698 SCHOOL SCIENCE AWD MATHEMATICS

GENERAL BIOLOGY VS. BOTANY, ZOOLOGY AND HUMANPHYSIOLOGY.

BY G. M. PIOLFEkTY,,

Central High School, St. Louis, Mo.

More than a decade ago some of the state universities aban-doned one-year courses in general biology, substituting thereforseparate half-year courses in botany and zoology. This was byno means a step backward, for the separate branches of biology(botany and zoology) at that time were in quite a different phaseor stage of development from that in which they were at thetime of the birth and organization of the science of biology. Inmost American schools at least botany was in the analysis or

plant-naming stage following Linnaeus and Gray. Whateverwork was done on the flower was for the purpose of classifica-tion and not as a study of this organ as a seed-producing mech-anism. The work was taxonomic. Zoology was in a naturalhistory stage dealing with external characters and habits, lead-ing likewise to classification (Tenney, Orton, etc.). The twobranches were separate kingdoms. Differences and not similar-ities and identities were constant!}^ advanced and given promi-nence. The general biology texts and teaching of the seventiesand eighties changed all this to a minimizing of differences anda harmonizing of similarities and identities. In this stage the

^reat principles of biology were made prominent and effortsmade to illustrate and verify evolution by a study of types. Themethod seems logical�why then abandon it? Manifestly be-cause it was not bringing about the results anticipated. For it

was found that while correllation and evolution (ultimate de-siderata) were comprehensible by the student having a grasp ofthe facts and data of the new or modern botany and zoology, therapid passing from plant to animal, and animal to plant whileaccumulating the necessary facts and data about plants and ani-

mals and at the same time trying to hold in mind the great bio-

logical principles and the evolution and development of complexorgans and systems proved confusing to many beginners in

biology. Besides, when the student did attempt to follow the

evolution or development of an organ or system he kept the con-

tinuity by reference to types lying totally within one field or theother regardless of an alternation of plant and animal types in

his study of general biology.

REMARKS ON BIOLOGY SYMPOSIUMS 699

If then separate half years in botany and zoology have beenrecommended instead of one-year courses in general biology foruniversity students, how much greater is the need for this sep-aration in the high school? Further, if the men who tried thismethod at a time when general biology was regarded as com-posed of two branches (botany and zoology) found separationadvisable, how much greater is the need for separation if a thirdbranch (human physiology) is to be regarded as a part of gen-eral biology?While it is well to regard human physiology as a biological

study, it seems out of harmony to regard it as a branch of biol-

ogy and put it in the high school course as an integral part ofgeneral biology and thus reduce the time devoted to it and like-wise that devoted to botany and zoology. Every teacher of sci-ence should stand firm for one half year as a minimum for anyscience which finds a place in the high school curriculum. Letus not fall back to three months or even a "fourteen weeks"period for any science. It is about as hard to reach the heightsin biology without the struggle in "declensions and conjuga-

tions" as it is in language and literature.

A LETTER CONCERNING THE BIOLOGY SYMPOSIUM.A teacher of botany in one of the largest Central Western high

schools, upon reading the biological symposium, immediately wrote the

following letter to the botanical editor of SCHOOL SCIENCE AND MATHE-MATICS. The editor at once wrote and secured permission to publishthe letter.DEAR DE. CALDWELL :When the lion cub asked his mother why all pictures of combats

between men and lions represented the men overcoming the lions, his

mother replied that it was because all the pictures were painted by

the men. I am reminded of this by that Symposium in SCHOOL SCIENCEAND MATHEMATICS. How can anyone expect anything but praise for ahodge-podge of botany, zoology, and physiology from teachers in a Statelike New York with its antiquated system of a course of biology thatis given in the first year of the High School?The statement that a year’s work in all of four sciences is all

that is desirable for High School pupils of the present day, soundslike a wail from the Middle Ages. Where is it written that this isiill a pupil needs for life? Which is better for him if he cannothave both; a knowledge, say, of algae or a knowledge of the "AncientMariner" and "Ivanhoe"? Of the nervous system of the earthworm ora smattering of Greek and Spanish? I am not specially fond of earth-worms or algae, but I believe the study of such things to be moreuseful to the average child than the others I have named. I am willingto admit that in special cases the latter may be most useful, but as