Sykes, South Chicago High School, Chicago, Ill.; I. S. Condit, State Normal School, Cedar Falls, Ia.; Elizabeth McConnell, Shortridge High School, Indianapolis, Ind.; C. W. Newhall, Shattuck School, Faribault, Minn. The committee was ordered to print the report and circulate

it a month before the meeting.

The following officers were elected for next year: Chairman, Dr. H. E. Slaught, University of Chicago; Vice-chairman, Prof. J. C. Stone, Ypsilanti, Mich.; Secretary, Mabel Sykes, South Chicago High School, Chicago, Ill. MABEL SYKES, Secretary.

ARTICLES IN SOME CURRENT MAGAZINES.

Popular Science Monthly for December: "The Bogoslofs," President David Starr Jordan and George Archibald Clark; "The Development of the Telephone Service," Fred DeLand; "Physical Degeneracy or Race Suicide?" Sidney Webb; "Waterway Defenses of the Atlantic Coast," William J. Roe; "The Value of Science," Professor H. Poincaré; "Vesuvius in the Early Middle Ages," Dr. Charles R. Eastman.

Technical World for December: "Pipe Line Across Panama;" "Secret Wireless Telegraphy;" "From Peat to Paper in Two Hours;” “A Spool of Wire Speaks by Means of the Telegraphone."

Science, November 2: "The Concurrence and Interrelation of Volcanic and Seismic Phenomena," Angelo Heilprin. November 23: "The

University and the World's Great Workshop,” John A. Brashear.

School Review for November: "Science in Civilization and Science in Education," C. R. Mann; "Books Old and New in Mathematics,” H. E. Slaught.

Farming for November: "Controlling Bovine Tuberculosis," Frederick Bonsteel, photograph by Herbert E. Angell; "What Denatured Alcohol Will Really Do for the Farmer," George S. Hall.

Scientific American, November 10: "Carl Hagenbeck's Novel Zoological Park." December 1: "Machine for the Commercial Production of Window Glass by the Sheet Process."

Scientific American Supplement, November 24, December 1 and December 8: "How Seeds Are Carried."

Monthly Weather Review, July: "The Waterspout Seen off Cottage City, Mass., in Vineyard Sound, on August 19, 1896."

More than 1,000 students and teachers are enrolled in the Washington state college at Pullman, south of Spokane, and it is believed by President Anderson that every department will be overtaxed before the Christmas holidays. This surpasses all records, and indicates that the enrollment will reach 1,200.

THE TEACHING OF GEOGRAPHY.

All geography teachers would profit by reading the address on the Teaching of Geography, delivered at the opening of the Geographical Exhibition in Edinburgh, July 6, 1906, and published in the Scottish Geographical Magazine for September, 1906. The following is an extract from the address:

"A moment's reflection will enable anyone to realize that geographical conditions have largely determined historical change in the past, and that the historical conditions existing at the present can be made completely intelligible only through the prior understanding of the geographical relations. Again, and above all, a full knowledge of the geographical facts is necessary for the right understanding of the economic and the commercial conditions of our own and other countries. For the localization of a people and the distribution of their industries within any one country and throughout the world generally can be made thoroughly intelligible only when geography teaching has clearly realized this as its ultimate aim, and when the knowledge has been imparted to the pupil according to a sound method. As the final result of our teaching of geography, we should have made our pupils realize not merely that a certain city or town is placed here or there, but why this is so; not merely that it has such and such industries, but why these industries are located here and not elsewhere; and lastly they must understand the use and function the particular city plays in the economic and social life of the nation and of the world generally. Only in so far as we have done this can we be said to have taught the subject at all."-T. C. H.

BOOK REVIEWS.

List of Laboratory Experiments in Physics for Secondary Schools. Recommended by the University of Chicago. By Robert A. Millikan, Assistant Professor of Physics in the University of Chicago, and Henry G. Gale, Instructor in Physics in the University of Chicago. Ginn & Company, New York and Chicago. Price, 40 cents. This book represents the laboratory work of "A First Course in Physics" which has been developed during the past four years for the use of the high school department of the School of Education and for other secondary schools affiliated with the University of Chicago. The author's aims in the development of this course have been: 1. To incorporate that which is most essential and to eliminate that which is unessential to the awakening of enthusiasm for the study and interpretation of familiar physical phenomena. 2. To select and modify experiments in such a way as to reduce the cost of laboratory equipment to a minimum, in the hope of enabling even the financially weaker schools to introduce a thorough laboratory course. 3. To incorporate only such experiments as experience has shown to be workable with large classes and with a minimum tax upon the teacher's time outside his laboratory hours. The book accordingly presents a definite course of fifty carefully devised and selected experiments representing the author's ideals of what is most essential to a proper development of the subject, and most practicable for the average secondary school.

Special Experiments and Discussions in Introductory Chemistry, with a Plan for the Organization of the Subject Matter. By Eugene P. Schoch, Ph.D., University of Texas. D. C. Heath & Co., Boston. 1905. Pp. 62.

This most excellent and unique little book was "intended primarily as a set of suggestions for arranging the material found in texts and laboratory manuals so as to make the work more systematic and intensive. As the discussions ordinarily found in texts are in some portions not adequate, it thus became necessary to write the Special Experiments and Discussions, which form the main part of the book."

The book is divided into two parts, "A Plan for the Organization of the Subject Matter," and "Special Experiments and Discussions." This part discusses the following topics: "Evolution of the Atomic Weight Table," "Bases and their Action with Acids," "Facts and Conditions that Govern Metathetical Reactions between Acids, Bases, and Salts," "The Action of some General Reagents," "Outline for the Separation and Identification of the Common Metals," "Action of the Common Acids upon Metals," "Action of Nitric Acid as an Oxidizing Agent," "Action of Concentrated Sulphuric Acid as an Oxidizing Agent," "The Action of Acids upon the Sulphides of Metals."

The book is intended to be "put into the student's hands to round out and amplify properly the contents of his text and laboratory manual." It is full of valuable hints and suggestions and should be in every chemical laboratory. C. M. T.

The Theory of Functions of Real Variables. By James Pierpont, Professor of Mathematics in Yale University. Pp. xii + 559. Ginn

& Co., 1906.

It is perhaps as much as can reasonably be expected of the undergraduate student of calculus, considering the small amount of time usually given this subject in American universities and the rather meager equipment with which he begins the subject, that he learn how to perform the processes and get some acquaintance with the methods, by and large, of calculus. We may well look to graduate study for a fundamental examination of the real meaning of its processes and methods and for a critical study of the conditions and limitations of their legitimate application. At least, this is the procedure in German universities, and for many of us this is as yet sufficient reason for doing likewise in American schools.

A very serious disadvantage to post-graduate work of the variety suggested above has hitherto been that the student has been compelled to ransack European literature on Analysis to acquaint himself with the points of view of the best thinkers in this domain. This book brings together in advantageous form for study all that is necessary to enable a reader to pass his first knowledge of this subject under a critical review and to reconstruct it into a more intelligent and a sounder instrument. This book is heartily commended to all high school teachers, who have already had the customary American college course on differential and integral calculus. To such persons its convenient form, its philosophy and its admirable logic will appeal most forcefully. The typography is, of course, excellent.

Elements of Analytic Geometry. By Percey F. Smith, Ph.D., Professor of Mathematics in the Sheffield Scientific School, Yale University, and Arthur Sullivan Gale, Ph.D., Instructor in Mathematics in Yale College. Pp. xii +424. Ginn & Co. 1904.

The titles of the thirteen chapters of this book are: Review of algebra and trigonometry, cartesian co-ordinates, the curve and the equation, the straight line and the general equation of the first degree, the circle and the equation a2 + y2 + Dx + Ey + F = 0, polar coordinates, transformation of co-ordinates, conic sections and equations of the second degree, tangents and normals, relations between a line and a conic, applications of the theory of quadratics, parametric equations, the general equation of the second degree, Euclidean transformations with an application to similar conics, inversion, poles and polars -polar reciprocation, cartesian co-ordinates in space, surfaces, curves, and equations, the plane and the general equation of the first degree in three variables, the straight line in space, special surfaces, transformation of co-ordinates, different systems of co-ordinates, quadric surfaces and equations of the second degree in three variables, and relations between a line and a quadric, applications of the theory of quadrics.

The first chapter is a rigorous "trimming up" and formulation of those parts of elementary algebra and trigonometry that are fundamental to analytics. It would constitute an admirable finishing discipline for a class in either algebra or plane trigonometry. It is a review from a profounder point of view than could be given before a class has the field of ideas pretty well before it, but when this is the case it could “clear the air" beautifully for the learner.

Considerable gratuitous fussiness fattens without greatly enrichIng for the beginner the contents of the next half dozen chapters. Let normal school teachers of mathematics henceforth beware of too great fear of the word "equate," for it is here recognized as having good standing.

The Euclidean order of definition and theorem is followed in a way and though the learner is advised to "boost" himself along by aid of the figure, he is cautioned "not to depend on the figure." In the reviewer's opinion the pitfalls are not numerous enough in this elementary work to vindicate to the student the justice of the caution. It would seem that when there is no sufficient internal evidence of the need of such caution, it is better to hang out no scarecrows. The book is, however, excellently illustrated, and the student will find frequent need of depending heavily upon the illustrations. My advice would be, "Fear not, let him do so freely."

On the whole, the book, from the viewpoint of pure mathematical theory, is an admirable treatment of the elements of the subject and is a distinct contribution to American text-book literature, if the phrase may be permitted on the ground that it conveys an idea. If there had been less struggle for finality of treatment and fewer subjects chosen for treatment, any loss of scientific merit that might have ensued would have been more than counterbalanced on the score of greater teachableness. Any teacher of beginning classes in analytics

will make a mistake if he does not have this text among the half dozen most convenient American texts on his book-shelf.

The publishers deserve more than a word of commendation for the excellence of their workmanship on the mechanical part of the book. Typography, pagination, and general make-up are such as to exhibit the work of the authors in its most enticing form.

Laboratory Astronomy. By Robert Wheeler Willson, Ph.D., Professor of Astronomy in Harvard University. Pp. ix + 185. $1.25. Ginn & Co., 1905.

This book deserves more than passing notice. It is one of those rare books that is the direct fruit of class-room experience, by a teacher who knows full well the crying need of the time for beginners in the study of astronomy.

It is not because astronomy is thought to be unsuitable to high school boys and girls that it has been so generally dropped from secondary curricula. It is because the stupid ways of teaching the subject, that were in vogue a few years since, deprived the subject of both its educational and scientific value. Instead of acquainting pupils with the moon and sun and their movements by studying the things themselves, we required them to read and to memorize what others said about them. Good teachers, of course, always have devised ways and means of inducting beginners into the study of the celestial objects and motions directly. But good teachers have always been in the minority. School officers urged that other matters were of more value to the average boy or girl than were the rehashed results of scientific inquiry through pure text-book memoriter.

But for the willing teacher, who still has a chance to bring to secondary pupils the inspiration of astronomical study, the many ingenious devices of this book, and the numerous exercises that are worked out in exemplary fashion, will make the way to better things plain and easy. The apparatus called for can either be reproduced at no expense, or can be had at only nominal cost. With this book a really scientific course--a genuine laboratory course-of astronomical work, running through a whole year, could be easily carried out in secondary schools, and we venture to say with as good or better results than commonly come from the same amount of time spent on biological courses now given. The book was evidently intended for beginning classes in college; but, I dare say, Professor Willson will agree that the main reason for giving it in college is because pupils can't get the opportunity to do such work in secondary courses. At any rate I am herewith urging it upon the consideration of high school teachers, as being the best material yet available for their classes.

To a book such as this, so well calculated to rehabilitate astronomy as a highly educational subject for secondary pupils, so fully in accord with modern educational doctrines, and so stimulating as it would be to the scientific tyro, too great publicity cannot be given. It is a most valuable contribution to scientific text-book literature, and is warmly commended to the studious attention of all teachers who are friends of science and scientific methods of study.