JOHN WESLEY POWELL. 25 



perfecting the general college curriculum by the introduction of 

 more science studies, a question then fairly begun and not yet 

 ended. In public lectures and addresses throughout the State, he 

 did much toward creating a sentiment in favor of the opinions so 

 earnestly embraced by himself. 



During this time he was still secretary of the Illinois Natural 

 History Society. This society was located in the hall of the Nor- 

 mal University at Normal, a suburb of Bloomington, and in that 

 institution he delivered a course of lectures on geology. At the 

 request of the officers of the institution, in the winter of 1866-1867, 

 he went to Springfield and secured from the legislature a small en- 

 dowment for the museum of the Normal University. On his return 

 he was elected to the curatorship, with the understanding that he 

 should be called upon to deliver a course of lectures on geology 

 during each winter. 



During the next spring, Professor Powell organised an expedi- 

 tion, from the members of the graduating class in the Wesleyan 

 University and students in the Normal University, for the purpose 

 of crossing the Great Plains and visiting the mountain regions of 

 Colorado to make collections and studies in natural history and 

 geology. This excursion was one of the earliest of its kind in this 

 country, and inaugurated a practice of the highest value to science, 

 for it has now come to be recognised that field-study is a necessary 

 part of a course of instruction in any branch of natural science. 



Early in May the Professor organised his party, on the Mis- 

 souri River near Council Bluffs. It was composed of sixteen stu- 

 dents, his wife and himself, and was outfitted with two wagons 

 and the necessary teams, and a number of riding animals. The 

 equipment for natural history collection was very thorough, espe- 

 cially for the collection of vertebrate animals, insects, and plants, 

 and to each member of the party was assigned a specified share in 

 the work for which the expedition was organised. 



The journey across the plains was slowly made, the party oc- 

 cupying itself from day to day in the collection of natural history 

 materials found along the route. Some were chasing wild animals, 

 some capturing butterflies in nets, some gathering plants to be 

 pressed; and the Professor himself, while directing all of these 

 operations, was also engaged in making geological examinations 

 and collecting fossils. It was a busy merry party, and at night the 

 camp was made hilarious with song and story. 



At that time the Pacific railroads were not built, and in the 

 wilderness of plains lurked Indian tribes, for which the party had 



