132 School Science and Mathematics

upper-level students. In any case it seems likely that the integratedtype of course as offered at the University of Pittsburgh would bebeyond the general level of the senior high school.

CONCLUSIONAt the time of this writing the fate of the Natural Science course

at the University of Pittsburgh, as well as that of the whole coreprogram, is in some doubt. Certainly it is a long way from beingapproved as a college requirement.The one year integrated science course, as developed at the Uni-

versity of Pittsburgh, is regarded by the writer as theoretically thebest answer to the problem of the freshman science requirement, butthere are difficulties which must be overcome before it can becomegenerally useful. The appearance of a suitable text would do most tomake the course workable.

A Simple Home Made AmmeterDale Kelly

1138 Basse Road, San Antonio, Texas

To make an inexpensive direct current ammeter for the range from0-5, 0-10, or 0-25 amperes, pass a wire lengthwise and horizontallythrough a cardboard box, put a pocket compass on top and turn thebox until the wire is in line with the compass needle. When currentflows in the wire, the needle will deflect and, as long as the deflectionis small, (preferably not over 30 to 40 degrees) the current will beabout one ampere for every ten degrees of deflection, provided thevertical distance from the wire to the needle is:

li inches in such southern states as Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Missis-sippi, Georgia

2 inches in Idaho, Colorado, Kansas, Tennessee, N. Carolina2^ inches in Montana, Iowa, Indiana, Connecticut3 inches in such northern states as Minnesota, Michigan, Maine

If the above distances are doubled, the current will be about twoamperes for every ten degrees; if they are multiplied by five, aboutfive amperes for every ten degrees.

In other states, consult a map and select a corresponding value forthe distance from the wire to the compass needle.