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Geology, as an elective in high school, is, of course, no experiment; and I have yet to learn of one case where such an elective geology course has not proven highly satisfactory where given by one deeply interested in the subject and able to fit the work to the students.

Now as to geology to be taught outside the geology courses proper.

In all of our high school texts in Physical Geography there is more or less of structural and dynamical geology worked in, although not, of course, under these names. A consideration of the dynamical, or earth modifying forces, must necessarily go hand in hand with a study of the present physiography to explain the latter. Would it not, moreover, be better if more exercises in simple structural geology be worked in-especially of a local nature-in place of many of the dry, uninteresting exercises that are sometimes imposed on freshmen in physical geography? I refer to such exercises as attempting to determine the latitude of the school building, to measure the number of miles between places on the map or globe, to determine the sun's altitude at different times of day, or to introduce problems in mechanics, having no practical application. One so-called "Hand-book and Manual of Physiography" dabbles in bits of Chemistry, and introduces the manufacture of oxygen, and other similar experiments having even less possible bearing on the subjects supposed to be taught.

Exercises of the former type kill the course for young students, and in the opinion of most successful teachers that I have met, have mighty little value for young freshmen; the latter, merely entertaining experiments, belittle the subject by making it a dumping ground for the odds and ends of all other sciencesregardless of whether they have any important bearing, or not. Do we not need in the first year of Physical Geography more of carth science, and less of the odds and ends of mechanics. astronomy, or plant and animal distribution? These subjects may all come in their appropriate places; but the successful teacher of physical geography is not called on to be a jack-of-all trades; he cannot afford to become such a dabbler.

Many of the more simple, practical parts of structural geology are entitled to a place in the first year's course in earth sciencewhether it goes under the name of physiography, physica! geography, or earth science. It appears to me that there is a far

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greater culture value in the study of many simple matters in local geology, in the first year of earth science, than there is in the study of the distribution and types of mountains in Africa or Asia.

How many pupils go through high school without being able to recognize with certainty the most common kinds of sedimentary rocks; or without knowing the kind of bed-rock underneath them; or the economic values of certain natural deposits or formations of their immediate regions? It certainly is far more difficult to properly interest pupils in far-away things that they have never seen-and many of which they never will see-than it is to interest them in their immediate surroundings.

A knowledge of the more common kinds of rocks that the student is likely to find either in the scattered surface boulders, or of the rock in situ; of the more common kinds of building stones of the locality; of the local ores received, if near a lake port; of local formations of especial interest, or deposits of economic value -these, together with a knowledge of the more common minerals, are some of the many things that may well be included in the first year of earth science, in connection with the physiography (proper) of the region.

If by a study of these and other matters in local geography and geology, together with carefully planned and well conducted field trips, we can interest our pupils more deeply in their surroundings we can then hope and strive to extend this interest to broader fields. It appears to me that there is little danger of over-estimating the importance of studying and teaching the local problems of greatest physiographic and geological interest-adapting the work, of course, to the age of those with whom we are working.

Can not we, as science teachers, co-operate in developing an even greater interest in local conditions? In Michigan, a carefully arranged collection of rocks and minerals, found in that state, has been prepared by the Michigan School of Mines at Houghton—and this collection, together with an accompanying manual, is supplied to a large number of the high schools of Michigan that have good claims upon same.

Such a collection for Ohio would be immensely helpful and instructive; and it might be arranged through our state geologist, or perchance the geological department of the Ohio State University. Each progressive, active teacher, who has worked over

his region carefully, might co-operate with the one having this matter in charge by furnishing samples of the rocks, minerals, natural resources, and other things of local interest; and might also furnish field photographs to illustrate points of interest in local geography and geology. This co-operation of the teachers interested in making high school earth science attractive, helpful, and stimulating, might bear rich results in this, as well as other matters, if properly backed up and supported. Are you ready to help?

Doubtless many teachers are familiar with the Washington School Collections of 40 minerals and 40 rocks, accompanied by a simple, but reliable, descriptive manual. The extremely low price of these individual sets (25 cts. each for the minerals, or the rocks) makes it possible for each pupil to have one or both of these sets for his own use. These are the collections that our former U. S. Commissioner of Education, W. T. Harris, said should be in every school in the United States-that he had never seen anything better for acquainting the school youth with the more important rocks and minerals and giving them some idea of the significance of these in the earth's history, and in the industries of the people.

Probably most teachers would only care to cover a part of these during the freshman year of earth science but both collections could be carefully gone over later, in the senior or junior elective course in geology, as a part of the laboratory work; and these would be a great help in connection with the collections of local rocks and minerals that each student should be required to make in the field.

In addition to the study of local conditions, and a somewhat more general-though brief-study of the rocks and minerals of a larger area, is it not well to introduce some of the more important ideas of modern geology into the first year of earth science? How "the waste of the old land becomes the material for the new," and the relative age and arrangement of the strata, together with the ideas of continuous, though imperceptibly slow, changes which are taking place everywhere as a resultant of constructive and destructive forces-and the enormous periods of time involved these, and many other truths of modern geology, have a far greater interest and culture value, to even young students, if properly presented, that many of the dry "paper

exercises" in physical geography sometimes inflicted on young, first-year students.

Like other great subjects such truths must be approached cautiously-a step at a time, and slowly at first-but if such geological truths are carefully and forcibly presented they will not only deeply interest the average high school pupil but will afford a definite culture value, and a lasting benefit.

In conclusion we finally urge that:

1. A course in geology, elective for juniors and seniors, is highly desirable as a culture course, to bring thoughtful students more closely in touch with their surroundings, and to make them observe more closely, and think more carefully concerning the great physical world around them. That such a course, if taught by a live teacher, who loves the subject, should be the beginning -and not the end-of the student's interest in such matters.

2. That Physical Geography is so inseparably connected with dynamical and structural geology that many parts of both these need to be introduced into the first year of earth science. That, if properly presented and adapted to the ability of the students, these introductions from geology may do much toward developing a deep interest in both Physical Geography and Geology. And it is further contended that there is more practical and cultural value in the study of same than in many of the dry, uninteresting "paper exercises" of the indoor laboratory.

3. That teachers of a given region, or of the entire state, should co-operate in developing a greater interest in local earth science. That a state collection of minerals, rocks, natural resources, together with a collection of local field photographs from active field workers is highly desirable in the teaching of high school geology and earth science.

A BIG SPRING.

No state in the Union has larger or more numerous springs than Florida. Many of them form good sized streams from the start and some of them are navigable. The largest spring in the state, and one of the largest and probably best known in the United States, is Silver Spring, which is located 6 miles east of Ocala. This spring forms the source of the Oklawaha River, a. tributary of the St. Johns, and steamboats traversing the river enter the spring basin, which has an area of several acres. The water is from 25 to 30 feet deep and is wonderfully clear, appearing absolutely colorless.-U. S. Geol. Sur.. Press Bul. 292.

PHYSICS IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL.

T. QUINCY BROWNE,

Morristown School, N. J.

The experience of many schools has demonstrated the fact that it is impractical to attempt to prepare boys for the College Entrance Examination in Physics in one year. Even to do the work in a cramming sort of fashion with certainty of good results takes more time than ought to be given to a single subject. But, what is of still greater importance, to mature the new conceptions involved, requires in the mind of the average boy of sixteen to eighteen more than a single year. Mental development is a growth, and cannot be forced without bad effects on mind or health. It may not yet be scientifically demonstrated, but certainly it has proved the case in numberless instances, that for growing boys, too highly specialized mental exercise, as well as too heavy physical exercise, intereferes with a normal, well-rounded development.

From the psychological standpoint, the order of presentation of new conceptions is also of importance, and in a one-year course it is not possible adequately to take this into consideration. It seems now to be a generally accepted conclusion that an unconscious, but very real, organizing and harmonizing process goes on in the brain, which tends to establish orderly associations between all experiences, educational and otherwise. In some branches, such as history, this idea has been put into practice by giving, in the lower grades, first mythology and legend, then historic or biographical stories; and finally, after a rest period of one or two years, full-fledged college entrance courses in Greek and Roman, and in English and American history, with note-books, outlines, and outside reading. In English, only the simplest ideas of the structure of a sentence can be taught to advantage in the early years; later all the parts of speech and their use are taken up, together with the analysis of sentences, and so forth; and finally, after a period of comparative rest, during which there is only practice in applying the principles already learned, rhetoric is studied in connection with the work of preparation for college entrance examinations.

In science, also, the same attention should be given to this. fundamental principle. My own teaching experience of ten

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