but since most high schools offer enough physics to cover the Regents' course and the list presented by the National Educational Association, the requirements are not a hardship. In most high schools and many colleges, science has a secondary place. There is little or no correlation between the different sciences, too little time is devoted to science in comparison with the classics.

The student who wants science should be given the chance to study science as widely and deeply as he is now required to study classics. Science teachers should advocate a science course of four years in which physics has the place corresponding to Latin in a classical course. An especial effort should be made to plan and adopt as uniform a course as exists in the classics. The college requirements might be readily adjusted to fit such a liberal preparation.

Fewer sciences-not more than four-should be taught in secondary schools.

The second paper was presented by Professor Charles M. Allen, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, N. Y., on "Chemical Laboratory Experiments and Notes." He said (in abstract):

Classes in chemistry should be provided with a set of laboratory experiments having the following specifications:

(1) The experiments should be suited to the facilities of the school's laboratory and adapted to the needs of the class instructed.

(2) They should be sufficiently strenuous to call forth the best efforts of the student, and they should not inform him of results which, with a reasonable effort, he could determine himself.

(3) The list should include the standard experiments, some illustrating the latest developments, and, in deference to the modern trend of elementary chemistry, it should contain some quantitative experiments.

(4) They should have interjected a series of questions directing the attention to the important parts of the experiment, and the answers to which demand earnest thought, and thus break up the baneful habit of mechanically following instructions.

(5) They should be entirely separate from the text book, so that the text book can be kept out of the laboratory.

Such a set of experiments can be provided by the teacher by means of mimeographed or hectographed laboratory sheets bearing experiments selected, modified, or originated by the teacher. The only practical note book, as many teachers have found out, consists of detachable sheets, collected in a binder. The instruction sheets, being bound in with the "accepted" experiment notes of the student, make a record of laboratory work which is complete and satisfactory.

Mr. Frank M. Gilley then discussed the topic "How to Meet the Problem of Teaching Physics by the Laboratory Method in Secondary Schools." Mr. Gilley illustrated his method of teaching the whole class at once in the laboratory by means of two experiments, a simple one in

reflection from a plane mirror, and a difficult one involving the Wheatstone bridge. He showed that effective work can be done by teaching certain experiments to a large number at the same time, provided sufficient apparatus is available and the experiments chosen are adapted to this method of presentation. This paper was followed by a general discussion. Reported by LYMAN C. NEWELL.

EASTERN ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICS TEACHERS.

The thirty-second meeting of the Association was held at the Newton (Mass.) High School, Saturday, Feb. 22, 1902. There were thirty-two members and guests present. After the customary business, the secretary, Mr. F. R. Hathaway, read his annual report, which showed that the past year had been one of progress, especially in the publication and distribution of literature devoted to the teaching of physics. The annual report of the treasurer, Mr. George A. Cowen, revealed the fact that the Association is in a prosperous financial condition. The committee on current events, through its chairman, Mr. L. J. Manning, gave a summary of a dozen or more articles on physics, which have recently appeared in the magazines. Mr. F. M. Grunlau, Cambridge (Mass.) High School, was elected to fill the single vacancy. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, Mr. Clement C. Hyde, Hartford, Conn.; vice-president, Mr. George W. Earle, Somerville, Mass.; secretary, Mr. N. Henry Black, Roxbury, Mass.; treasurer, Mr. George A. Cowen, Jamaica Plain, Mass.; three members of the executive committee, Mr. J. C. Packard, Brookline, Mass.; Mr. C. S. Griswold, Groton, Mass.; Mr. Charles R. Allen, New Bedford, Mass.

The business was followed by an informal address by Dr. F. A. Waterman, Professor of Physics, Smith College, Northampton, Mass., on "The Scope of an Elementary Course in 'Physics." The speaker called attention to the fact that the work offered for entrance to college is diverse. He attributed the diversity largely to the various aims of preparatory teachers, ranging all the way from utilitarianism to true natural philosophy. Both extremes are objectionable; the former because it emphasizes mere manual training, and the latter, while the nearer right of the two, is apt to lack practical value and scientific character. The aim in all preparatory work should be to teach a mean between these two extremes, a course which is really scientific. Such a course will select the best parts of all courses, it will arouse and hold attention, it will never be a series of mechanical processes nor a collection of dry theories. Its real nature will be to cultivate reasoning power. He said, in regard to improving the teaching in secondary schools, that teachers should constantly ask, "What am I doing this for?" A course should be called a failure, or at least very faulty, if students do not know its

object and aim. The teacher should constantly ask, "What is vital and what is incidental?" Such teachers have the proper perspective of physics. Again, improvement may be made by more careful thought regarding the ground to be covered. And here the aim of each teacher should be to teach the best course in the time and with the means available. Teachers should not retain poor courses simply because someone else seems to be making such a course successful. Teachers also should pay more attention to the order of presentation and to the relative importance of topics. More stress should be laid on mechanics, since it is fundamental, and special pains should be taken to make the whole course a unity, and not let it be a collection of different topics. The speaker concluded by mentioning the legitimate means of stimulating interest which he had found profitable. The first is a timely reference to history, such as a quotation from Gilbert or Boyle. The second is a constant account of contemporary investigations, laying especial stress on the object of the work. This makes physics a living subject and prevents students from studying it as if all had been said and done. And third, opportunity is constantly taken to emphasize the value of pure science; such work, for example, as is done by the German Reichsanstalt, and is soon to be done by our own National Bureau of Standards. In conclusion, the speaker, with pardonable enthusiasm, urged his hearers to teach constantly the fact that physics is a fundamental science and that no other science of equal value can be substituted for it.

After lunch, Mr. Charles R. Allen read a paper on "Gas Engines." The paper was illustrated by lantern slides and was an interesting and instructive treatment of the construction, operation and use of this kind of engine.

At the conclusion of the above program the members visited the factory of Stanley Brothers, manufacturers of the Stanley Automobile, and, through the courtesy of the firm, were shown the various parts. especially the motor, of this class of carriage.

Reported by LYMAN C. NEWELL.

NEW YORK PHYSICS CLUB.

The sixtenth regular meeting of the club was held on Saturday, Feb. 8, at Stevens' Institute, Hoboken, N. J., President J. S. Gibson in the chair. Before assembling for the regular meeting, the members inspected the different laboratories of the institute, especially the new Carnegie Laboratory of Engineering, which has just been completed and presented to the institute by Mr. Andrew Carnegie, of New York. This building contains, in addition to a large lecture room, reading room and offices, engines of various kinds, steam, gas and gasoline, and a complete equip

ment for boiler and engine testing. At the meeting routine business was transacted, the constitution was amended so as to make eligible for membership any teacher of physics in New York or vicinity, also making the executive committee consist of the four officers and the retiring president. From the Committee on Apparatus, Mr. Jameson called attention to a form of apparatus, devised by Queen & Co., for illustrating the laws of accelerated motion. This consisted of an inclined plane of grooved metal, hinged and adjustable for different angles, fitted with an accurately turned ball. Electrical connections and a sounder made possible the time intervals involved. Mr. Ball, of Pratt Institute showed a simple and inexpensive form of oblique pendulum, which could be set at any angle, from the vertical to the horizontal, and by means of which all the laws of the pendulum could be demonstrated.

The club then listened to a lecture by Prof. Geyer, assisted by Prof. Ganz, both of Stevens' Institute, upon "Fluorescence," the lecture being illustrated by many interesting and instructive experiments.

Reported by R. H. CORNISH.

ASSOCIATION OF THE SCIENCE TEACHERS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS.

The organization was effected in April, 1901, at a conference of high school teachers held at Bradley Institute, Peoria.

The object of the science association is to improve and adopt uniform courses in elementary science. To do this, committees have been appointed to outline the work and give lists of apparatus needed to conduct the course.

The chemistry committee reported at the meeting of last fall, and its outlines have been in use in some of the schools during the present year, where they have given very good satisfaction.

The complete reports of the biology and physics committees were made at the meeting held at Bradley Institute, Feb. 8th. These reports besides including an outline of the laboratory work in the different branches which should be considered a minimum for one year, included a list of the apparatus in three grades, with cost and catalogue number, so that a detailed description of the apparatus could be easily obtained. A list of reference books best suited to the ordinary high school was added. These meetings have proved very profitable, as the conference is limited and every one has a chance to express his views and ask questions.

It is hoped in this way to obtain some definite results, which would not be obtained from the loose statements of requirements so often made by colleges and universities.

Reported by F. L. BISHOP.

Correspondence.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION.

Teachers are invited to send in questions for discussion, as well as answers to the questions of others. Those of sufficient merit and interest will be published.

36. What is a good list of about a dozen quantitative experiments suitable for a class in high-school chemistry?

Simple Solution-Chemical Solution-Solubility of Salts-Water of Crystallization-Neutralization-Law of Definite Proportions-Law of Multiple Proportions-Proof that the products of a chemical reaction weigh the same as the factors-The Immunity of manganese dioxide in preparation of oxygen from manganese dioxide and potassium chlorate. These experiments have been successfuly performed in Shortridge High School. See SCHOOL SCIENCE, May, 1901, page 144.

In addition, the following: Weight of a litre of air and of oxygen as given by Dr. Newell's "Experimental Chemistry," also equivalence of zinc, magnesium and aluminum from the same source. Also the weight of a litre of carbon dioxide. See SCHOOL SCIENCE, January, 1902, page 430. It is not likely that all pupils will have time for all experiments, but each will be able to do some, and listen to the explanations of others. GEO. W. BENTON..

37. What cases of chemical arithmetic should a senior class in high school be required to master?

Second semester pupils in chemistry ought to be able to handle, before the close of the year, the subjects included in such a book as Waddell's "Arithmetic of Chemistry,' up to page 68.

GEO. W. BENTON.