Maech 19, 1897.] 



SCIENCE. 



459 



ture which he might know, and to which he 

 so often reverts for illustratioii, how can he 

 expect unhesitating acceptance of his words 

 concerning the profound mysteries that all, 

 even the most favored, must ' now see as 

 through a glass darkly '? The artisan, 

 farmer and business man cannot live as 

 did their forefathers ; and so from the pro- 

 fessions, from all the people, there comes an 

 appeal so earnest, so pressing,that we cannot 

 choose but hear. If they suffer for lack of 

 knowledge we must do our best to supply 

 the knowledge. In place of lofty isolation, 

 or worse, of indifference, we should give 

 them the science we possess, show them 

 the way it is gained, and how much there 

 is yet to be gained, and thus make every boy 

 and girl, and through them every man and 

 woman, in our great State an observer or 

 original investigator in science. This can 

 come about only when real science is taught 

 and studied, only when the fog of opinion 

 and baseless authority are brushed aside 

 and the pupils in the schools are brought in 

 direct contact with nature, and there learn 

 to appreciate and apply the scientific method 

 so admirably stated by St. Paul : " Prove 

 all things, hold fast that which is good." 



Our Association ought not and cannot 

 stop with the work of the high school. 

 From the elementary schools most pupils 

 must enter the labors of life ; they make the 

 bulk of the State, and a noble patriotism 

 should lead us to do all we can. for them. 

 On the principle of self-preservation also 

 such help is wise, for the work of high school 

 and college alike have their foundations 

 laid in the elementary school. As the col- 

 lege reaches down to help and encourage 

 the high school, so should the high school 

 reach down and help and encourage the 

 elementary school, and thus will it come 

 about that every child in the State will be 

 brought into direct contact with nature, 

 where he can experience for himself her in- 

 spiring and uplifting sympathy. 



If this program is to be carried out the 

 college must train its students and prepare 

 them to take the true science, science at 

 first hand into the high school, and banish 

 therefrom anything savoring of sham. 

 Then the college must honor its graduates 

 by accepting for entrance the work in sci- 

 ence of the high school on equal terms with 

 other subjects taught by its graduates. To 

 bring this about, I take it, is one of the 

 duties of this Association. Thanks to the 

 work of the American Society of Natural- 

 ists, and to the many able men and women 

 who have worked for the same end, science 

 work done in the high school is at the pres- 

 ent moment recognized by a considerable 

 number of colleges. See Science, Decem- 

 ber 25, 1896. 



It is discouraging, almost prohibitive, for 

 the college to say to the secondary school, 

 when you reach the proper degree of ex- 

 cellence in your science work, the college 

 will consider your appeal for recognition. 

 Why cannot the college state fairly and ex- 

 plicitly exactly what the standard of excel- 

 lence should be? and with equal fairness 

 and justice say, when your students reach 

 this standard we will accept them for en- 

 trance on the same terms as for other good 

 preparatory work. No true friend of science 

 would ask the college to admit students 

 with a training in science inferior to that 

 required in the older disciplines. Let the 

 college make its standard as high as it will, 

 but let it recognize the work that comes up 

 to its standard, and thereby honor its own 

 graduates who have so worthily brought 

 the work of their pupils up to the high 

 standard. Such recognition would put sci- 

 ence on a fair footing with the other disci- 

 plines. It would encourage and inspire 

 the teacher in the secondary schools and 

 help to give his work a dignity and impor- 

 tance in the eyes of his pupils and colleagues 

 which it can never have if it is not honored 

 by the college. Men still respect and honor 



