Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 28.djvu/599

Rh not or will not teach observation, then it must be taught in college, no matter if it docs seem to be child's work. In colleges, however, it is absolutely impossible to find the time or the means for training every one to become an observer, and we are obliged to distinguish between two different classes of persons in arranging courses in biology. The first and much the larger class in Eastern colleges includes all those who are preparing themselves for literary, legal, and other similar pursuits, and who wish to know the most important facts about animal and plant life, but who, after they have entered college, can not afford the time to train themselves for strictly scientific studies. This class must of necessity be taught by lectures and, perhaps, a few demonstrations, and, as far as the method is concerned, it is the same as that pursued in teaching literature, history, or other subjects in which general information is sought. Nothing further need be said with regard to biological instruction intended for this class of students, for in several of our colleges the instruction of this kind is distinctly good and constantly improving.

The second class of students includes those who are intending to become professional naturalists, teachers of natural science, or medical practitioners; in short, all who need to know plants and animals practically and the methods of biological investigation. Of course, every naturalist and teacher of natural science should have a practical acquaintance with plants and animals. So, too, should every respectable physician be trained in methods of biological study. To him every patient should be a field of research. By his own powers of observation he is to find out signs and symptoms of which the patient can not or will not give information. Merely listening to lectures, however entertaining or full of information, is not enough for this class of students. Work in the laboratory is necessary, and, in my opinion, that work had better precede any detailed course of lectures.

Being myself merely a botanist, I can only speak of the way in which plant-life may be taught, but, as far as the method of instruction is concerned, what is true of botany is, I presume, essentially true of zoology. Considering the age of college students, and the necessity of using the compound microscope, if one intends to make a practical study of biology, it seems to me best that the instructor should begin with some simple form like yeast or a unicellular alga.

There are other reasons besides, which make it desirable to begin with the smaller forms which can only be studied with the microscope. As it is necessary, under present conditions, to begin by teaching a student how to observe for himself, it is better to use for this purpose small forms which he has probably never seen before, or, if he has read books on biology, a mixture of several small forms which ho can not recognize from pictures. The plan of recommending any text-book in the beginning is very injurious. If books are