134 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. IV. No. 83. 



some chemical individual. These chemical 

 separations are simply particular cases in- 

 cidental to certain conditions obtainable in 

 a series of general phenomena, and as such 

 they should be treated. An elementary 

 knowledge of chemical equilibrium, of dis- 

 sociation in solution, of the separation of 

 ions by the electric current and of the 

 modern views of neutralization, is now as 

 essential to the beginning of chemistry as 

 any of the descriptive portions. Armed 

 with such a knowledge, the pupil can ap- 

 proach many subsequent facts, which were 

 formerly simply memorized, from a reason- 

 ing standpoint. 



To render such a course of study as I 

 have outlined successful, it is necessary 

 only to take up but a few of the more com- 

 mon elements and compounds, doing. the 

 work thoroughly and conscientiously. Im- 

 portant chemical deductions are as well 

 illustrated by a few widely distributed and 

 simple substances, as by many. The time 

 for the study of all of the elements and of 

 their relations in the periodic system is not 

 in the beginning. Such work can only be 

 undertaken in a systematic spirit when 

 the pvipil has been taught to reason in the 

 terms of the science. A mass of descrip- 

 tive detail, no matter how well it is memo- 

 rized, is not chemical science ; the time is 

 passed for that ; we are not longer in the 

 age of Berzelius. For the same reason I 

 would leave the subject of valence for a 

 later period. The reasons for its accept- 

 ance are many and complicated ; they are 

 the result of painstaking work, of much 

 bitter strife and heartburnings, and are too 

 intricate for the beginner. I have much 

 more faith in the pupil who has been 

 trained to accurate observation, who can 

 logically connect what he has seen and who 

 can tell what he knows, than in the one 

 who, by a system of arbitrary instruction, 

 can write down any number of chemical 

 formulae and equations, founded on a dog- 



matic and too early discussion of the 

 theories of valence. Are not even the most 

 brilliant investigators in the science in 

 doubt as to its present position and as to 

 its future development ? 



In conclusion I would like to answer the 

 argument that I know will be brought 

 against me. It will be said that while the 

 outlined course is well adapted for those 

 who wish to make a life study of chemistry, 

 it can scarcely be applied to pupils who will 

 never take any more chemical work than 

 that given in an elementary course. It is 

 absurd to suppose that an elementary course 

 is intended to produce a chemist. The 

 most that can be done is to give the begin- 

 ner some knowledge of the fundamental 

 principles of the science. Such being the 

 case, how can we best give the pupil the 

 mental discipline incidental to the scientific 

 habit of thought, and at the same time put 

 him in a position to go on with his work in 

 chemistry, should he so elect ? Surely not 

 by taking incidental facts from the entire 

 field, by introducing him to theories which 

 he can not comprehend, and by burdening 

 his memory with a mass of material which 

 disgusts him with the science and leaves 

 him helpless for future advancement. We 

 must always take pains, in teaching begin- 

 ners, to pick out that which is absolutely 

 essential to their comprehension of the sci- 

 ence as such, and even if we use only such 

 materials we shall find that the allotted time 

 is more than filled. We must not depart 

 from our ideal of scientific truth to meet a 

 demand which we recognize as not in the 

 interests of the science. By failing to teach 

 the pupil the true elements of chemistry, 

 and by attempting to make the course, as it 

 is termed, ' practical,' we are in reality do- 

 ing the most impractical thing imaginable, 

 not at all teaching the real science of 

 chemistry, besides stunting the pupil's fu- 

 ture scientific growth. 



Above all, we should compel our students 



