March 26, 1897.] 



SCIENCE. 



501 



fronted by the query whether the science 

 instruction is really comparable with that 

 of the stock entrance subjects ; and he is 

 forced to admit that it is not. 



The reason why he must make this ad- 

 mission, which is fatal to his eiforts, are 

 first, that time enough is not given to any 

 one subject or group, and that the method 

 of teaching is generally not equally good. 

 To be really comparable with Latin in dis- 

 ciplinary value, some one of the sciences, 

 or group of allied sciences, should be 

 taught consecutively for at least two or 

 three years by means of laboratory methods, 

 which call for expensive apparatus. 



This is the ideal, but there are practical 

 difficulties. The parents call for more than 

 one science, and the committeemen are not 

 willing to furnish the money for the neces- 

 sary equipment. I have considered these 

 difficulties elsewhere, and proposed a plan 

 of compromise,* which is briefly to have all 

 sciences represented in the course, but to 

 have some one taught as a major subject, 

 according to the best methods, and as a 

 consecutive study covering not less than 

 two years. Ultimately, when the benefits 

 of a proper study of one science are shown, 

 the school may see its way clear to the in- 

 troduction of similar study of others ; but I 

 believe that one science properly taught is 

 better by far than several poorly handled, as, 

 of necessity, so often happens at present. f 

 Which group is chosen seems to me of little 

 importance. 



I feel certain that the larger colleges of 

 the country will stand ready to accept a 



*Edncational Review. 



fl have recently had an application for a teacher of 

 physical geography ; and when it become known, a 

 number of students have come to me ; one of them, a 

 former teacher, when I said that a real knowledge of 

 physical geography was needed, replied, that she had 

 taught nearly everything, and could do so in the 

 future, and that she would be ashamed of herself if 

 she could not teach so simple a subject as physical 

 geography. 



properly taught science as an entrance 

 alternative fully equivalent to advanced 

 Latin, Greek or mathematics. There is no 

 reason why it should not be considered an 

 equivalent; and if the colleges can be as- 

 sured that proper teaching and discipline 

 is possible in the schools, the move can cer- 

 tainly be made. However, having set what 

 seems to me the ideal, I must say that I 

 think we shall find it necessary to start far 

 short of it, though always moving toward 

 it. One cannot change radically and sud- 

 denly ; there are many questions to be con- 

 sidered, not all of which are familiar to the 

 college teacher. Hence I believe it will be 

 necessary to adopt a compromise course, 

 with the distinct understanding that we are 

 moving toward the higher end. Let us 

 have four years of science taught as nearly 

 as possible by laboratory methods. It 

 would not be necessary for all students to 

 take four years, but insist upon everyone 

 having not less than one year of genuine 

 science instruction. For those who, by 

 choice, take a course which allows of con- 

 secutive study for four years it would, per- 

 haps, be better to have this kept along the 

 line of some allied subjects ; but, as this is 

 hardly possible, the instruction should be 

 confined within as narrow limits of subject- 

 matter as possible. 



Because of the interest which it arouses 

 in science subjects, and the training which 

 it furnishes to the important powers ot 

 observation and reasoning, physical geog- 

 raphy is the best adapted of the sciences 

 for the basal study. Moreover, numerous 

 experiments have proved that it fits admi- 

 rably into the first-year curriculum. It 

 would be well if this could be supplemented 

 and continued during the second year by a 

 study of geologj^, which is so closely allied 

 to it; but, perhaps, in most cases the demand 

 for instruction in the biological and phys- 

 ical sciences will be so great that this will 

 not be possible. 



