A year of biology is recommended because each pupil ought to have some work in both fields, and we cannot expect him to take a year in each.
This course, dealing with the relation of the development of biology to human interests and problems, may be given separately, or as a part of Course 1,--which should otherwise be prerequisite to it. This may be one of the most humanizing of all the possible courses in biology.
=(2) A _second_ group should be technical and introductory to professional uses=
This group furnishes a series of courses providing a thorough introduction to the principles and methods of botany and zoölogy. They provide discipline, drill, comparison, mastery of technic as well as increased appreciation of biology and of the scientific method. They should prepare for advanced work in biology, and for technical applications of it to medicine, agriculture, stock breeding, forestry, etc.
Course--Botany 1: General and Comparative Botany, and the Evolution of Plants.
Course--Botany 2: Physiology and Ecology of Plants.
Course--Botany 3: Plant Cytology, Histology, and Embryology.
Course--Zoölogy 1: General and Comparative Zoölogy.
Course--Zoölogy 2: Animal, including Human, Physiology.
Course--Zoölogy 3: Microtechnic, Histology, Histogenesis, Embryogeny.
This outline for botany and zoölogy follows in the main the most common arrangement found in the schools of the country. In the personal judgment of the writer all undergraduate courses should combine aspects of morphology, physiology, ecology, etc., rather than be confined strictly to one particular phase; even histology and embryology can be better taught when their physiological aspects are emphasized. There is no fundamental reason, however, why there may not be great latitude of treatment in this group. An alluring feature of biological teaching is that a teacher who has a vital objective can begin anywhere in our wonderful subject and get logically to any point he wishes. These courses may be further subdivided, where facilities allow.
=(3) A _third_ group of special, but cultural, courses=
This group contains certain of the more elementary applications of biology to human welfare. While having practical value in somewhat specialized vocations, the courses in this group are not proposed as professional or technical. They are definitely cultural. Every college might well give one or more of them, in accordance with local conditions. They ought to be eligible without the courses of the second group. The order is not significant.