OF INTEREST TO TEACHERS. 47 



Mr. Edward C. Hood spoke from the standpoint of zodlogy. 

 After a discussion of the aims of the course in biology, Mr. 

 Hood called attention to the fact that a number of the forms re- 

 quired in the present syllabus had a purely scientific value as 

 indicating evolutional relationships. As such relationships can- 

 not be appreciated by first-year students, such types could with 

 benefit be omitted and things of more practical value substituted. 

 Mr. Hood suggested the substitution of coral for hydra, the omis- 

 sion of study on the earthworm and the more detailed study of 

 such topics as the " economic importance of birds," " lobster fish- 

 eries " and the like. 



Mr. George W. Hunter, Jr., presented the physiological aspect 

 of the subject. He showed that human physiology, as given to 

 high school pupils, offered unlimited opportunity for the em- 

 phasis of the practical side of biology. He believed that most of 

 the morphological side could be omitted in the study of human 

 physiology when the frog is used as a comparative type. He 

 summarized four reasons for adopting a more practical method of 

 teaching first-year biology : 



1. Its usefulness to the child in family life. 



2. The ultimate trend for the benefit of the race. 



3. Its pedagogical superiority. 



4. The necessity for satisfying the Xew Yorker's demand for 

 the practical. 



E. M. KUPFER, 



Secretary pro tcm. 



The Context of the High School Course in Botan^'. — 

 The discussion at the recent meeting of the Xew York City Asso- 

 ciation of Uiologv Teachers as to whether /t\s\s- structural and phys- 

 iological botany, and more economic botany should be taught in 

 the city high schools, raises again the quesfion as to the proper 

 function of public high schools, and especially of the position 

 which the science of botany should have in their courses of study. 



Should the public high school be an educational institution, or 

 largely a training school ? And how is the status of botany af- 

 fected in either event ? 



