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The Content ahd Function of Botany In the High School
By ROSA WOODBERRY, Principal Woodberry’s School for Girls, Atlanta, Ga.
There seems to be a question in the
nature of things, as to whether botany
has a function in the high school. The
schedule is so crowded with the re
quirements of the colleges the entire
four years that after four years of
English, four of Latin, three of a mod
ern language, and three of mathemat
ics. there is only an option of one
science or one history to complete the
fourteen units, and one science and
one history to complete sixteen, and
give four full daily studies throughout
the four years. The one science select
ed would probably not be botany, but
physics or chemistry, so that in our
course, as it is, its function can not be
a preparation science, leading up to
more intelligent and equipped prepara
tion for these more advanced sciences.
Perhaps this is the reason why science
has not been more generally empha
sized in our high schools, and that our
laboratories are inadequately supplied.
It is my own experience in college
preparatory training that usually but
one science is taken in the four years.
So it may be a workable suggestion to
have but one science in the high school
taught a year, letting botany, or more
properly biology, come in the fresh
man or senior year, physics the next
year in the sophomore, and chemistry
the next in the junior, with an optional
perhaps in astronomy or experimental
psychology in the fout th'science. This
would give a girl or boy the oppor
tunity of planning his course, so as to
select his science and fit his other
electives in accordingly. It would give
the science teacher the time and means
to build up a better laboratory and do
more concentrated work and economize
* The Function of the Woman’s College
By J. E. RICKE FSON, Pres. Southern F emale College, LaGrange, Ga.
We have all seen the chrysanthemum
growing without having been given spe
cial cd re. We have seen the corn field
of the indolent and ignorant planter.
We have seen the horse which has
spent its first few years without prop
er food, water and shelter. We have
seen the young lady reach the years
of womanhood with practically no op
portunity for culture. Again we have
seen the huge chrysanthemum, every
petal of which shows vigor and beauty.
We have seen the corn field where ev
ery stalk gives tie impression of boun
ty. We have seen the young horse
with arched neck and proud step, his
muscles, hair and limbs displaying
grace and energy. We have seen the
young woman whose very presence,
looks and words exert a mighty in
fluence for good upon all around her.
This is a period of wonderful
achievement in floriculture. Even the
poorest of our peop.e are coming more
and more to have in their yards flowers
that are luxuriant. Scientists in this
line are giving us results almost in
credible. Beside Mr. Burbank there are
great numbers of people who devote
their talents and energies to improve
ment in plants and flowers.
There has never been a time when
the agricultural classes of our land had
anything like the conception they now
have of the difference between poor
farming and good farming. It is no
longer considered a question of luck
that the same grade of land produces
twice as well on one farmer's side of
the fence as on the other farmer’s side.
Woman the Wonder of the World.
The day of scrub cattle and fourth
rate horses is rapidly passing. If there
were no more profit in fine cattle and
horses than in poor ones, the difference
in looks would justify all our efforts at
having the good ones. I envy the man
who has a well tilled farm stocked
witti fine hogs, cattle and horses. If
you who have been patient enough to
read -this far wondering what this has
to do with the Function of a Woman's
College will look just below you will
•ee that it has practically nothing to
THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN. SATURDAY. JULY 6, 1912.
teaching force. Botany could then, in
articulation with zoology and general
biology, including physiology, be made
a scientific course of strength and im
portance in the high school and be of
such comprehensiveness in laboratory
and field work as to be available as a
unity in college entrance.
Value of Field Work.
If the course is so crowded that the
students have not the time for such a
course and the curriculum provided
that botany must be taught, and it is
required of children already carrying
their English, mathematics, Latin,
modern language and history, then the
humane teacher will give little text
book work as much field work as she
can get in our walks and Saturdays
and herself secure the specimens for
the daily class room work, with notes
completed in the class, as far as practi
cable.
I would suggest an ideal botany
course for the high school, with the
understanding that it is to be corre
lated with zoology and physioloev in a
general biological course, and the tune
allotted accordingly.
The equipment of the chemical labor
atory Is ordinarily sufficient for the
course, which must include, of course,
a compound microscope and slides,
stains and some hand lenses, and a
letter press for drying and pressing,
would save the family Bibles and dic
tionaries among young enthusiasts.
It seems to me that no course can
be so elementary as to neglect the spir
it of discovery—what you might call
the earnest expectation of nature to be
known and understood in the great di
vine plan of the universe. Students
catch this inspiration in their investi
gation more from the teacher’s vivid
apprehension of universal law and
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J. E. RICKETSON.
President Southern Female Colleg e .
LaGrange, Ga.
do with it. but is a very slight inti
mation of the difference between the
girl who takes advantage of what our
colleges oiler, and of the one who for
some reason does not take this ad
vantage.
As the human race towers immeas
urably above all other creation, so is
the tragedy of uncultivated human
powers in contrast with the pity felt
at the neglected chrysanthemum, the
unprofitable corn, and the puny horse.
Woman is the wonder of the world.
Men of all di-grees of civilization must
MISS ROSA WODBERRV,
Principal Woodborry School For Girls,
Atlanta, Ga.
harmony than from psychological dis
cussions of it.
Tennyson and Browning, as well as
admit to themselves if not to others
that she has the capacity for as great
development as has man. and that the
neglect to receive this development is
as lamentable in her case as in his. In
deed it is probably more so. We hate
to see a man illiterate and with views
too narr >w for good citizenship, but to
see a woman whose training has been
greatly neglected brings,feelings of re
gret and pity in still greater degree.
Adopted to Real Needs.
The womans college is to proceed
under a profound belief in woman’s
worth. The teachers are to be filled
with the determination that her pow
ers have every possible opportunity for
unfolding under favorable circum
stances. They are to have a broad con
ception of her needs. They must never
forget that more than her temporary
comfort is involved in such questions
as nutritious food properly prepared:
well ventilated sleeping room; regular
habits: systematic exercise. They must
bear in mind that the principles lived
before her and taught in the class-
I
\ ;j>-
GEORGIA MILITARY ACADEMY
THE SOUTHS MOST SPLENDIDLY EQUIPPED PREP SCHOOL
College Park, Eight Miles From Atlanta, Georgia
Fills every hour of a boy’s life with wholesome mental development, body
building, inoral and social training, and preparation for a man's part in the
world’s work. A thoroughly disciplined, modernly appointed, attractive school
for boys and young men—a gentleman’s school, limited to about 125 boarding
pupils, so grouped, as to give every teacher about 12 Cadets for tutoring and over
sight at night. Delightful home life—a big happy family of successful, cultured
teachers and pupils. Every sanitary convenience. Electric lights, steam heat,
artesian water. Elevation nearly 1,200 feet, no malaria, perfect health.
Best Table Fare and Prettiest School Campus in tha South.
Three regular Cparses— Classical, Engineering, Commercial.
Member Southern Association of Colleges and Preparatory Schools.
Active U.Officer in Charge of Military Department.
Classed A by U. S. War Department.
Fereeie ert*4 te rieii sei eenpere the Sebeel wiik Üba kcal is Aaaarica. ML I. t WNPWitI, 1 M., tM.
Darwin and Huxley, can be reduced to
simple terms, and no true study of life
processes would be complete without
the great generalizations of each.*
The great principles of adaptation of
form to function, of relation to envi
ronment and laws of survival can be
learned in the study of leaves and flow
ers. The study of tissue irritability of
liquid pressure and absorption, or de
pendence on air, water and warmth, all
develop an appreciation on the uni
versal of the organic kingdom.
The subject of systematic botany,
so-called, it would seem, should be
subordinated to the great problems of
function and growth of microscopic
and gross structure, of fertilization and
food materials—an agricultural and
physiological botany, rather than a
herbarium—if a choice must be made,
it would seem preferable to know these
great functions that make us better
understand life, rather than a certain
facility in nomenclature and classifica
tion.
The division of topics would natural
ly fall along the great groups, though
the temptation is strong to linger too
long bn the flowering plants and pines,
to the exclusion of the great world of
algae and fungi, with the practical in
terest in molds, dust, bacteria, disease
germs and principles of sanitation and
health.
This affords such interesting oppor
tunities for cultures specimens, and
never lacks in interest.
The study of local plant societies, on
a field trip, has not alone the advan
tage of training the observation in
plant life, but when taken somewhat
late in the course gives a vivid knowl
edge of one's own plant surroundings,
and a bird’s-eye view as it were of
plant development and evolution.
room become not theoretically but real
ly a great part t>f her mental and moral
self. As the culmination of all re
sponsibility, it must be borne Jn mind
that consecration to duty as God him
self reveals it may be instilled during
college years as perhaps at no other
time. Then it is that by precept and
example from teachers, young lives are
given the direction to heart consecra
tion and faithful devotion if the teach
ers’ precepts and examples are right.
What a pity that some teachers have
felt that greatness demands that they
should claim to look upon life from a
broader view than did Jesus Christ!
The great teachers have been those
who have felt honored in , honoring
Jesus, and whose lives have exerted
an influence that will continue forever
for good. It is to be hoped that our
colleges will continue to adapt them
selves to the real needs of the young
women, and that a larger and larger
percentage of these young women will
come directly under the influence of
the college.
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