DECEMBER 17, 1897.] 
and eleven years old in the second grade of 
a primary school. Among the fathers of 
these children half a dozen are day-laborers 
and aS many more teachers or clergymen, 
the majority being mechanics or tradesmen. 
With the approval of Superintendent H. 
W. Foster, of the Ithaca Schools, and the 
cordial cooperation of the teacher, Mrs. H. 
A. Surface, but with absolutely no advance 
intimation to the pupils themselves, on the 
26th of April there was placed before each 
of the forty a hardened sheep’s brain. Dur- 
ing one-third of the half-hour exercise the 
pupils made drawings of the dorsal aspect 
of the brain. The rest of the time was 
spent in discussing the form and naming 
the main features by the aid of the black- 
board. At asecond exercise the base was 
drawn (Fig. 3). Ata third each brain had 
been transected at two levels, viz., between 
the cerebrum and the cerebellum, and 
through the frontal part of the cerebrum. 
After considering the contours and colors 
of the regions thus exposed, the middle 
piece was held under water, and air blown 
into the single orifice in the mesencephal ; 
its escape through the two cerebral orifices 
demonstrated the continuity of the cavities. 
Most of the pupils manifested an eager 
interest, and only one or two a slight disin- 
clination to handle the specimens. 
Twenty names were introduced, nearly 
in the following order: cerebrum, cerebellum, 
olfactory bulb, oblongata, spinal cord,* arach- 
noid, pons, chiasma, optic nerve, hypophysis, 
crus, alba, cinerea, cortex, cavity, endyma, fis- 
sure, gyre, pia and callosum. After an inter- 
val of nearly two months, at an unan- 
nounced examination, most of the pupils 
were able to recall the main features and 
their names. 
Lest it be hastily inferred that I advocate 
the introduction of the study of the brain 
as an isolated branch of biology, let me 
* Under all the circumstances it seemed best to 
waive my personal preference for myel. 
SCIENCE. 
907 
state, first, that the laws of New York pre- 
scribe instruction in physiology for all 
grades; secondly, that the three lessons 
above mentioned were merely the last of a 
series of thirty given. by me to the same 
class, all illustrated by specimens and 
simple experiments. For the encourage- 
ment of others who may desire to further 
the establishment of objective science teach- 
ing in the public schools, it may be added 
that evidence as to the acceptability of this. 
contribution was received from all parties 
concerned, viz., the superintendent, the 
teacher, expert visitors, parents and, by no 
means least significant, the pupils them- 
selves in the form of spontaneous letters. 
Two indirect results deserve special men- 
tion. The pupils discussed the lessons 
with their parents (some of whom, by the 
way, had themselves been my university 
students); so far from interfering with 
other work, the interest aroused by the ob- 
ject lessons in physiology was reflected 
upon totally different branches of study, a 
point worth considering by those who ap- 
prehend that there is no room for science 
teaching in the public schools. 
Appendix: Some educators are concerned 
as to what shall replace the classics in the 
curriculums where they are no longer re- 
quired.* Why not neurology? It is cer- 
tainly difficult enough, and for most persons 
—beyond a certain point—it would be quite 
as attractiveand useful. Incidentally, too, 
there would be learned a by no means in- 
significant amount of Latin and Greek. — 
This proposition should form the subject of 
a separate article, but in passing I desire to 
record publicly the conviction that has been 
frequently expressed to my colleagues dur- 
ing my twenty-nine years of service, viz., 
that a certain minimum of both Latin and 
Greek should constitute a part of the intel- 
*See, for example, the article, ‘After Latin and 
Greek, what?’ in (Boston) Journal of Education, 
XLYV., p. 196, March 25, 1897. 
