ortance. The
opening week of the course should be so conducted that those who are
obviously unequipped can be located and directed elsewhere into the
proper work. How this may best be accomplished can be determined only
by the circumstances in the individual school, we imagine. Daily tests
covering the simplest descriptive information that should be retained
from high school physics and requiring the intelligent use of
arithmetic, elementary algebra, and geometry will reveal amazing
incapacity in these things. Tuttle, in his little book entitled _An
Introduction to Laboratory Physics_ (Jefferson Laboratory of Physics,
Philadelphia, 1915), gives on pages 15-16 an excellent list of
questions of this sort. Any one with teaching experience in the
subject whatever can make up an equally good one suited for his
special needs and temperament. It should not be assumed that all who
fail in such tests should be dropped. Some undoubtedly should be sent
back to high school work or its equivalent; others may need double the
required work in mathematics to overcome their unreadiness in its use.
Personal contacts will show that some are drifting into a scientific
course who have no aptitude for it and who will be doomed to
disappointment should they continue. In a word, then, we are convinced
that the more carefully one plans the work of the first week or so the
more smoothly does the work of the rest of the year follow. The number
of failures may be reduced to a few per cent without in any way
relaxing the standard of the course.

=Methods of teaching college physics=

With regard to the organization of the college courses in physics
there seems to us to be at least one method that leads to a
considerable degree of success. This is not the lecture method of
instruction; neither is it a wholly unmitigated laboratory method.

=Lecture method vs. laboratory method=

To kindle inspiration and enthusiasm nothing can equal the contact in
lectures with others, preferably leaders in their profession, but at
least men who possess one of these qualities. Such contacts need not
be frequent; indeed, they should not be. The speaker is apt to make
more effort, the student to be more responsive, if such occasions are
relatively rare. Even thus, although real information is imparted at
such a time, it is seldom acquired. However, perspective is furnished,
interest stimulated, and the occasion enjoyed.

=Limitations of exclusive use of each met