The scarcity of qualified teachers, which is expected to become more acute in the years ahead-is the basic reason for offering any course by television as opposed to conventional methods. The decision to experiment with the offering of courses by television at Penn State was encouraged by a grant from the Ford Foundation's Funds for the Advancement of Education. A standard, widely-used textbook was employed for all sections of the course. It is felt, however, that any of several recognized elementary accounting texts would have been equally adequate. Although not used to any great extent it is possible to show films, slides, and film strips. Also by the use of a suitable projection device it is possible for the television screen to show the instructor writing on a regular-sized sheet of paper. One disadvantage of teaching by television as opposed to conventional methods is that, under most conditions, the conversation is one way. There can be no discussion or answering of the students questions.

It has been the purpose of this presentation to indicate the thinking of the Cost Committee in developing a statement of concepts of business costs. Possibly the most significant contribution of the study is that it recognizes the various measurements of costs and provides a framework so that all business cost may be grouped under the three headings of planning, control, and income determination. Implementation of the basic concepts of cost for planning and control rests upon various approximations of these basic concepts. Historical cost is well established as one method useful in approximating the basic concepts. An examination of the nature of the historical cost recording process indicates that it is possible, with complete consistency, to develop more pertinent information for planning and control than that now provided within the framework of recording which supplies information for the published reports on income and financial position.

The article discusses various ways to increase the productivity of college teaching. An important and obvious way to meet the challenge of increased enrollment will be to increase the productivity of teachers. The commonest of all means to increase output is to improve and add to the worker's tools. The techniques of radio, television and particularly the moving picture, can greatly amplify the effectiveness of work. In addition to improvement of classroom facilities, the improvement of office facilities will go far to relieving teaching talent of diversionary demands on time and effort. In order to make available teaching talent and effort for the main task of teaching, it is essential in most colleges and universities that teaching staff be provided more adequate assistance from office staffs. Teachers should be better trained and better supervised, that involves class observation by administrators and fellow faculty members for the mutual information and improvement of the observed and the observer.

The article presents a comment on an article by Professor Marvin Tummins which discussed the manner in which the Poisson distribution can be used by auditors as an aid in test checking. After explaining how to read the table of the Poisson distribution, the author goes on to discuss the analysis of a random sample drawn from a lot under three sections, procedure for rejection of hypothesis, procedure for acceptance of hypothesis, and evaluation of indefinite sample result. Professor Tummins has performed a useful service in calling attention to the potential usefulness of the Poisson distribution for certain checking purposes. However, there are two comments that must be made of Tummins' approach. The first point is that Tummins seems to suggest that an acceptance sampling approach can be used in the actual auditing process. There are many problems raised by such a general approach to auditing, as has been amply demonstrated by R. J. Monteverde. The second comment, then, on the Tummins' paper is that the trial and error method that is suggested is much too awkward.

In an article entitled Income Taxes in Financial Statements appearing in the April 1957 issue of The Accounting Review, Maurice Moonitz presents the case for the allocation of taxes on business income. The basic proposition is essentially that embodied in Accounting Research Bulletin Number 23 of December 1944. Moonitz's contribution lies in the orderly development of a supporting rationale. The object of this paper is to rebut these arguments and to develop from this rebuttal an alternate and opposing thesis. Although Moonitz considers the intra-period application of the accrual doctrine, attention will here be directed to the admittedly more important question of inter-period income tax allocation. There is no doubt that current practice defines the business income tax as a cost. However, the majority position is not invulnerable. In response to Moonitz's challenge, it can be asserted that a dollar of corporate income tax differs from a dollar of corporate wages in that the former is paid only if period revenues exceed period costs. In this respect, the tax dollar is suspiciously like the dividend dollar.

Reviews the book "Bookeeping Procedures and Business Practices for Small Hospitals."

Reviews the book "Standards of Education and Experience for Certified Public Accountants."

Reviews the book "Fundamentals of Federal Taxation."

Reviews the book "How to Communicate Policy and Procedure," by Joseph D. Cooper.

Reviews three books. "Electronic Computers and Management Control," by George Kozmetsky and Paul Kircher; "Cost Reduction"; "Machine Tool Leasing," by J.L. Treynor and Richard E. Vancil.