CONTENTS. Letter of the Commissioner of Education to the Secretary of the Interior.... Introduction.......... CHAPTER I. CHAPTER II. Page. 7 9-13 Circular and inquiries about the teaching of physics..... 14, 15 The replies to the inquiries: I. From teachers in normal schools: 1. W. J. Corthell, State Normal and Training School, Gorham, Me. 15, 16 16, 17 17, 18 18 18, 19 19, 20 20, 21 21, 22 22 ...... 4. Henry E. Sawyer, State Normal School, New Britain, Conn... 13. R. H. Holbrook, National Normal University, Lebanon, Ohio.. 16. D. S. Wright, State Normal School, Cedar Falls, Iowa.... II. From teachers in secondary schools: 22, 23 24 20. Marshall R. Gaines, Kimball Union Academy, Meriden, N. H.. 31, 32 32 22. Rev. M. L. Severance, Burr and Burton Seminary, Manchester, 32, 33 23. A. M. Marsh, Minard Commercial School and Green Mountain 33, 34 24. William B. Graves, Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass 34, 35 35, 36 36, 37 The replies to the inquiries-Continued. II. From teachers in secondary schools - Continued. 27. E. P. Jackson, Public Latin School, Boston, Mass 28. H. H. Gay, Bridgewater High School, Bridgewater, Mass ............. 30. Mrs. A. P. Potter, Home School for Young Ladies, Everett, Mass. 33. William Hutchison, Norwich Free Academy, Norwich, Conn.. 38. Aaron White, Cazenovia Seminary, Cazenovia, N. Y.......... 43. M. R. Hooper, Rev. M. R. Hooper's Academy, Yonkers, N. Y .. 50. Marshall Henshaw, Amherst College, Amherst, Mass.......... 56. Francis H. Smith, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va. 61. T. C. Mendenhall, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 66. Benjamin F. Thomas, University of the State of Missouri, Co- 67. Francis E. Nipher, Washington University, St. Louis, Mo............ The replies to the inquiries-Continued. IV. From other writers: Page. 69. W. H. Payne, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich. 71,72 72 73 72. J. B. Merwin, American Journal of Education, St. Louis, Mo.. 73 2222 3. Work of the Royal Commission on Scientific Instruction: 38,89 89,90 90,91 Reports of the commission.. 91,92 Secretary Lockyer's report..... 92-94 Appended papers by Messrs. Wilson (p. 94), Foster (pp. 94-96), and 94-96 Extracts from the evidence given by Messrs. Huxley (pp. 96, 97), Clifton 4. Action of the British Association for the Advancement of Science 5. Miscellaneous essays and addresses: 96-98 98,99 By Messrs. Worthington (p. 100), Wormell (pp. 100, 101), Claypole 99-101 By Professor Payne (pp. 101-103), Mr. Ward (p. 103), Mr. Wilson (pp. 101-105 THE UNITED STATES. Action of the American Association for the Advancement of Science 105-107 · 107 107, 108 Science study in some public schools: Boston (pp. 108-110), New York (p. 110), Albany (p. 110), Washington (p. 110), Indianapolis (p. 110), Cincinnati (pp. 110, 111), St. Louis (pp. 111-113) 108-113 CHAPTER IV. Discussion of the replies: 1. Science in the schools.. 114, 115 2. Reasons for teaching physics and the ends to be sought. Question 9.. 115-117 3. Methods of teaching physics. The inductive or scientific method 117-122 Discussion of the replies-Continued. 4. Laboratory work.... 5. The teacher 6. Physics in primary schools. 7. Physics in grammar schools. 8. Physics in secondary schools. Question 1.... Questions 2, 3, 8. Time; year; charac- 9. The requirement of physics for admission to college. Question 4. 12. Suggestions in reply to question 10 13. Conclusions Supplementary note, with list of fundamental experiments APPENDIX. Page. 122-125 125, 126 126, 127 127, 128 128-132 132-136 136 136-138 138, 139 139-142 142-146 List of books referred to... Table I. Abstracts of the replies.... Table II. Comparison of courses of science study. 147, 148 149-157 158 572 Ꮮ Ꭼ Ꭲ Ꭲ Ꭼ Ꭱ. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BUREAU OF EDUCATION, Washington, D. C., October 10, 1884. SIR: The wide diversity of practice among American and foreign colleges and secondary schools both as to the extent to which the subject of physics should enter into courses of instruction and as to the way in which it should be taught has long been a source of deep regret to teachers of science and educationists generally. As long ago as 1867 a committee of the British Association for the Advancement of Science made a report to that body on the subject in which the whole field of inquiry was covered and other reports have been made to it at various times since. For several years the American Association for the Advancement of Science has had a standing committee on science teaching in the public schools. In 1880 this committee made a report "On certain radical deficiencies in current science teaching," which was printed in the Popular Science Monthly of that year. Two years later Prof. T. C. Mendenhall, vice president of the section of physics, suggested that a progressive scheme of study in physics fitted for the needs of all the schools could be best drawn up by a committee from the National Educational Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. As those prominently engaged in this work believed that the Bureau of Education could efficaciously exert itself in collecting the numerous facts and opinions from which a conclusion that would secure general acceptance might safely be drawn, I acted on their suggestion, and engaged Prof. Charles K. Wead, A. M., acting professor of physics at the University of Michigan, to draw up a set of inquiries about the teaching of physics and collate and discuss the answers which should be received. After close study of the question and correspondence with teachers of physics, he has transmitted to me in the accompanying very satisfactory work the results of his labors, and I have the honor to recommend that the material here presented should appear as a circular of information. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN EATON, Commissioner. The Hon. SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR. M. L. JOSLYN, |