such a manner that it does not become 

 too great a burden for any one individual. 



CLERICAL HELP 



In the first place it is uneconomical to 

 require the head of the department to do 

 much of the clerical work, which may be 

 done by one who has not had to spend so 

 much time in preparation for the duties of 

 a directorship. In short, fuUer return is 

 made to the institution by the employment 

 of a clerk or secretary, or both. 



SELECTION OP A STAFF 



As the head is held responsible for the 

 department, his advice in the selection of 

 subordinates should carry great weight. 

 This is a principle generally recognized in 

 all reputable institutions of learning, al- 

 though not always lived up to. Many fac- 

 tors are involved in the selection of a staff. 

 I shall limit myself in this connection to 

 two pertinent remarks. Naturally we 

 know our own graduates better than those 

 who come from other institutions, and 

 whom we have met incidentally. Our own 

 graduates are more familiar with the local 

 problems and it is easier to meet the diffi- 

 culties with sympathetic help. In not a 

 few institutions, however, in-breeding has 

 resulted, if not in stagnation, at least in 

 bringing about a state of affairs which has 

 prevented the department from producing 

 its best results. It is desirable, therefore, 

 to hold enough of the men who know the 

 inside life of the institution to preserve its 

 traditions, yet new blood should be brought 

 in continually to show the best of other 



