Yol. 59.] ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. XC'i 



precisely what should be taught under the head of this Earth- 

 Knowledge. But what I would understand by it is that it should 

 embrace instruction which would direct the attention of the scholar 

 not only to the natural phenomena of the world at large, but also to 

 those particular phenomena of the world immediately around him. 

 In its general interpretation, its central plane would be the surface 

 of the earth ; and from this it would pass upward by proper 

 stages to consider the distribution of all the phenomena, organic 

 and inorganic, above that surface ; outward to the study of 

 the meaning and interaction of these phenomena ; downward to 

 the study of their history ; and onward to the study of their 

 evolution. 



The teaching of this Earth-Knowledge could begin in the ele- 

 mentary classes of schools, be continued in rising grades through the 

 higher classes, and thence extended to the universities. Speaking 

 theoretically, in its earliest stages it should be as simple as possible 

 and cover the ground which is familiar to daily experience or which 

 is fundamental to several of the natural sciences. In its higher 

 stages it should become more specialized, and include the facts and 

 principles common to the special group of sciences which will 

 become of value to the scholar in his later studies or in his after- 

 life. In the university it might finally be restricted to the perfect 

 knowledge of that one science which the scholar has selected for his 

 speciality, and as much of the fellow- sciences as has an intimate 

 bearing upon the science which he selects as his own. At every 

 stage a broad foundation should be laid for the superstructure to be 

 erected in the next stage of advance. 



But, speaking practically, it is impossible at the present day to 

 lay down any general rules as to the order in which the subjects 

 dealt with under the head of Geonomy should be taken up, or as to 

 the way in which those subjects should be individually treated. For 

 while it is quite true that the aim should be to instruct in those 

 generalities which are common to many or all of the sciences, we 

 should most strictly guard ourselves from falling into the error 

 implied by many of the text-book writers on Physiography, who 

 start with an opening chapter on matter, energy, gravity, and the 

 like — generalities in their essence as yet hardly capable of con- 

 ception even by the highest intellects. And while it is quite true 

 that the most vivid and lasting means of education is by experiments 

 and deductions carried out by the pupil himself, we should as 

 carefully avoid the equally fatal error of imagining that instruction 



