of interest to teachers. 1 23 



New York University. University Heights, New York City. 



July 2 to August 10. 



Staff: Dr. C. Stuart Gager, New York Botanical Garden. 



Courses: Introductory Botany, Dr. Gager. Rcscarcli Course. 

 Research work under the direction of the scientific staff of the 

 New York Botanical Garden. 



OF LXTEREST TO TEACHERS. 

 Edited by Dr. C. Stuart Gager. 



Meeting of Biology Teachers of New York City. — At a 

 meeting of the New York Biology Teachers' Association, held 

 at the Board of Education, on April 27th. four of the principals 

 in the high schools of Greater New York, upon invitation, pre- 

 sented their views on " \"alue and Scope of First-year Biology." 



Dr. Felter, of the Girls' High School, Brooklyn, was the first 

 speaker. He expressed the opinion that biology is a successful 

 first-}ear subject. In the first place, the fact that 95 per cent, of 

 the girls like the subject seems a strong argument in its favor. 

 Then biological science trains the powers of observation and ex- 

 pression, and correlates these powers as manifested in laboratory 

 drawings and records : the faculties thus developed are an aid 

 to the pupil in other subjects. Dr. Felter declared it absurd to 

 expect thoroughness on the part of high school pupils : if thev 

 are trained to see more things, and more details in each thing ; 

 if relations can be seen and the power to classifv facts gained 

 through the study of biology, the subject more than justifies its 

 position in the course. 



Dr. Wight, of the Wadleigh High School, the next speaker, crit- 

 icized the course in biology as not developing the same degree of 

 scholarship in the pupil as do the other subjects. The fault lies 

 in the content of the present course which is far too compre- 

 hensive and therefore superficial. He advocated the exclusion of 

 human physiology and the relegation of this subject to the depart- 

 ment of physical training. The course would be further im- 



