pupil must be treated, in each generation, as a teacher of individuals in a classroom adapts the work to individual capacities. In this new conception of education for this generation both physical training and recreation work have a part to play. Physical training is to relate itself to the new era of preventive medicine in its hygiene work. Physical training in the United States is to relate itself to that preparedness which is essential to a nation in the midst of international burglars, by furnishing the inescapable foundation on which all preparedness training must be based. On the other hand, recreation has its part to play in utilizing the unused educational asset of after-school, after-work time and in stopping the educational leak whereby the children outside of school form habits which waste much of their school training. Recreation work must play its part by molding together alien interests by having the people of different neighborhoods join in common purposes in their recreation life. As physical-training workers or recreation workers, we can render the best service to the subject to which we are devoting our lives if we make the correlation between these, not the superficial correlation of workmen and tools, but the fundamental correlation of division of labor between two specialized tasks. DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE INSTRUCTION SECRETARY'S MINUTES OFFICERS President JAMES E, PEABODY, head, department of biology, Morris High School, New York, N.Y. Vice-President-WILLIAM HEDRICK, head, department of science, McKinley High School, Washington, D.C. Secretary-JOHN C. PACKARD, head, department of science, High School....... Brooklyn, N.Y. FIRST SESSION-MONDAY FORENOON, JULY 3, 1916 The department met in joint session with the Chemistry Teachers' Association of New York, and was called to order by Henry T. Weed, Manual Training High School, Brooklyn, N.Y., at 9:30 A.M., in the Washington Irving High School. The following program was presented: "Applied Chemistry in Secondary Schools"-Chester B. Curtis, principal, Central High School, St. Louis, Mo. "Method in the Teaching of Chemistry"-W. G. Whitman, science department, State Normal School, Salem, Mass. "The New York State Syllabus of Applied Chemistry"-William J. Hancock, Erasmus Hall High School, Brooklyn, N.Y. "Household Chemistry for Girls"-Harold A. Holly, Manual Training High S hool, Brooklyn, N.Y. "What Elementary Science Needs"-Charles S. Palmer, fellow, Mellon Institute of Industrial Research, Pittsburgh, Pa. Summary of Session-W. A. Estabrooke, chemistry department, College of the City of New York, New York, N.Y. On motion of John A. Randall, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, N.Y., the chair was authorized to appoint a committee of three to consider a course in chemistry adapted to those students who do not expect to go to college, and the chair named as such committee, William J. Hancock, Erasmus Hall High School, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Frank Huested, High School, Albany, N.Y.; B. W. Peet, State Normal College, Ypsilanti, Mich.; Chester B. Curtis, Principal, Central High School, St. Louis, Mo. Announcements were made concerning the excursions in the afternoon. SECOND SESSION-TUESDAY FORENOON, JULY 4, 1916 The department met in joint session with the Physics Club of New York City and the Eastern Association of Physics Teachers. The meeting was called to order at 9:45 A.M. by John C. Packard, High School, Brookline, Mass. The following program was presented: "The Relation of General Science to Later Courses in Physics and Chemistry”— Lewis Elhuff, George Westinghouse High School, Pittsburgh, Pa. "The Relation of the Bureau of Standards to Physical Research and to the Teaching of Physics"—Frank A. Wolff, associate physicist, Bureau of Standards, Washington, D.C. 'Applied Science in the College Course"-Robert H. Spahr, State Department of University Extension, Boston, Mass. "Local Industries as a Source of Illustrative Material for Science Teaching" (illustrated)-Clarence M, Hall, Central High School, Springfield, Mass. The discussion was formally opened by Raymond B. Brownlee, Stuyvesant High School, New York, N.Y., and was continued informally by F. D. Barber, State Normal College, Normal, Ill; W. H. Timbie, Wentworth Institute, Boston, Mass.; C. R. Mann, University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill.; A. L. Williston, Wentworth Institute, Boston, Mass.; R. A. Wetzell, College of City of New York, New York, N.Y. Announcements were made concerning the excursions of the afternoon. THIRD SESSION-WEDNESDAY FORENOON, JULY 5, 1916 The department met in joint session with the New York State Science Teachers' Association, the New Jersey State Science Teachers' Association, and the Association of Biology Teachers of New York. The meeting was called to order at 9:30 A.M. by H. Morgan Campbell, High School, Bayonne, N.J. The following program was presented: "The Conservation of Natural Resources thru Education"-Leon W. Goldrich, principal, Public School No. 62, Manhattan, N.Y. "Studying Fungi as a Pastime" (illustrated)-W. A. Murrill, assistant director, New York Botanical Garden, New York, N.Y. "General Science in Secondary Schools"-Thomas H. Briggs, assistant professor of education, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, N.Y. Report of Committee on Biology-W. H. Eddy, High School of Commerce, New York, N.Y. The discussion was formally opened by M. C. Leonard, Dickinson High School, Jersey City, N.J., and was continued by William Grady, Public School No. 64, New York, N.Y.; Fred D. Barber, Normal University, Normal, Ill.; Lewis Elhuff, George Westinghouse, High School, Pittsburgh, Pa.; C. C. Kohl, New York University, New York, N.Y.; W. H. Kilpatrick, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, N.Y. On motion of J. A. Randall, the Science Council was directed to appoint a committee on biology and a committee to coordinate the work of all the science committees. Announcements were made concerning the afternoon excursions. FOURTH SESSION-THURSDAY AFTERNOON, JULY 6, 1916 The meeting was called to order at 9:30 A.M. by Arthur L. Williston, principal, Wentworth Institute, Boston, Mass. The following program was presented: "Method in Science-Teaching"-John Dewey, professor of philosophy, Columbia University, New York, N.Y. "Training of Science Teachers" (a symposium)-C. H. Robison, Normal School, Upper Montclair, N.J.; C. H. Elliott, Rutgers College, New Brunswick, N.J.; Geo. H. Sherwood, American Museum of Natural History, New York, N.Y.; C. F. Hale, New York College, Albany, N.Y.; Thomas M. Balliet, New York University, New York, N.Y. Discussion-M. C. Leonard, Dickinson High School, Jersey City, N.J.; N. A. Harvey, State Normal College, Ypsilanti, Mich.; M. L. Stone, Manual Training High School, Brooklyn, N.Y.; William W. Clennin, Wadleigh High School, New York, N.Y.; C. R. Mann, University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill. W. H. Timbie, for the Committee on Resolutions, presented the following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted: WHEREAS, There is a never-ceasing demand for the introduction of new materials into the curriculum, to prepare the pupil to take his place in our complex modern life; and WHEREAS, Much time and effort on the part of both pupils and teachers in our schools would be saved by the early substitution of the international metric system for our customary system of weights and measures; and WHEREAS, This wasted time and effort constitute an enormous loss, estimated as aggregating hundreds of millions of dollars each year, to the people of the United States; therefore be it Resolved, That the Science Department of the National Education Association respectfully recommends to the Congress of the United States that the substitution above referred to be made obligatory, reasonable time being allowed for the necessary adjustment, and that copies of this resolution be sent to the members of the Committee on Resolutions of the National Education Association, to the President of the United States Senate, and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and be it further Resolved, That the Science Department of the National Education Association express its obligation to its friends for the great pleasure and profit derived from the many entertainments which have been provided by them in such abundance. The report of the Committee on Improvement of Physics Teaching was made by J. A. Randall. On motion of C. F. Hale, State College for Teachers, Albany, N.Y., it was decided that all officers of the Science Department elected in future, including the present officers, be made permanent members of the Science Council. On motion of Miss Mullen, Washington Irving High School, New York, N.Y., the Science Council was instructed to appoint a committee of the coordination of the different sciences into a four-year course. On motion of W. H. Timbie, Wentworth Institute, Boston, Mass., the Science Council was instructed to appoint a committee on the training of science teachers, the committee to use the report of the Biology Committee as a basis, and to outline a definite program of action. The following were elected officers for the ensuing year: President-W. H. Timbie, Wentworth Institute, Boston, Mass. FIFTH SESSION-FRIDAY FORENOON, JULY 7, 1916 This meeting was held under the direction of the Committee of Visual Instruction and was called to order at 9:30 A.M. in the American Museum of Natural History, by Edward W. Stitt, district superintendent of Schools, New York, N.Y. The following program was presented: "The Importance of Visual Instruction"-Edward W. Stitt, district superintendent of schools, New York, N.Y. "The Value and Importance of the School Museum"-C. G. Rathmann, assistant superintendent of schools, St. Louis, Mo. "Collection, Organization, and Circulation of Visual Aids to Instruction by State Bureaus"-A. W. Abrams, chief, Visual Instruction Division, State Education Department, Albany, N.Y. "The Museum as the New Force in Public-School Development"-Henry F. Osborn, president, American Museum of Natural History, New York, N.Y. "Can the Moving Picture That Imparts Information Be Used to Educate?"— Louise Connolly, education expert, Newark Museum Association, Newark, N.J. "Motion Pictures to Aid the Educator"-A. H. Saunders, director, scientific education department, Cushing-Perine Company, New York, N.Y. Discussion-Clarence M. Abbott, assistant secretary, National Board of Review of Motion Pictures, New York, N.Y. At the conclusion of the meeting luncheon was served in the Philippine and South Sea Island rooms, thru the courtesy of the president and the board of trustees. Following the luncheon Sir Douglas Mawson's bird and animal motion pictures were shown by the courtesy of Lee Keedick. JOHN C. PACKARD, Secretary PAPERS AND DISCUSSIONS APPLIED CHEMISTRY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS CHESTER B. CURTIS, PRINCIPAL, CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, ST. LOUIS, MO. Chemistry is essentially a practical science. Thru this agency only, or thru its aid as an ally of other sciences, the industrial, engineering, and medical problems of the world are being solved. It is a pragmatic science. To the layman, chemistry is an enigma; to the student, a body of theories, of laws to be rediscovered, and of historic experiments to be performed; to the manufacturer, the engineer, and the physician, it is a means to an end. As ordinarily presented to high-school pupils, chemistry is intended to be both an informational and a cultural subject. It was originally admitted to a place in high-school programs on the assumption that it would contribute something to the pupil's mental structure in the way of discipline and knowledge. It came nearly in the form of pure science, relieved only to the extent of the descriptive matter and the simple experiments which were necessary as illustration of the theories and principles under discussion. Fortunately, chemistry is, first of all, an experimental, observational science. This very inherent characteristic of its pedagogy saved the day. It still is, and must ever be, true that the best learning comes from doing; that the purpose of learning is doing; and that knowledge is of value just to the extent that it can be put to use in the needs of daily life. I, therefore, take the pragmatic rather than the cultural point of view in the teaching of high-school chemistry. Indeed, chemistry taught with reference to its usefulness will include the cultural as an essential and valuable by-product; but if taught as an informational and cultural subject only, the very result which is most desired will lack those cultural factors which are supplied by examples of applied chemistry. I would not convey the idea that in secondary-school teaching we can omit the descriptive and the theoretical phases of chemistry. Not at all. These features are fundamental in any course, but they must be used with discretion. My contention is not for less theory and for fewer principles, but for the proper use of theory, the correct use of principles, and for an extension of the knowledge acquired, to its application in some concrete illustration by processes as nearly as possible those of technical chemistry. Chemistry as generally taught today does not satisfy. The trouble is not with nature, her laws, and principles; not with the tools of pure science; not with the mutual processes required for its enjoyment or mastery. Fundamentally our trouble is pedagogical. We have not properly adjusted the material at hand to the varying needs of our pupils. It is in part a question of vitalized presentation; in part, of practical application. Applied chemistry, as such, must wait upon the acquisition of fundamental principles and largely occupy the latter part of the course. |