500 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



with seventeen, and rapidly increased till the roll contained four 

 hundred names. Within the limits of this paper only the bare 

 outlines of our methods can be given. We began with the prop- 

 erties of things. The gardens and fields were open to us and fur- 

 nished us the objects. When familiar with these and their rela- 

 tions, books were brought in to extend our knowledge beyond 

 the limits of personal experience. The zoology and physiology 

 classes, under Prof. Straight, were at once engaged in laboratory 

 practice. They obtained their knowledge of the animal world 

 from direct observation ahd through actual dissections. The 

 neighborhood was laid under contribution for cats. Any feeling 

 of repugnance at first shown for the work soon passed away as 

 interest in the study grew eager and absorbing. The absurdity 

 of rote-teaching was shown by an incident in the professor's class- 

 room. 



One day he called the attention of the class to the description 

 of a certain sea-animal, as given in a popular text-book. This de- 

 scription he asked the pupils to commit to memory, which they 

 proceeded to do, wondering why. One morning, only a few days 

 later, the table was furnished with a specimen of this same ani- 

 mal preserved in alcohol. Not a member of the class recognized 

 it. The elaborate verbal definition had given them no correct 

 idea of the animal, if, indeed, any image whatever had been 

 present in their minds. 



In botany, books were unopened, except to aid in analysis. 

 Materials for study the students found in their walks, and the 

 keen delight awakened when examination revealed to them this 

 new world of facts left no doubt that this was the very method of 

 nature. The study went deeper than systematic botany, and led 

 to an extended investigation of life processes in the plant. 



Physics was taught in the laboratory and illustrated by appa- 

 ratus which teachers and pupils united in making. This proved of 

 double value ; for, while primarily it helped to solve the problem 

 in physics, incidentally it constrained the pupil to test knowledge 

 previously gained by its practical application. The inventive 

 powers were also stimulated, and a long step was taken in the 

 development of faculty. 



The teacher of geometry followed the method of Prof. Kriisi, 

 of Oswego. This, in essentials, is the same as that outlined by 

 Herbert Spencer in his work on education. It was developed in- 

 cidentally out of the needs of constructive art, and was carried 

 forward slowly, as the gradual progress of the pupil called for 

 further applications of its principles. It was specially gratifying 

 to witness the cheerful activity of pupils in this line of work, so 

 often dreaded and shirked, and to watch the stimulating effect of 

 power gained in mastering a difficult problem. 



