612 
searches of specialists, but also indirectly 
upon a favorable public opinion. Some- 
thing may be done towards forming this 
opinion through a wide dissemination of in- 
formation as to the true aims of science, but 
a more efficient method consists in the 
proper education of the coming public while 
it is still in school and college. From the 
single point of view of the advancement of 
his science, therefore, and apart altogether 
from the question of his responsibilities 
towards general education, it is the duty of 
every scientific man to contribute accord- 
ing to his ability towards elementary 
scientific education. Particularly is it the 
duty of every one of us connected with 
educational institutions to inform ourselves 
upon the present status and problems of this 
subject, and vigorously to set forth our re- 
sultant opinions upon all fitting occasions. 
It follows, further, that the problems of 
elementary scientific education area proper 
subject for the consideration of any scien- 
tific society. 
In these days the sciences are making 
great advances in education, and they are 
approaching, though for the most part they 
are still far below, the educational level of 
the older subjects. Amongst the sciences 
botany holds at present a less prominent 
place than it deserves; but, under the 
vitalizing influence of the dynamical and 
realistic spirit so recently infused into the 
subject among us, it is advancing to a 
greater prominence for the near future. 
Just at present, in botany as in many 
other subjects, educational discussion hinges 
chiefly about the contact of school and col- 
lege, that is, about college entrance require- 
ments. From this discussion three distinct 
educational advances are resulting: First, 
wider options in entrance subjects gen- 
érally ; second, a greater emphasis upon the 
sciences ; and third, a determined move- 
ment to secure greater uniformity in the re- 
quirements made by different colleges in the 
SCIENCE. 
[N. S. Vou. XIII, No. 329. 
same subject. With the first of these ad- 
vances we are not here concerned except 
to express our approval. In the second we 
have a more direct interest, though it is not 
in discussion in the present paper. I take 
it for granted we are all agreed that science 
should form an integral part of the educa- 
tion of every individual from the kinder- 
garten to, into and in the college, and that 
botany should hold among the sciences the 
place to which its nature entitles it. Apart, 
however, from the abstract merits of the 
case, it is a fact that some of the leading 
colleges of the country do now either re- 
quire a science for entrance, or else will ad- 
mit the sciences as options, sometimes even 
to the amount of one-third of their total 
entrance requirement. Some schools are 
already teaching sciences well, and under 
the stimulus of a wider acceptance of their 
results by the colleges, such teaching will 
unquestionably both further improve and 
widely spread. We cannot doubt, therefore, 
that the present movement is towards the 
general acceptance by the colleges of the 
sciences, with botany among them, as op- 
tions, if not as a requirement, for entrance. 
If, in the colleges with which we are con- 
nected, the sciences, including botany, are 
not accepted for entrance, it should at least 
not be through default of vigorous cham- 
pionship upon our part. 
It is, however, with the third advance 
mentioned above, namely, with the effort to 
secure uniformity in requirements in the 
same subject, that we are now immediately 
concerned. It is well known that the varied 
demands made by different colleges in the 
same subjects impose a most serious burden 
upon thosepreparatory schools which prepare 
students for several colleges, requiring mul- 
tiplication of classes, division of resources, 
waste of energy, and, worst of all, a too 
great subordination of true education to 
preparation for the passing of examinations. 
This mal-adjustment of preparatory schools 
