_Secretaries of the Sections._
Mathematics and Astronomy: Prof. H. C. Lord, Ohio State University.
Physics: J. O. Reed, University of Michigan.
Chemistry: Prof. W. McPherson, Ohio State University.
Mechanical Science and Engineering: William H. Jacques, Boston, Mass.
Geology and Geography: Dr. R. A. F. Penrose, Pierce, Ariz.
Zoölogy: Prof. H. B. Ward, University of Nebraska.
Botany: A. S. Hitchcock, Manhattan, Kan.
Anthropology: G. G. McCurdy, Yale University.
Economic Science and Statistics: Miss C. A. Benneson, Cambridge, Mass.
_Treasurer._
Prof. R. S. Woodward, Columbia University.
* * * * *
The National Educational Association, which held its annual session
at Charleston during the week beginning on July 9th, is the leading
representative of the many educational associations of the country.
Its membership includes the ablest teachers of education in colleges
and the most successful school superintendents and teachers. Its
meetings give occasion for discussions of matters of educational
theory and practice in many ways comparable to the discussions in
scientific societies. The program of the present meeting shows that
like the scientific associations, the National Educational Association
has become differentiated into a number of practically isolated
sections with differing interests. There are separate departments of
Kindergarten Education, Manual Training, Child Study, Normal Schools,
Libraries, etc. The Department of Superintendence now has a special
meeting at a different time and place. There are also general sessions,
and these have not become mere formal business meetings. The leading
topic for discussion this year seems to have been the proposed National
University at Washington. The most obviously important service which
the Association has rendered to educational endeavor has been its
elaboration (through efficient committees) and publication of reports
on Secondary Education, Elementary Education, Rural Schools and College
Entrance Requirements. These reports represent if not demonstrable
facts, at least the well-considered opinion of competent judges and
they have had a highly beneficial influence. Dr. J. M. Green, of
Newark, will preside over next year’s meeting. The decision in regard
to the place has been left to the executive committee, the claims of
Detroit, Cincinnati and Tacoma having been especially urged.
* * * * *
The opening of a summer school at Columbia University and the
attendance at Harvard University of a large proportion of all the
school teachers of Cuba are important steps towards increasing the
usefulness of our institutions for higher education. The grounds,
buildings and equipment of Columbia University have cost in the
neighborhood of $10,000,000, and to let these lie idle and rusting
for nearly one-third of the year is evidently wasteful. But it is not
only a question of the most economical administration of these trust
funds that is at issue. The teachers of the country, perhaps 500,000
in number, have had just enough education to profit particularly by
attendance at a university. They are engaged at their work during
three-fourths of the year, but their summers can be spent in no more
pleasant and useful way than by attending a university summer school.
It would be good business policy for school boards to send their
teachers to the summer schools, except that the benefit might not be
reaped locally, as each teacher would soon deserve a better position
than he now has. It is, however, not only for teachers that university
sessions during the summer are needed. The long vacation is largely a
tradition from the time when boys were most usefully occupied on the
farm during the summer. It is doubtful whether students now come back
to college in the autumn in an improved physical or moral condition.
They might spend their time to advantage, but are not likely to do so
at the ordinary summer resort. It is admitted by everyone that young
men are too old when they leave college and the professional schools.
Reforms are needed in various directions, but an obvious one is not to
take four years for three years’ work. Though university professors,
who for the general good need freedom from routine teaching for other
work, should be allowed leave of absence for a part of the year, it
does not follow that they should all be away at the same time. It seems
probable that the example set by the University of Chicago, which holds
four sessions extending through the year, will be followed by all our
universities.
* * * * *
The third International Conference on a Catalogue of Scientific
Literature was held in London on June 12th and 13th. It will be
remembered by those who are interested in the organization of science
that a conference on this subject was called by the Royal Society in
1896 at which it was proposed to undertake by international coöperation
a catalogue of contributions to science. Certain details were arranged
and others were left to a committee of the Royal Society. Under the
auspices of this committee schedules of classification were drawn up
and estimates of the cost secured. A second conference was held in
1898, and after various changes in the plans for the catalogue it
was at the recent Conference definitely decided to proceed with its
publication. It is estimated that the cost will be covered by the sale
of three hundred sets, and different governments or national agencies
have made themselves responsible for a certain number of sets, Germany
and Great Britain for example, subscribing for forty-five sets, each
costing £17. The Catalogue will be published in seventeen volumes
devoted to as many sciences, and will be both an author’s and a subject
index. The collection of material is to commence from January 1, 1901.
While all scientific men welcome improvements in cataloguing scientific
literature, the arrangements proposed by the Royal Society and by the
different conferences have met with some criticism. The serious mistake
has been made of entirely ignoring the catalogues and bibliographies
already existing for most of the sciences, and it is not certain that
the elaborate and expensive machinery proposed will be as useful as
some plan would have been for unifying the existing agencies. Still
in the end there must be some international and uniform method for
cataloguing scientific literature, and it is to be hoped that our
Government will do its share toward supporting the present undertaking.