articular lesson, at all? What relation does it bear to the
preceding and following lessons? Is it of real value to the pupil in
his living? What biological phenomenon does it teach? Is it the best
problem to illustrate that particular phenomenon? What generalizations
and practical applications can the _pupil_ make?

The organization of a course in biology which is fitted to the needs
of a certain community, the conditions of a particular class of
pupils, and to the needs of the individual pupils so far as possible,
requires that the teacher have an extensive knowledge of the subject
matter as a background freeing him from the necessity of dependence on
a textbook. Anyway, a biology teacher conducting the right sort of a
course, will see that the textbook is only an incidental, if used at
all. A continuation of set assignments in most textbooks would dampen
the ardor of pupils generally. Besides, few localities have textbooks
fitted to their specific needs. One that does have is New York City.
In fact it has two, "Elementary Biology" by Peabody & Hunt, and "Civic
Biology" by Hunter. These both have a large sale throughout the United
States, But, of course, in most localities they can be used only to
furnish supplementary reading, since _portions_ only will be adapted
to the conditions of the restricted locality. The fundamental life
processes are the same the world over, but varying environmental
conditions necessitates a variation in emphasis, in application, and
in the choice of problems which make up the course. If the teacher is
well prepared in subject matter, there is little use for a laboratory
manual except as it may suggest new methods and new experimental
materials. Students of the high school age should never be compelled
to follow a set laboratory outline with detailed instructions for
procedure; it will kill every whit of initiative. The teacher must be
so prepared, then, that he is able to steer a free course, employing
books for reference and supplementary reading almost exclusively. He
will cause the student to realize that the books are the result of
_human_ effort and therefor not infallible, and that they must always
take second place to first hand observation and experiment. The study
of animate nature, with endless opportunity for observation and
experiment on every hand, permits little excuse for such method as is
illustrated by "Be prepared to recite on the next three pages in the
book, tomorrow,