126 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. VIII. No. 187^ 



facts as such, but rather the cultivation of 

 an ability to discriminate between the 

 essential and non-essential, and to appre- 

 ciate the fundamental relationships existing 

 between the various groups in the animal 

 kingdom. 



Professor Erasmus Haworth, of the Uni- 

 versity of Kansas, in the geographical con- 

 ference dwelt upon the present unscientific 

 treatment of geography in the schools, and 

 discussed at some length the need of a re- 

 form in both method and subject-matter. 

 Much of what is given under the name of 

 geography is not geography at all, al- 

 though it may well be admitted that this 

 non-geographical matter is often quite in- 

 teresting and in some cases possibly useful. 

 Often, however, there is a large amount of 

 gross and inexcusable error, along with 

 much irrelevant and unimportant matter to 

 be found in the text-books. 



A lively discussion followed, in which the 

 current text-books on geography were de- 

 scribed as being nearly all bad. 



In the conference in geology Professor 

 Todd, of the University of South Dakota, 

 read a paper on ' Geology as a Factor in 

 Education.' He enumerated the various 

 advantages for culture which the study pre- 

 sents. It is equal to any other natural 

 science in its cultivation of the power of 

 observation, while no other has its material 

 so universally accessible and so permanently 

 available. Other sciences often required 

 the use of costly instruments and collec- 

 tions. It cultivates reasoning, especially 

 inductive reasoning, and gives practice in 

 the ' scientific method.' Because its prob- 

 lems deal with all degrees of accuracy and 

 probability it especially fits one for the 

 problems of actual life. No other science 

 can equal it in its cultivation of the imagi- 

 nation and in teaching its legitimate bounds. 

 Because of its tangible data and the im- 

 portance of its conclusions to related sub- 

 jects of wide interest, it more than others 



cultivates skill in clear and accurate de- 

 scription. It strengthens the moral nature 

 by instilling love for truth, by revealing the 

 marks of an intelligent purpose in the cos- 

 mos and by teaching man's humble position, 

 yet great power if he learns to work with 

 Nature. It discovers a healthful and ra- 

 tional recreation. It brings one in touch with 

 many of the great economic problems of so- 

 ciety. He concluded that its clearer and 

 simpler principles, which have been grouped 

 under Physiography, should be required in 

 the high school, as was approved by the 

 ' Committee of Ten,' and that more might 

 be offered at that stage as an elective. He 

 presented reasons for deferring the more 

 thorough pursuit of the science until after 

 fair acquaintance with chemistry, physics, 

 botany and zoology, and then at least a year 

 of geology (including mineralogy) should 

 be required of all candidates for the degrees 

 of B.Sc, C.E. and M. E., while it should be 

 accessible as an elective to all. 



Professor E. H. Barbour, of the Univer- 

 sity of Nebraska, and Professor Erasmus 

 Haworth, of the University of Kansas, fol- 

 lowed in a disci;ssion which emphasized the 

 culture value of geology in the public 

 schools, no other cultui-e excelling it in the 

 cultivation of the power of close observa- 

 tion. 



Charles E. Bessey, 

 Chairman of Science Conferences. 



CUBRENl NOTES ON ANTHROPOLOGY. 

 THE BEGINNINGS OF MIND. 



A PLEASANT address on this subject by 

 Dr. Julius Donath, of Budapest, is worth 

 mentioning. It presents in an easy style 

 the accepted principles of modern psychol- 

 ogy, and in their light traces the growth of 

 mind in relation to cerebral action in the 

 development of the infant and child and in 

 the species, as exhibited in the contrasts 

 between savage and civilized modes of 



