1923] Notes on the Teaching of Biology 87 



to look for material when they first venture out to teach. Many do 

 not even recognize the material they want from the microscopical ap- 

 pearances in the natural habitats. Consequently a teacher of botany, 

 zoology, or biology who is to be successful in his profession must re- 

 vert back to the primitive methods and study his laboratory material 

 Avhere it occurs in nature. Those of us who have had the modern 

 academic training in biology are often prone to look down upon the 

 naturalist because he is not "scientific." It would be far better if we 

 stopped to realize that the modern teacher of biology ought to be 

 more of a naturalist than he usually is. 



But not all teachers have the time, opportunity, and energy to 

 take up nature study and collect the necessary laboratory material. 

 What is the result ? The biological supply house is resorted to. Mate- 

 rial which could be secured in a few minutes' walk from the laboratory 

 is ordered. This is usually preserved and therefore not in the most 

 desirable condition. Some material must necessarily be studied in a 

 preserved state, but in many instances the same material may be 

 found near the institution in a living condition. Even if this is not 

 in the desired stage it will be profitable to make a study of it in 

 parallel with the preserved material of another stage. The desirability 

 of using living material can not be over emphasized. It has been the 

 experience of the writer both as a student and a teacher that unless 

 the living material is used there is an element of mystery about it 

 which hampers the proper comprehension of what is actually seen. 

 While it is impractical in the elementary courses in biology to always 

 use living material and to show the students where this occurs in 

 nature, this should be done to the greatest extent possible. 



Another unfortunate result of the over-doing of the laboratory 

 method comes from the use of the microscope and microscopical prep- 

 arations. To the beginner student in biology the compound micro- 

 scope is more or less a mysterious instrument — he does not compre- 

 hend it. Consequently, I have heard instructors in biology, who are 

 giA'ing elementary courses, give voice to the contemplation of the 

 elimination of microscopical study from elementary courses. Since 

 this is not possible and the student must at sometime acquire a train- 

 ing in the use of the microscope, especially if he is to continue the 

 study of biology, the next best thing to do is to eliminate as much of it 

 as possible. 



