Charles Godfrey was born in October, 1873. At an early age he went to King Edward’s School, Birmingham, where he was head of the school, a position which depended entirely on a boy’s ability in classics, and he spent at least five years in the top mathematical division under Rawdon Levett. The top mathematical division in those days consisted of a dozen boys, and generally contained three future major scholars of Trinity. Godfrey went up to Trinity as a major scholar in 1892, and was fourth wrangler in a brilliant year (1895), with Bromwich, Grace and E. T. Whittaker above him; in the following year he was placed in the first division of the first class of Part II. of the Mathematical Tripos; later on he won the Isaac Newton Studentship.

In your Mathematical Gazette for last month you read that “the mathematical theory of Probability is practically dead”—and that from a real authority on the subject whose name is known and honoured wherever statistics are analysed and laws deduced from them.

Lemma. If p is a prime number, the sum of the products of the numbers 1, 2, 3, ..., p - 1 taken r at a time, where r is any number less than p - 1, is a multiple of p (Lagrange).

There is a large and well-defined group of students, in polytechnics and elsewhere, taking a course of mathematics which is very different from that given in schools. Practical Mathematics, as the subject is usually known, is regarded very unfavourably by many mathematicians, and no doubt it has many defects. However, it is possible that some of its critics have failed to realise the difficulties that occur in connection with evening classes. The present article is intended to show that Practical Mathematics meets a real need, and that it may be made really educational. No attempt will be made to conceal the grave weaknesses that often occur in the actual working of the classes. Some suggestions for improvement will be given, and it is hoped that those with experience of the work, either as teachers or inspectors, will give their views on the subject. Ultimately the Mathematical Association may be able to issue a report that will incorporate the most helpful suggestions received.