American Association. 33 
amined, with similar results obtained by asking each 
individual to read the paragraph over silently, Those who 
would, other things being equal, remember the contents 
best when read to them, are natural “ auditaires.” That 
the author’s views are in the main correct, I believe, the 
more so, perhaps, from being myself a pronounced audit- 
aire; and in every instance in which I have unconsciously 
failed to recognize this, have I had reason to regret the over- 
sight. The majority of persons are probably “ visualaires.” 
The modern method of teaching English spelling in our 
schools, seems to be an unconscious recognition of this fact. 
But it will be found that there are children who will learn 
spelling as readily by the old method of repeating the com- 
ponent letters aloud, as by the use of the eye and the hand. 
The latter must not be forgotten in the estimate. The 
subject is one of great interest, and commends itself strongly 
to teachers and parents. 
Perhaps no papers read at the meeting attracted more 
general attention than those bearing on foods, as presented 
before the sections of Chemistry and Kconomic Science. 
Instead of giving a little time to each of many subjects, 
as was the rule with the other sections, the section on 
Economic Science and Statistics devoted the whole of one 
day to two papers by Prof. W. O. Atwater, bearing upon 
the food question. The morning paper was upon “The 
Physiological and Pecuniary Economy of Food ;” that of 
the afternoon upon ‘The Food of Workingmen and its Re- 
lation to Work Done.” Both excited much interest, and 
were received with demonstrations of satisfaction by large 
audiences, many taking part in the discussions which fol- 
lowed. Prof. Atwater, whose papers have been published 
in the Century, illustrated his subject by many elaborate 
charts and diagrams, 
Explaining, first, the elements of the common foods that 
combine to form the structure of the human system, and to 
supply it with potential energy, he indicated the quantity 
of each of the nutrients consumed by people in various 
walks of life in Europe, and compared them with the 
averages of the same entering into the composition of the 
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