Science- Teaching in the Schools. 903 
elaboration, systematization, correction. But he will not find the 
book of nature written in a language whose alphabet he does not 
know. As he comes to the systematic study of the various sciences 
he will not feel that utterly bewildering sense of strangeness with 
which teachers in our high schools and colleges are now so sadly 
familiar. In the high school, he will come under the instruction 
of teachers possessed of larger knowledge, and supplied with more 
extensive material facilities, Now then the time has come for sys- 
tematic teaching of science. Random observation and desultory 
stories of nature must now give place in large degree to the presen- 
tation of systematized bodies of fact and theory. 
With the beginning of the high-school course comes the separa- 
tion between those who are preparing for the classical courses in 
the colleges, and those who are destined to go from the high school 
directly into practical business life. For the former class the sys- 
tematic study of science may be mainly deferred until they can 
enjoy the larger material facilities afforded by the laboratories, 
museums, and observatories of the colleges. I believe, however, 
that the complete exclusion of scientific studies from the classical 
courses in many of our high schools is greatly to be regretted. 
There are three scientific studies which I would have placed early 
in the high-school course, and required of both the English and 
the classical students. 
First in this list I would name phenogamic botany. There is 
no study which can conveniently be made to furnish so admirable 
a discipline in observation. The material is everywhere accessible 
in abundance. The collection and dissection of the specimens 
involves no infliction of pain upon sentient creatures. The débris 
remaining after a lesson is comparatively clean, inodorous, and 
wholesome. In all these respects phenogamic botany is better 
adapted for thorough practical study at this stage than any branch 
of zoology. The structures which are to be examined in the ana- 
lysis of flowering plants are also of about the right size to afford 
the most valuable discipline in accurate observation. The work is 
neither too easy, nor too difficult. It requires the use of the inex- 
pensive simple microscope, but not the use of the costly compound 
microscope. A thorough training in plant analysis at this period of 
the educational course will afford a mental discipline which can be 
supplied in no other way. 
