The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1892-12-14
A Part OF the Harvest.

braulcabeas WnaG auulLlOnS
made to acknowledge? What
new applications Of knowledge
previously acquired? The first
two questions do not admit of
any answer, having reference
to SO brief a period as one year
Man does not change his be-
liefs. As each generation dies,
its particular shade of error dis
appears along with it, to be sue
ceeded by a different shade.
Abuses, too, are rarely uprooted
by a process of convulsion. The
more usual process may be
likened to a steady chipping at
root after root. Finally the tap
root itself is severed, and there
topples over another institution
that had long been reyered and
cherished as a witness to the
wisdom of our ancestors. Hence
any schedule of the perform
ances or a single year must be
confined to specific increments
to the permanent sum of knowl-
edge or of new applications
Of old knowledge. Amid the
first. Tesla's experiment easily
holds the first place for 1892.
We shall probably not err in
assigning it a place beside the
TorriceIiian experiment, for its
significance in that state OF
science as this will be found a
generation hence. For it ini -
tiates a new departure. By
showing that rapidity of alter
nation is capable of producing
first, light without heat, and,
second, that tile animal nervous
system is insensible to it. Tesla
has opened the door TO a study
Of the light phenomena of in
sects This path seems to
point TO ascertain the nature of
the nerve discharge in animal
economy. These last steps
may be reversed for a new
Harvey, but il would not be
rash to pronounce their signifi-
canoe, when taken, as funda-
mental as the discovery OF the
circulation Of the blood. This
direction is only one among
many along which a strong
beam of light radiatcs from the
Tesla experiment. In astrono-
my the year 1892 has presented
us with the interesting inner
satellite of Jupiter. In geog.
raphy Peary's EXPEDITION has
not only resulted in a contribu-
ton TO positive knowledge; il
mas probably established the
right method Of Arctic explora
tion on a basis that will shortly
result in a complete exploration
of those regions. The year
1892 has witnessed the begin
ming of a systematic investiga-
ton of the ''speech" of animals,
from which some curious modi-
iications of mans way of look
ing at those fellow creatures
may be destined to ensue in due
season. In education of the
young perhaps the most signi-
iicant incident of 1892 has been
the fact that a silence signiti-
cant of acquiescence instead of
a clamor of dissent greeted Nir.
chow's prOnouncsment at his
installation as rector of Berlin
university. "a grammatical
education, ;" he said, "ls not the
means for progressive develop
ment demanded by our youth.
Mathematics, philosophy and
the natural sciences give young
minds so firm an intellectual
preparation that they can easily
make themselves at home IN any
department Of learning" To a
French government advertise
ment for teachers, the applica.
tions for a grammatical master
ship numbered over 100; for
the corresponding position in
natural science exactly one sol
itary candidate appeared. This
superb demonstration Of the
fact that competent teachers Of
science do not exist for the pur-
pose Of secondary schools, is Of
universal implication. Scarcely
less significant is its showing
that competent teachers Of
grammar are rather more SUI
perilously numerous than COM
pgtent domestic servants.