LECTURES IN THE SCHOOL. 52 



science reveals, and the facts I give you are 

 useful only, or chiefly, for this object." 



Running over the titles of his courses dur- 

 ing several consecutive years of this school 

 instruction they read : Physical Geography 

 and Paleontology ; Zoology ; Botany ; Cora] 

 Reefs ; Glaciers ; Structure and Formation 

 of Mountains ; Geographical Distribution of 

 Animals ; Geological Succession of Animals ; 

 Growth and Development of Animals; Phi- 

 losophy of Nature, etc. With the help of 

 drawings, maps, bas-reliefs, specimens, and 

 countless illustrations on the blackboard, these 

 subjects were made clear to the pupils, and 

 the lecture hour was anticipated as the bright- 

 est of the whole morning. It soon became a 

 habit with friends and neighbors, and espe- 

 cially with the mothers of the scholars, to 

 drop in for the lectures, and thus the school 

 audience was increased by a small circle of 

 older listeners. The corps of teachers was 

 also gradually enlarged. The neighborhood 

 of the university was a great advantage in 

 this respect, and Agassiz had the cooperation 

 not only of his brother-in-law, Professor Fel- 

 ton, but of others among his colleagues, who 

 took classes in special departments, or gave 

 lectures in history and literature. 



34 



