Proceedings of the Ohio State Academy of Science. jg 



We get, in beginning classes in botany, students who take 

 the work for liberal culture only and those who expect to use 

 their training in some occupation. The needs of all must be 

 considered, nor can any one course meet them all equally well. 

 Hence the courses presented must be a compromise. For in- 

 stance, studies in general Botany in which the important biological 

 principles may be discussed broadly, have more value for liberal 

 culture than a course in Phytopathology, which covers a more 

 limited field and has sjjecial occupational worth, more pro- 

 nounced than its cultural value. Yet each institution has its 

 special functions to ])erform. somewhat diiTerent from those of 

 any other, and Plant Pathology may be required in some colleges. 

 Surely the courses for liberal culture are more fundamental than 

 others, and should be required as prerequisites. Considering his 

 special preparation as well as the needs of his institution, each 

 teacher must decide what courses and how manv are to be given. 

 Surely morphology should not be spelled with capital Al. nor 

 physiology with a capital P. and so forth : but other work should 

 be ofifered, and the whole should l)e well rounded and as general 

 as possible. 



The college aim should not be mainly vocational. But where 

 is the teacher who does not prefer the student who enters his 

 classes knowing, or who soon finds out, what he is to do with 

 his training? Alost difficult to reach are those who take the 

 work because it is in the curriculum to give them the liberal 

 culture, which they so seldom understand. For this reason, we 

 prefer one who expects to use his Botany in teaching, in agri- 

 culture, in horticulture, in pathology, in forestry, in research, or 

 for some other definite purpose. We are inspired by the change 

 of attitude which seems to transform the student when he finds 

 out why he is taking a course, for we then see so much clearer 

 how we can help him. 



Xo teacher of limited experience should attempt a heavy 

 program of botanical courses. A teacher of long experience 

 should be able to give as much aid in a half hour in the laboratory 

 or class room as he could do in three hours when a beginner in 

 college teaching. In both laboratory and class, we should try 



