616 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. III. No. 69. 



part continue tlie studj^ to the point where 

 they may begin to do work which may be 

 regarded as independent ; yet fewer essay 

 the training which looks forward to a pro- 

 fessional career. As this department has 

 been long established and is favorably con- 

 ditioned to give instruction, the lack of a 

 large attendance under a system of free 

 election by students may be taken as an in- 

 dication that while the elementary didactic 

 presentation of the science attracts the 

 greater number of the youths of our col- 

 leges, the higher branches are less attractive 

 than the other similarly difficult work of 

 the indoor learning. The conclusion is that 

 geology in the larger sense of the term is, 

 at least in the present condition of culture, 

 au interest for a few chosen spirits who are 

 so fortunate as to be born with a share of 

 the world sense, or at least with an apti- 

 tude for studies which demands a measure 

 of the primitive man which is not to be 

 found in the most of our supercivilized folk. 



UnclesiraMlity of Teaching Geology to Immature Students. 



In the demand which is now made for a 

 beginning of all our sciences in the second- 

 ary schools it is proposed to include geology 

 in the list and to set boys and girls of from 

 fourteen to seventeen years of age at work 

 upon the elementary work of the learning. 

 Tor my own part, while it seems to me that 

 some general notions concerning the history 

 of the earth may very well be given to 

 children, and this as information, it is futil6 

 to essay any study in this science which is 

 intended to make avail of its larger educa- 

 tive influences with immature youths. The 

 educative value of geology depends upon an 

 ability to deal with the large conceptions of 

 space, time and the series of developments 

 of energy which can only be compassed by 

 mature minds. Immature youths, even if 

 they intend to win the utmost profit from 

 geology, would be better occupied in study- 

 ing the elementarj' tangible facts of those 



sciences such as chemistry, physics or bi- 

 ology, sciences which in their synthesis con- 

 stitute geology, rather than in a vain en- 

 deavor to deal in an immediate way with 

 a learning which in a good measure to be 

 profitable has to be approached with a well 

 developed mind. The very fact that any 

 considerable geological problem is likely to 

 involve in its discussion some knowledge of 

 physics, chemistry, zoology and botany is 

 sufficient reason for postponing the study 

 until the pupil is nearly adult. 



EXPERT WORK AND ITS INFLUENCE AND RE- 

 QUIREMENTS. 



Besides the relations to society which may 

 be established by his position as a teacher, 

 the geologist is from the character of his 

 studies much called on for another kind of 

 help, that which pertains to the develop- 

 ment of earth resources or to the litigation 

 which concerns earth values. In this field 

 the relations are more critical and more 

 perplexing than in that of instruction. The 

 results of blundering are more apparent and 

 their immediate effect on the reputation of 

 the science more unhappy. That this branch 

 of learning has managed to retain a fair 

 place in the esteem of the public in face of 

 the criminal blunders which its prophets 

 have made is indeed remarkable. It shows 

 how much our people are disposed to pardon 

 where they believe that men mean well, 

 however ill they may do. There is, how- 

 ever, a lesson from this unhappy experience 

 which we should all read and inwardly di- 

 gest. This is in effect that what is called 

 expert work demands other qualities of 

 mind and another training than those which 

 go to make a successful investigator or 

 teacher. We, as well as the general public, 

 need to recognize that fact, that there is as 

 much reason to suppose that a noted teacher 

 of political economy should prove success- 

 ful in determining the merits of a proposed 

 business project as that his colleague in 



