75 8 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



selves into mere wind-machines, and mechanically grinding out their 

 results. 



One question will naturally arise in the minds of every one : Can 

 similar methods be applied in giving instruction for a limited time 

 when the means and appliances for determination are of themselves 

 much circumscribed ? In one case this has been practically answered 

 by myself, in giving instruction in the rudiments of mineralogy and 

 lithology in the Museum of Comparative Zoology. The problem was 

 to take dust-covered minerals and rocks that had accumulated through 

 many years some good, but most of them mere rubbish, the odds and 

 ends of various collections and give a two and a half months' course. 

 From the necessity of the case, no blow-pipes could be used in the 

 building, there were no crystal models, and the whole apparatus for 

 qualitative tests was a bottle of hydrochloric acid and a few test-tubes 

 which could be used in the cold. Streakers, magnifying-glasses, mag- 

 nets, and a knife or file, with some broken glass, completed the outfit. 

 The miscellaneous collection of minerals and rocks was washed and 

 sorted, and such specimens as could be used were labeled and placed in 

 drawers accessible to the students. With this material it was impossi- 

 ble to arrange test-drawers as described in the previous course. The 

 instructor then directed the attention of the students to those physical 

 and chemical characters of the specimens that they could make use of. 

 The same general system was pursued as before, so far as the differ- 

 ent conditions would permit the object being the same, to impart 

 valuable instruction together with mental training. The students, un- 

 der the direction of the instructor, worked over the labeled drawers, 

 and determined for themselves why the specimens were labeled as 

 they were. At the end of the course a series of minerals and rocks 

 was placed before each student, and he was required to determine 

 them, writing out his reasons therefor. The result far exceeded my 

 expectations. Out of thirty-eight students examined, comprising fresh- 

 men, sophomores, juniors, seniors, graduates, special and engineering 

 students, thirteen took over ninety per cent, three of whom had the 

 maximum mark ; twelve obtained over eighty per cent, five over 

 seventy per cent, four between fifty and sixty per cent, and four be- 

 tween ten and fifty per cent. 



That this course afforded an intellectual discipline of advantage to 

 the student has been shown, among various ways, by the testimony of 

 one of the sophomore students. His time later was largely devoted 

 to philosophical studies, including language and history, and after 

 graduation he pursued the same studies at Harvard and in the best 

 European universities. After his return from Europe and his estab- 

 lishment as an instructor in his favorite branches, he informed me that 

 this brief course had been of permanent advantage to him in his later 

 studies, and that it was one of the very few of the courses taken in 

 college upon which he could look back with any satisfaction and be- 



