280 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVII. No. 424. 



cipal constructions of Euclid before they 

 begin their study of formal geometry, it is de- 

 sirable that the course of constructions should 

 be regarded as quite distinct from the course 

 of theorems. The two courses will probably 

 be studied side by side, but great freedom 

 should be allowed to the teacher as to the order 

 in which he takes the different constructions." 

 The report proceeded to deal with the course 

 of constructions, the course of theorems, and 

 the importance of riders. The committee 

 recommended the following general order in 

 teaching the theorems of the first three books, 

 and thought that examiners should be re- 

 quested to recognize this order: — Book I., 

 Book III. to 32 inclusive. Book II., Book 

 III. 35 to the end; and detailed suggestions 

 were given. As to arithmetic and algebra, 

 the committee considered that there was con- 

 siderable danger of the true educational value 

 of arithmetic and algebra being seriously im- 

 paired by reason of a tendency to sacrifice 

 clear understanding to mere mechanical skill. 

 In view of this they recommend — (a.) that 

 easy viva voce examples should be frequently 

 used in both arithmetic and algebra; (&) that 

 great stress should be laid on fundamental 

 principles; (c) that, as far as possible, the 

 rules which a pupil uses should be generaliza- 

 tions from his own experience ; (d) that, when- 

 ever practicable, geometry should be employed 

 to illustrate arithmetic and algebra, and in 

 particular that graphs should be used ex- 

 tensively; (e) that many of the harder rules 

 and heavier types of examples, which examina- 

 tions alone compel us to retain in a school 

 curriculum, should be postponed. With these 

 as guiding principles the committee made 

 various suggestions. In view of the great 

 amount of time now required for teaching the 

 various rules connected with our complicated 

 system of weights and measures, the commit- 

 tee recorded its unanimous opinion that the 

 interests of education demanded the early in- 

 troduction of a decimal system of weights, 

 measures and coinage. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL NEWS. 

 The Duke de Loubat has given $100,000 to 

 Columbia University for the establishment of 



a chair of American archeology. Mr. M. H. 

 Saville, curator at the American Museum of 

 Natural History, has been elected to the pro- 

 fessorship. 



Obeelin College has received an anonymous 

 gift of $50,000 from the same donor who re- 

 cently gave $50,000. 



Mr. Alexander C. Humphreys was in- 

 stalled as president of the Stevens Institute 

 of Technology on February 5. Addresses 

 were made by representatives of the trustees 

 and faculty, by President Charles S. Thwing, 

 of Western Reserve University, by President 

 Henry S. Pritchett, of the Massachusetts In- 

 stitute of Technology, and by Mr. Andrew 

 Carnegie. The alumni offered a dinner and 

 reception to President Humphreys in the 

 evening. 



An extension of the work of the College of 

 Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia Univer- 

 sity, is about to be inaugurated by the estab- 

 lishment of smnmer courses. Practical in- 

 struction will be given in general medicine by 

 Drs. Sumner and Draper ; in neurology by Drs. 

 Pearce Bailey and Cunningham; in gynecol- 

 ogy by Drs. W. S. Stone and Bradley; in ob- 

 stetrics by Dr. Lobenstine; in ophthalmology 

 by Drs. Clairborne, Holden and Tyson; in 

 laryngology by Drs. Simpson and Frothing- 

 ham; in dermatology by Drs. Hodgson and 

 Dade; in diseases of children by Drs. La 

 Fetra and Huber; in genito-urinary diseases 

 by the senior assistants in the department; 

 in diseases of the stomach and intestines by 

 Dr. Fischer; in clinical pathology by Dr. 

 Jessup ; and in physical diagnosis by Dr. Dow. 

 Each course continues for a period of from 

 three to five weeks, and the work will be 

 adapted to the needs of undergraduates of the 

 third and fourth years, and of practitioners 

 of medicine who desire to pursue further 

 special studies. 



Dr. K. Alfred Osann, of Miilhausen, has. 

 been appointed associate professor of mineral- 

 ogy at the University of Freiburg. 



Sir Willl^m Turner has been appointed 

 principal of the University of Edinburgh. He 

 has been demonstrator of anatomy in the uni- 

 versity since 1854 and professor since 1867. 



