Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1914-12-24
ALMA HIGH SCHOOL.
Natural Science Department.

The study of nature in the public
high schools has always held minor
position, being entirely elective for a
period of five or ten months only.
Very largely thruout the state, teach
ers especially prepared in other bran
ches have been given this to teach as
their minor subject, thus forcing many
who have not even had high school
course or but summer course in
biology, to do what they can to in
struct themselves.
At the present time conditions are
much better. Special biology teachers
are hired, fairly well equipped labor
atories are provided in many schools,
and more emphasis is being placed
upon the course. Then the influence
of scientific and biological investiga-
ton carried on by the United States
government and experimental stations,
and those of such men as Asa Gray,
Burbank, Darwin, Pasteur, Kellogg,
and many other scientists, the public
is awakening to the Importance of BIZ
ology and to its close relation to hu-
man welfare and activities.
In the Alma high school, one year
of botany and one of zoology is CIV
en-, and semester of physiology, ply
siograthy and commercial geography
completes the schedule of this de-
partment. The laboratory is excep-
tionally well equipped for high school
work in as much as it has eight COM
pound microscopes, dozen hand dis
senting lenses, plenty of demonstra-
ton material, such as preserved spec
linens both plant and animal and a
small museum or collection of shells,
relics, moths, birds, birds eggs, and
skins of few animals. Living mater
ial such as thrive in an aquarium,
crayfishes, leeches, goldfshes, turtles,
angle worms, clans, as well as plants,
both water and gouse, are kept here
and studied. The work is further en-
HANGED by the use of the stereoptican
lantern.
The student in biology is made ac-
quainted with the forms of life that
he must come in contact with and
upon those which he is either direct
ly or indirectly dependent upon for his
own life. A love for the wonders of
nature, respect for life, keen, wide
awake interest in relationships,-in
connection with the economic import,
is the lesson biology attempts to teach
through the study of the anatomy
and life history of plants, animals and
humanity as well as of photography.
Many field trips are taken to ac-
quaint the student with the life forms
in their natural environment. Trees,
flowers, plants, land and water ami
mails are thus studied while at work,
A detailed study of the habits, exter-
lnal and internal structures of these
then follows in the laboratory and a
notebook is made by each student thus
recording by means of drawings, ex-
periments, field observations, and arti-
cles, the knowledge gained.
The course in botany as offered pro.
vides study in the fall and winter
Of the character and work Of seeds
and fruit; all questions pertaining tt
plant physiology, i. e. the working OF
life processes of the roots, the fal
flowers; the trees in their winter garb
the relation of plants to their sur
roundings, such as light, moisture
earth orgravity, and man. Many ex
periments in plant physiology gives .
new idea to the student that plants arr
living, breathing organisms accom-