VOL.4, No. 4
RBCBNT BOOKS
columns to be filled in, white areas for sketches. There are two attitudes toward notebooks in general science-or any science, for that matter. Some teachers desire them to he the students' work in every aspect-xpression, interpretation, arrangement, neatness of record. Others favor expedients that facilitate speed and wnvenience for the pupil, and lift some of the burden of criticism and grading from the busy teacher. The former plan recognizes individuality, the latter systematizes and organizes. This "Work Bwk" serves only those teachers of general science who prefer the latter plan. ( I t may be pertinent to call attention to the f a d that his type of notehookspace on the printed page for rewrdswas tried out by chemistry teachers many years ago, but did not bold their favor.) There are ninety-seven experiments. all very practical. Actual investigations around the home comprise 22 per cent of these; f w d and clothing 20 per cent. The three special sciences divide onethird of the material between thembiology. 14 per cent; physics, 11 per cent; chemistry, 8 per cent. Seven per cent of the experiments could be classed as hygiene. The authors in their preliminary instructions to students have placed themselves in full acwrd with the true spirit of teaching general science experimentally with their statement, "...a laboratory is not necessary. Any of the problems may be worked by you in your home with very little cost for material!' General science is the science of home and community; it is not a formal laboratory subject. Show us a general science l show teacher who is failing, and we d you a formalist who is helpless away from the polished top of a laboratory desk. This "Work Book" makes effective use of a Library. Let the school provide eight useful reference books (or sets), some halfdozen of the better general science texts, one or two good chemistry, biology, and physics texts-the authors make sngges-
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tions as to the titles- and the pupil may supplement his first-hand investigation with the authorities. Is there any better way to study science? We called the experiments practical. They are also seasonable. The authors have boldly broken away from the plan of several general science texts, and assign studies of sprouting seeds, growing plants and gardening in the spring, instead of mid-winter, where these texts present them. (If you don't believe this, we can show you the hooks!) The authors of the Work Book have slipped once: the anti-freezing mixtures should be poured in automobile radiators about November 1st instead of April 1st. There is not much chemistry in this Work Bookwise omission. When pupils come to chemistry teachers already possessed of o broad joundetion and o love of sciace, these teachers' troubles will be nearly a t an end. H. A. WEBB Second Year College Chemistry. A Manual of Laboratory Exercises. W n ~ 1 . 4H. ~ C ~ P M . Professor of Chemistry in Oherlin College. John Wiley andsons, Inc., New York City. Second edition, 1927. xi 143 pp. 26 figures. 14.5 X 23 cm. $2.00, net.
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The second edition of Profesm Chapin's laboratory manual has been very much improved by revisions and additions. The manual was written to acwmpany the author's text, "Second Year College Chemistry," and is very carefully eoiirdinated with i t so that a class in second-year wllege chemistry may be carrying out laboratory work in a subject a t the same time that the subject is being treated theoretically in the class-room. ' A s a of exresult of the author's m a w . vean . perience in teaching second-year college chemistnr, there are t o be found in the lahoratory manual 76 well-chosen and carefullv tested experiments. These experiments deal with the gas laws, laws of chemical combination, laws of solution.
chemical and physical equilibria, electrochemistry and colloidal chemistry. The experiments are written in the author's usual dear and precise style. The apparatus required is simple and most of i t may be assembled out of the ordinary equipment found in a d e g e laboratory. Not only may the manual he used in connection with a course in chemistry similar to the author's second-year college chemistry but also in connection with any college course in analytical chemistry. The reviewer has frequently used many of the experiments in the laboratory part of an elementary course in phys&d chemistry and in an advanced section in general chemistry where they were a stimulus to some high standing students who had studied in a course in chemistry in secondary schools. I n this edition of the manual, the author has included the quantitative procedures which are given in his course, a good in-
troductory chapter on the use of the analytical balance and on laboratory technic and a t the end of the work some wellselected colloidal preparation experiments. It isnow a generally accepted pedagogical theory that if a first course in chemistry is t o he a descriptive fact-finding course, the second course should be one on the use of facts to establish the great underlying principles of chemistry. If the student is able to master the principles of chemistry early in his career, he will be better able to carry the work in his upper courses in chemistry. With this guiding theory in mind, Professor Chapin has written his "Second Year College Chemistry" with its supplementary "Laboratory Manual." They are to be commended in that they do not aim to make analysts out of students in their second year but to train them in this phase of chemistry which will be of more value to them in their later J. FITCR KING work.
