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able value, it seems perfectly feasible to combine the essentials, 

 the great ideas, of the two phases of the science of life into a 

 single course. Such a course with its broader outlook would 

 be more valuable to the average educated citizen than would 

 be either botany or zoology studied without reference to its 

 sister science. Even laying entirely aside the practical problems 

 of school administration, which are certainly tending to limit 

 biology study to a single year for the average pupils, I believe 

 that ultimately our high schools will adopt a year course in 

 biology because such a course will best include the important 

 values of biology in secondary education. 



The above discussion has included only the information side 

 ■of the values of high-school biological study. Limitations of 

 space forbid appropriate discussion of the scientific discipline 

 derivable from the study ; but I fail to see any valid argument 

 against the year in biology as far as discipline is concerned. On 

 the contrary we may expect to get more valuable scientific dis- 

 cipline from the study of the more important subject-matter 

 which would be concentrated into a year of biology. The pos- 

 sible objections all center around the idea that science study 

 must be carried far into useless detail in order to give the best 

 scientific discipline. This may be true from the research stand- 

 point ; but as applied to the everyday life of the average cul- 

 tured citizen the results of such study of details have been far 

 from satisfying. We seem to be moving rapidly towards that 

 science study which is so correlated with information worth hav- 

 ing that the discipline obtained will meet with greater application 

 in practical life. 



Summary. — The practical problems of the school curriculum 

 seem to demand a course in biology for the majority of pupils, 

 and there is nothing in the content of the science and in ap- 

 proved methods of teaching which opposes this. Considering the 

 recognized values, a course in biology will tend to emphasize 

 the great ideas or principles worth knowing, and there is no 

 inherent reason why scientific discipline should not be as well 

 developed as in any other high-school course in science. 

 Teachers College. 



