130 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. XXII. No. 553 



inal investigation ; yet looking toward the future the erec- 

 tion of so many large laboratories cannot fail, under 

 judicious control, to contribute to the advancement of 

 knowledge. A marked individuality in our methods is 

 apparent even in a casual inspection of American labora- 

 tories. Variation in details is a natural consequence of 

 differences in the temperament of different peoples; and 

 teachers educated abroad have perceived the necessity of 

 adapting the methods in which they were trained to the 

 peculiar conditions. 



With some hesitation I approach that asx^ect of our sub- 

 ject which relates to the details of methods, since the best 

 success in teaching is so dependent on the personality of 

 the instructor that it would seem presumptuous to sug- 

 gest a rigid scheme for all. There are certain principles 

 at the foundation of successful teaching, however, which 

 may properly be presented for consideration, especially 

 since this paper is intended as an introduction to general 

 discussion. I have already alluded to an unsatisfactory 

 condition in the methods employed in the secondary 

 schools. In some of the high schools, as we all know, 

 there are teachers who are thoroughly imbued with the 

 spirit of scientific study, yet competent teachers are often 

 limited in their efforts by a heavy burden of other work, 

 or by a need of the necessary appliances. There can be 

 no question that the high school courses would be bene- 

 fitted if every pupil received systematic training in ele- 

 mentary physical science, and I believe it is consistent 

 with due attention to other subjects, and that it can be 

 accomplished without any unreasonable pecuniary bur- 

 den. As an expeditious and effective method for teach- 

 ing chemistry in the high school, I would have the 

 teacher meet the class before the lecture table and dem- 

 onstrate, experiment and explain, simply as a convenient 

 mode of teaching classes as one pupil should be taught. 

 The experiments should be repeated by the student in 

 the laboratory, under the immediate oversight of the 

 teacher, with the note book close at hand. A text- 

 book is necessary, to give information which the teacher, 

 has not time to include; but no text-book can supply the 

 need of personal teaching. Occasionally teachers with 

 limited knowledge are led to adoj^t methods of question- 

 able utility by the arrangement of certain text-books. 

 Some years since a teacher in one of the high schools in 

 the East, in which little attention was given to laboratory 

 work for students, remarked that his pupils must have a 

 thorough knowledge of valence and structure symbols. 

 The topical arrangement of the subject may be left to the 

 discretion of the teacher, and the quantity to the length 

 of time available; but it should never be forgotten that 

 the educational value of such instruction depends upon 

 the development of skill in manipulation, of correct hab- 

 its of observation and in recording notes, and of the true 

 sj)irit of scientific thought. Whatever of practical infor- 

 mation may be included will enhance the utility of the 

 instruction. 



In the higher institutions the first course is general and 

 descriptive chemistry, of which every jserson who exi3ects 

 to engage in any scientific fiursuit should have a thorough 

 knowledge; and, as has been suggested, this subject should 

 have a suitable place in college courses. Concerning de- 

 tails of the most efficient methods in teaching general 

 chemistry, no doubt an extended course of experimental 

 lectures, closely connected with laboratory practice, 

 affords the best training. The ground can be fairly cov- 

 ered in seventy or eighty lectures, with four to six hours 

 a week of laboratory work, so arranged that the lectures 

 of each week shall include the experiments for the labor- 

 atory. Weekly recitations on the subjects of the lectures 

 and laboratory work enable the instructor to control the 

 progress of his students. When students first enter the 



laboratory it is essential that they are impressed with" the 

 necessity of accuracy in the details of experimental work. 

 This important lesson may easily be taught by means of 

 experiments capable of affording quantitative results; by 

 some instructors such experiments are occasionally intro- 

 duced throughout the course, with the same object in 

 view. There should be sufficient instruction in the labor- 

 atory for careful oversight of the experimental work and 

 the note book of each student. Moreover, I am convinced 

 that it is unwise, in any grade of undergradiiate study in 

 chemistry, to allow students in laboratories without con- 

 stant sujoervision ; when left to themselves they are apt to 

 loiter, to contract careless habits and to waste material. 

 Then a laboratory is held responsible for accidents, even 

 though they occvir through inexcusable carelessness of 

 students. Every instructor in charge of a laboratory 

 will, no doubt, recall heedless moments on the part of 

 students. Some years ago, just as I entered my qualita- 

 tive laboratory one day when the assistant was out of the 

 room, I observed a student infiate his lungs twice from a 

 bottle containing a freshly charged solution of hydric 

 sulphide; he immediately fell into the arms of a compan- 

 ion, and it was some time before he recovered. Probably 

 another inflation would have proved fatal. 



This fellow was a sophomore, having taken one year in 

 general and descriptive chemistry; he was fairly bright 

 and had been using this reagent during several months. 

 But some question arose as to the odor of the unadulter- 

 ated gas, and, forgetting the prece^Dts of his freshman 

 year, he attempted by a direct experiment to ascertain 

 the truth. What has been said concerning the personal- 

 ity of the instructor applies, perhaps, in a more restricted 

 sense to the student. While methodical habits are to be 

 strenuously insisted upon, the methods may be sufficient- 

 ly flexible to allow the student to reach his conclusions in 

 his own jjeculiar way; the particular form of the lecture 

 and laboratory notes, for example, can be left to the pref- 

 erence of the student, provided they are well written and 

 complete. 



For other students than those who desire sj)ecial train- 

 ing in chemistry or in allied subjects, an extended course 

 in general and descriptive chemistry provides amjjle 

 knowledge of this subject. Analytical chemistry is next 

 in the sequence of studies, and for evident reasons quali- 

 tative analysis is first undertaken. On account of its 

 great disciiDlinary value I regard this subject as one of 

 the most important in the whole course of chemical train- 

 ing. It enables the instructor constantly to test the 

 faithfulness and proficiency of the student, and beside 

 the mental discipline, the student acquires a compre- 

 hensive knowledge of methods of separation and identifi- 

 cation, which is the foundation of quantitative analysis. 

 Elementary theoretical chemistry, or chemical philosophy, 

 may be conveniently and profitably taught at the same 

 time with qualitative analysis, especially since a familiar- 

 ity with stochiometry and chemical reactions is essential 

 in a good understanding of quantitative methods. 



Thus far, in teaching chemistry, probably the methods 

 are not materially different in the college and the tech- 

 nical school. Indeed, in the more advanced subjects, the 

 principal difference is in the attention which should be 

 given to the acquisition of practical knowledge in the 

 technical courses. The methods of quantitative analysis 

 are well adapted for the development of skill and dexter- 

 ity in accurate manijiulation, and to the chemist they are 

 indisiJensable. As a preparation for jDrofessional emjoloy- 

 ment the training in methods should be sufficiently com- 

 Ijrehensive and thorough to enable the student to appre- 

 ciate the conditions of any analytical problem; and, fur- 

 ther, I deem it of much importance that students have 

 practice, under guidance, in all typical standard methods. 



