New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-16
AaASSIZ AT PENIKESB.
FIRST WORDS TO STUDENTS.


-
81, ... FIRST WORDS TO STUDENTS
xrssop As,ssIzs OPENING LECTURE TO THE
INV. unsoS SCHOOL OF NATURAL HISTORY, DE
,,vFREp July 8, 1878.
80 .xn GENTLEMEN: Were about TO teach
olo.s in the ordinary sense, should make '"s
,'soror, beginning. My intention rs nes, howeVe',
- ;r,oart information, but to throw the burden VI
con II succeed in teaching You TO OBJ
- nv aim will be attained. do not "lsn I"
.ovmunicate knowledge TO You, you can gather ,na'
tror hundred sources, but to awaken III you
tacultv which is probably more dormant 'han 'no
.;mple mower of acquisition. Unless that iscui'y
.t;mulated any information might give you apo"'
natural history would soon fade ana DO gone am
.horotors placed in somewhat difficult and aonor-
- ,osit,on for a teacher. must teach and yet
-, aave information. must in short to all IN
- and nnrposes be ignorant before you.
tn vorv first subject to which will call your
...a,.on Is one where Won would naturally come to
= ,.h ouestious Do not ask them, for shall not
.nsrer but shall try TO lay out your work IN such
wav that Won will find your own pain without
Too much difficulty. What is the nature OF the SOIL
aud what is the geological constitution OF TINS islahu
Ihcbeve I know all about it; but wish to prepare
90, 20 solve this problem which is by the way, no
easy one, for yourselves. Try first TO ma now
,Le island lies We have no compass but our
main building runs East and west Let
tba. be your compass. You Will IND position
m essential element in the study OF geological char
seters Perhaps yOu have already noticed the gene
,sl optlne of onr island. You may have seen that
yrayely water worn neck of land connects smaller
island with the main one and that the two run
,arallel What is the meaning of the curve between
these two islands, What is the meaning OF the nat
hevond the curvef What is the meaning OF the
lo,se materials about us I What is the meaning OF
bowlders scattered over the surfacef III would pe
easy TO explain all these features upon wen known
theories but should do you poor service oy any
such ready -made interpretation
There are many other points to he considered
before Won will solve the problem. You must, Tor IN
stance distinguish the difference between materials
in contact with the water and those ABOVE lt'
between the various dimensions of these loose mate
rias and their relative size as found above or peio"
the tide level What relation does the island bear to
the adjoining islands, How are they conneeted'
When you have occasion TODD So extend this inquiry
to the main land. These the elements for com
prebensve appreciation of the way in which TINS
island has been formed. This investigation would
IN itself be enough for a Summers work. III you
could answer me in two months the questions L
have put to you here. l should say you nave
indeed done well. l want you to learn practically
how wide is the field of science how much lnvesl-
cation of valuable kind may be found even IN tins
small area And the method of investigation you
apply here will enable you to examine the same
,nb;ects wherever Won live. You will find the same
elemepts of instruction all about you, where you
are each teaching and you can take your classes
ont and show them the same lessons, and lead them
70 the same subjects you now studying mere
And this mode of teaching children is so natural so
,ueoestive so truel That is the charm of teaching
from Nature herself No one can warp her to SUIT
his own views. She brings MS back to absolute
truth as often as we wander.
Until our apparatus comes of various sorts which
has not arrived, we must occupy ourselves Win the
geology and would advise you 10 begin by collect
ing all the various kinds of rock the island You
will be surprised to hear, perhaps, that you VIII
find on this small space threefOurths perhaps nlne-
tenths of all the rocks in the United States.
With these and few words on the animals the
students were already beginning TO collect the mode
of handling them, &c, this Introductory address
closed 1t can hardly be fairly appreciated by any one
who dd not hear the next session two three hours
later after the first ramble over, when the
Professor collected his class again. aud drew them
out by questions. and without telling them anything
except few facts which they could not by any
possibility fnd for themselves in the neighbOrhood,
showed them what they had in their own minds.
and led them by comparison and combination TO I'M
derstand the significance of what they had already
observed. This second exercise showed the fresh
Dass and originality of this mode of instruction. from
which routine was banished aud in which all pro-
gress depended upon awakening and stimulating the
mind by direct contact with Nature