1 86  Educational  Development.  {AmApXiS"m' 
While  these  facts  are  in  a  measure  true,  and  there  does  not  seem  to 
be  in  sight  at  present  any  better  way  than  to  compel  each  candidate 
for  the  degree  to  present  a  duly  witnessed  and  attested  certificate 
of  time  served,  it  must  be  plain  that  the  practical  examinations 
which  the  college  compels  the  candidate  to  pass,  can  be  made  to 
measurably  reflect  the  teachings  of  the  preceptor;  and  it  would 
seem  to  be  illogical  and  unwise  to  graduate  students  and  declare 
them  to  be  fitted  to  fulfil  their  duties  as  practical  pharmacists  when 
they  have  never  had  a  day's  experience  in  a  pharmacy. 
Shall  the  work  of  the  good  preceptor  count  for  nothing,  because 
of  the  incompetence  of  some  ?  Can  a  man  serve  four  years  in  a 
drug  store  and  learn  absolutely  nothing?  And  is  it  possible  for  one 
who  has  never  served  a  day  behind  the  counter,  and  yet  passed  a 
successful  examination,  to  be  expected  to  equal  in  efficiency  one  who 
has  served  four  years  and,  in  addition,  had  his  college  education  and 
passed  his  examination  besides  ?  Has  the  time  come  for  the  col- 
leges to  throw  away  this  immense  advantage  which  the  pharma- 
ceutical student  possesses  over  all  other  professional  students,  of 
actually  practising  pharmacy,  either  before  he  comes  to  college  or 
after  he  has  entered  it  ?  Is  not  the  diploma  of  a  college,  which 
requires  this  practical  experience  before  graduation,  far  more  valu- 
able in  securing  for  its  possessor  a  remunerative  position,  than  one 
which  grants  its  diploma  to  those  who  never  had  a  day's  actual 
experience  ?  If  it  has  been  the  misfortune  of  a  student  to  have 
served  his  time  with  a  careless  or  incompetent  preceptor,  it  should 
be  the  duty  of  the  college  to  repair  the  loss  as  far  as  possible,  and 
every  well-equipped  college  has  in  its  laboratories  the  means  of  at 
least  measurably  overcoming  such  a  misfortune  ;  but  for  the  college 
to  ignore  the  value  of  actual  practice  in  the  shop  is  to  throw  away 
an  advantage  of  the  first  importance.  The  work  of  the  preceptor 
and  the  college  labors  of  the  students  should  go  hand  in  hand,  and 
what  better  way  can  be  devised  of  keeping  the  college  work  in 
touch  with  the  daily  duties  of  the  shop,  than  the  conferences  which 
should  be  held  continually  between  master  and  assistant  ?  The 
preceptor  gains  greatly ;  the  new  points  which  have  been  developed 
since  he  sat  on  the  benches  at  college,  are  discussed  and  possibly 
illustrated  and  amplified  to  the  edification  of  both,  whilst  the  effect 
upon  the  student,  upon  finding  a  willing  helper  and  a  sympathetic 
adviser  in  his  daily  work,  is  of  incalculable  benefit.    Surely  the  best 
