hereafter to be housed in Goldwin Smith Hall. The educational place of these scientific departments is, indeed, in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences to which they now belong. But it may be desirable to have a head of the combined Arts departments whose administrative functions should be analogous to those of the secretary of the Ithaca division of the Medical College in Stimson Hall, or to those of the Dean of the College of Law in Boardman Hall. Do the heads of the Arts departments in Goldwin Smith Hall think that such a change should be recommended to the Board of Trustees? Their experience of working together in Goldwin Smith Hall may commend this plan of reorganization as natural and desirable.

The need of "guidance" for students in the choice of their studies under an absolutely free elective system has been proved by experience as it was assumed by the Faculty at the time they adopted that system. But in practice "guidance" has been signally wanting. The President in 1904-1905 laid this matter before the Faculty and submitted. a resolution calling for the regulation of the elective system. The principle of this resolution was adopted in the spring of 1905 and the subject referred to the committee on educational policy to gather information and frame recommendations as to the form and method to be adopted. After laborious and prolonged investigation and consideration, the Committee, in 1905-1906, presented a report which was exhaustively discussed by the Faculty. As a result two methods of "guidance" have been adopted-one personal and the other impersonal. Of his 30 hours the freshman is required to take 12 and advised to take more than 12 from the following: English or history, six hours; foreign language, six hours; mathematics or philosophy, six hours; and science, six hours; and such of these subjects as are not taken in freshman year must be taken in sopho

more year. At the beginning of junior year the student chooses some one professor or assistant professor as his adviser; and, the curriculum being divided into 12 groups (ancient languages, history and political science, physics, etc., etc.) the student must consult with this adviser and obtain his approval of at least 20 hours of work to be completed in some one group during junior and senior years.

It will be seen that the Faculty remains loyal to the principle of election of studies. But the freshman in making his choice will henceforth have certain fixed groups designated by the faculty from which he must select nearly half the work of his first two years or nearly the whole of the work of his first year; and when he enters on junior year he will have a professor of his own selection to aid him in laying out the work of junior and senior years, one third of which must be formally approved by that professor. This personal interchange of opinion between professor and student and that impersonal guidance given to freshmen are the cardinal features of the new plan for regulating the elective system. And personal intercourse between Arts students and Arts professors will be greatly faciliated by the provisions made for their accommodation in Goldwin Smith Hall during the hours they spend outside the class For further details regarding this new legislation reference must be made to the report (Appendix III) of the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, in which it is expounded and fully discussed.

In the science division of the College of Arts and Sciences the most important event was the completion of the Rockefeller Hall of Physics and the occupation of it by the department. The meeting at Cornell University of the American Association for the Advancement of Science from June 28th to July 3rd was selected as an appropriate time for the dedication of the new laboratory, which

occurred on the afternoon of June 29th.

Besides the open

ing address by the President, there were addresses by Dr. W. H. Welch, professor of pathology in Johns Hopkins University, and President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Dr. Elihu Thomson of the General Electric Company, and Professor E. L. Nichols, head of the physics department of Cornell University. A paper on the "Beginning of Physics at Cornell," written by Professor W. A. Anthony, former head of the department, who was unfortunately unable to be present, was read. And at the close of the exercises the building was thrown open for inspection, the visiting scientists being conducted through it by the professors and instructors of the department.

Thanks to the splendid generosity of Mr. John D. Rockefeller (who to the regret of all was unable to be present at the dedication), Cornell University now possesses the largest laboratory of physics in America. The building, which measures 258 feet from north to south, is of red brick with trimmings of Medina sandstone. It has four floors and an attic and contains 167 rooms. The total area of floor space is 126,000 square feet. There are four lecture rooms especially designed and equipped with reference to experimental demonstrations, the largest of which has a seating capacity of about 600, seven recitation rooms, and a seminary room for the accommodation of small classes. The building contains four complete undergraduate laboratories, each with its special equipment and designed respectively for the first and second year classes in general physics, for instruction in applied electricity, and for laboratory work in practical photography. The provisions for investigation and research are more extensive and complete than in any existing laboratory on this continent. To this important activity of the department, the entire ground floor of the building is devoted.

The work which has been done by the department of physics justifies its new habitation. What is now needed. is an endowment for maintenance and research. For this purpose and also for new laboratories to relieve the present congestion funds are also greatly needed by the departments of chemistry and botany.

The staff of instruction of the College of Arts and Sciences has been strengthened by the accession of Professor Frank Thilly, formerly of Princeton University, to the Sage School of philosophy. Professor Thilly was in 18911892 a fellow and in 1892-1893 an instructor in Cornell University, and his appointment to a professorship has given universal satisfaction. Professor W. W. Rowlee, who has for 18 years been connected with the department of botany, has merited by faithful and efficient service advancement to a full professorship.

(2) In the College of Law the attendance which first rose above 200 in 1902-1903 has kept between 220 and 230 since that time except in 1903–1904. It was 221 in 19051906. As usual about one fourth of the students (57) came from outside the State of New York. Of the 221 students II had received college degrees, and 32 others had spent one or more years in college. In addition to the 221 students in the College of Law, 28 juniors and seniors elected courses with that Faculty.

No further change has been made in the entrance requirements or in the length of the course. But a combined course of three years in law and one year in political, social, and economic science has been outlined for prospective students of law who at matriculation satisfy the requirements for admission to the College of Arts and Sciences.

The library is already unusually rich in reports of the courts of the United States and of Great Britain and her colonies. The librarian now proposes to make a complete collection of the statute law of the states of the Union.

(3) In the Medical College in New York City the gravest event of the year was the retirement under the age limit of Dr. Austin Flint. He has been for nearly fifty years a teacher of medical science-and a most successful teacher-and a writer of acknowledged authority, and, since the foundation of the Medical College, head of the department of physiology. At the last meeting of the Faculty suitable action was taken expressive of the high opinion entertained for Dr. Flint by his colleagues in the Medical Faculty and by the President of the University. Into the life of otium cum dignitate which he has so honorably earned he carries the affectionate regard and the hearty good wishes of all his associates in the College. Professor Flint has been voted a retiring allowance by the Carnegie Foundation.

In the report of last year certain fundamental questions of policy regarding the Medical College were discussed at considerable length. This year's experience again emphasizes the need of eliminating physics and chemistry from the four-year course in medicine. There is not time to teach them properly and they take time that should be devoted to medical studies. The only solution in sight is a pre-medical course of at least one year embracing physics, chemistry, zoology, and comparative anatomy.

The work of investigation to which the Loomis Laboratory is devoted has been extended and carried on with remarkable success. Some of the more important scientific results obtained and their therapeutic applications are described in the report of Dean Polk (Appendix V).

For the first time a fee has been charged to patients in the dispensary. The receipts made it possible to improve the management. A physician has been placed in charge whose chief duties are to distribute the applicants, to supervise the attendance of physicians and surgeons, and to col