280 THE PIvANT WORLD 



Our Teachers' Department. 



Edited by Professor Francis E. I^loyd. 



Teachers College, Columbia University, New York Ciiv. 



BOTANY AS A FACTOR IN EDUCATION. 



Professor John M. Coulter, of. the University of Chicago, has 

 recently published his views in regard to ' ' Botany as a Factor in Educa- 

 tion."* The discussion involves two points, (l) the special function of 

 botany in secondary education ; and (2) the general function of botany 

 as a representative scientific stud}'. 



In speaking of the first point, Professor Coulter expresses the belief 

 that botany has been made secure in secondary education, although its 

 full importance is not recognized by all those in whose hands the making 

 of school programs lies. It is pointed out that the subject has suffered 

 from the widely spread misconception that it is concerned chiefly with 

 aesthetic matters and that it is not a matter for serious study and thought. 



Certainly botany has suffered from this cause; so much so, that from 

 time to time a good many botanists, concerned with the fate of their 

 subject in the schools, have found therein the justification for vigorous and 

 sometimes almost violent expressions of criticism of those who, with the 

 best of intentions, have been in part responsible for the state of things 

 so roundly condemned. Among the bad results there is to be noticed 

 that, inasmuch as botany has been supposed to be " peculiarlj' adapted to 

 females, ' ' the impression has become strong that it is peculiarly unadapted 

 to the opposite sex. I believe, however, that we have been gradually 

 changing our point of view, so that we now incline to attribute virility 

 of intellect to girls as well as to boys. It would be distinctly unsafe for a 

 teacher nowadays not to take this view, for he would bring himself into 

 disfavor with the girls and his subject into disrepute with both. 



Nevertheless, I believe also that Professor Coulter's optimism, cheer- 

 ing though it may be, is not whollj"- safe, because it does not accord with 

 the observed facts, in some cases at least. Within the last few days my 

 attention has been drawn to the fact that the biological studies have been 

 wholly removed from the curriculum of a certain high school which 

 enjoys the reputation of being one of the best in this country. The reason 

 given is that the interest and attention of the pupils, particularly the boys, 

 are not captured and sustained by "bugology," as these pupils super- 

 ciliously call zoology. The botany does not even share the honor of a 

 place in their nomenclature of disdain. I must not forget to point out 

 that the official concerned does not himself sympathize with the pupils, 



• The School Review, 12 : 609-617, October. 1904. 



