1864.] SENATE— No. 22. 7 



School, forms such an important part in the active operations 

 of our institution, that I think it proper to devote this year a part 

 of my Report to the consideration of this subject. You know 

 that it is one of the most praiseworthy features of our organiza- 

 tion that while the Museum, as a great exhibition of the 

 products of nature in the animal kingdom is entirely discon- 

 nected from the University, the educational interests of the 

 establishment are entirely left to the wise direction of the 

 President and Fellows of the College. Thus the University is 

 relieved of a trust involving great responsibility, without losing 

 any of the educational advantages of the institution, and the 

 public enjoys the unlimited access to it, secured by the powers 

 of this board. 



The object of the special instruction given at the Museum is 

 mainly to educate professional naturalists. This being the 

 case, the primary consideration in their education should be to 

 teach them how to observe. The progress of our science is too 

 rapid to allow the use of text-books to any advantage. Most of 

 them, even the best, are already antiquated by the time they 

 leave the press. A student of nature should, therefore, be at 

 once trained in the difficult art of reading for himself in the 

 great book of nature. To this end specimens are from the 

 beginning placed in the hands of the students instead of books, 

 and during the first weeks I watch their ways of dealing with 

 these objects, without assisting them, until I have ascertained, in 

 a measure, what are their ability of seeing for themselves, and 

 their aptitude for this kind of studies. To prevent imitation 

 among the new comers, I give each different objects. If they 

 have already paid some attention to the study of natural history, 

 I make them work up some description, or prepare some speci- 

 men. If I notice a special aptitude in them or indications of 

 sufficient devotion to their studies to enable them to overcome 

 the difficulties inherent to the work of the naturalist, I at once 

 set them to work out a special problem in connection with speci- 

 mens. I have satisfied myself long ago, that the general and 

 most elementary principles of our science are better understood 

 when illustrated from nature, than when explained in a mere 

 abstract manner. In this way, each student is, as it were, led 

 to go for himself over the road through which science itself has 

 passed in its onward progress, and far from protracting his 



