OF INTEREST TO TEACHERS. I45 



3. As to content, instruction in natural history has the duty of 

 acquainting the growing youth with the most essential forms of 

 the organic world, to discuss the manifold phenomena of life, 

 to present the relations of organisms to inorganic nature, to each 

 other and to man, and to give a survey of the most important 

 periods of the earth's history. Upon the basis of the biologic 

 knowledge acquired, the structure of the human body and the 

 functions of its organs, together with the chief points of general 

 hygiene, deserve special attention. 



4. Etlucallw biologic instruction awakens respect for the struc- 

 tures of the organic world, an appreciation of the beauty and 

 completeness of nature as a whole, and thus becomes a source 

 of the purest enjoyment, untouched by any of the practical inter- 

 ests of life. At the same time, he who busies himself with the 

 vital phenomena of nature is led to feel the incompleteness of 

 human knowled2:e, and to recoonize his own limitations. 



5. Such knowledge of the organic world must be regarded as 

 necessary part of the general culture which the times demand ; 

 it is not only useful to the future natural scientist or physician 

 as preparation for his professional study, but is equally important 

 for those graduates of the secondary schools whose future occu- 

 pation does not directly recpire study of nature. 



The remaining four theses relate more specifically to German 

 conditions, pointing out that under the present curricula biologic 

 study is excluded from the later years of the course, in which 

 years alone the pupil is sutificiently mature to understand what 

 is taught of the processes of life and the influence of environ- 

 ment ; demanding that biologic instruction should be given, say 

 two hours weekh-, throughout the nine vears of the school 

 course ; and making some specific proposals whereby it is thought 

 this can be accomplished. 



A committee was formed to circulate the theses and the sup- 

 port of about eight hundred scientists was secured. At the ses- 

 sion of the association in Cassel in KJ03 this committee made a 

 report and proposed that the Hamburg Theses be adopted by 

 the general session of the association. 



