a mistake may be made; and whether from a Roman Forum complex or from a natural desire partly to justify his own previous failings, there is a sustained alertness which makes both for more careful work on the part of the experimenters, and a better retention of the points involved in the experiments, on the part of the watchers. And what of the demonstrating team? Here can be seen the greatest advantage of all. Under the circumstances described there is little opportunity for "sloppy" performance, the asking of one's neighbor what the proper result was: "Oh, it's red is it? I thought it was green, but maybe my test-tube was dirty. Did Mary get red? Well, we'll put it down red." A constant check is operating against that careless technic which so frequently in the usual crowded laboratory class escapes the watchful eye of even the most diligent of teachers. In addition to the stimulus of teacher watching, we have the far greater stimulus of class observation. Here no fudging goes; without
any teacher encouragement, the class is alert to detect the slightest departure from correct work. Those teachers who have tried it out feel confident that the opportunity for skill in technic under the strong impress of the conditions is equal to that acquired over a much longer period of standard laboratory practice. Thus we seem to have all the advantages of economy of time and material which are offered as a chief argument for the lecture-demonstration method, compared with most of the end results of the laboratory method, including certain apparent points of superiority. At least it should justify a trial on the part of those who are investigating this field. Furthermore, when used in teacher training courses, there is no necessity for the development of a new technic to meet standard highschool conditions, a point to he considered when making comparison with other laboratory substitute proposals. I t may be that out of an emergency, somethinx worthy of perpetuating has arisen.
WlNNERS OF 1938 SUPERIOR CAL~FORNIA CHEMISTRY CONTEST PAULBRUNNER, CLAIRE LEFT TO RIGHT: ELAINESPANCER,IRWIN LAUPPE,C. E. HOLEN-INSTRUCTOR, SANDROCK Teams from Roseville Union High School, Roseville, California, have won these contests, which are held annually under the auspices of the Sacramento Valley Division of the American Chemical Society, in 1930, 1931, 1932. 1934 and 1938. Members of the Roseville teams won the individual trophy in 1929 and 1930. After the 1938 contest a reception, "Chemical Show," was held, and a short lecture, "Romance of Chemistry" was gwen. These had been prepared by P r o f m r A. T.Bawden of the College of the Pacific. Through these contests the Sacramento Valley Division hopes to stimulate a greater interest among high-school students in the exact sciences.
