Geology in the High School. — Alderson. 287 
are treated separately and topically, not from a single text 
book, for the class has none, but through references to the 
standard works most of which are in the school library, and 
to such geological reports as we possess, viz. : of Indiana, 
Wisconsin, Ohio, the U.S. government, and some of the Illi- 
nois reports. 
This ends the first great division of the geological year. The 
aim is to begin with the known and observed, going on to the 
unknown and unobserved ; from facts to theories ; it gives 
free scope to the proper use of the imagination by furnishing 
the pupils data from which they may construct new forms and 
conditions ; it teaches them to observe carefully, to reason 
inductively, and, what is of the most consequence, it teaches 
them that geology is not a bookish study, though books are 
profitable, but primarily an out-door study ; and by explain- 
ing the geological history of their environment, in a simple 
and conclusive manner, it makes the subject realistic and 
ennobling. 
The next phase is more theoretical — the evolution of the 
solar system. Beginning with the nebulous mass they trace 
out in succession the first rotary motion, the formation of 
rings of planets, of moons, the gradual cooling and the forma- 
tion of the earth as a separate body. Then taking the earth 
as a whole they follow its history through the primeval era, 
the fire-formed crust, till the first land arose. Igneous agen- 
cies are studied in detail at this point. Attention is then 
directed to North America as a whole. Step by step the 
growth of the continent is followed. Geological maps of the 
continent at different epochs, geological sections and maps of 
particular regions are made. This part of the work is done 
slowly and with great care, so as to give the pupils a very 
clear idea of the gradual growth of the continent. Following 
this general view comes a study of the eras individually, their 
rock characteristics and fossil remains ; then each era is 
divided into ages and these studied in a similar manner ; then 
the periods and groups. It might be supposed that this would 
result in mere word learning. Such is not the case, however. 
The school cabinet contains samples of rocks and fossils illus- 
trating nearly all the formations from the Laurentian to the 
Tertiary. The Mesozoic, though, is but little touched upon 
compared with the work done on the PaLTozoic— an unfortu- 
