.
Electives

The reasons for selection and sequence of subjects in this schedule
are fairly evident from what has gone before, but a few points will
bear additional explanation.

A course in the aims and values of science should be introductory, for
in the absence of general knowledge concerning values, such as has
grown up with other professions, the student must be given early in
his work an enthusiasm for it and a sort of guide for future choice of
subjects for study. The difference in aim between university and
secondary school science must be clearly understood at the start. Too
often, university courses accept science as an end in itself and it is
taught from that point of view, whereas the prospective teacher must
hold to his point of view, that to humanity generally science is only
a very effective means to an end; it is just a faithful servant.

The schedule just submitted may seem to be overbalanced with science
courses, but it must be somewhat so, especially if courses are not to
be completely reorganized. Science would not need to consume quite so
large a part of the time if special courses were given for
teachers--another argument for a high grade, strictly professional
course.

Duplication of teachers' courses in special methods would be
eliminated for a single course for all of the departments of
biological science would be sufficient. Biology is the hub, and not
the separate biological sciences, in the courses in this field in the
secondary schools. The methods concerned are _biological methods_,
and therefore a single course for all prospective teachers of
biological science regardless of the nature of their major work, is a
logical procedure. Whether such a course is a success or a failure is
largely dependent on the professor in charge. In the past there have
been many failures, mainly because the person conducting it has never
had secondary school experience, knows little or nothing of the
problems, and has no sincere enthusiasm for the teaching of science to
boys and girls below the university age.

The course suggested would cover an entire year. At least that much
time is required to give any direction or instruction that is worth
while. The first half of the year might well be devoted to a digestion
and correlation of all previous work, organizing it into a form easily
useable in the work to follow. Questions of method, recitation,
laboratory and field work, textbooks and reference boo