Some phases of the general science problem
N. J. Quickstad · Science Education · 1917
Tlie recoristructioii of thc courscs in first-ycar science is. in a statc of "bccoiiiiiig."'I'hcrc is no doubt that there i g a decided nccd for a cliaiigc niicl I bclievc that the work is going 011 in the right dircctioii; ilcspitc tlic coniplniiits niid the poor evidcnce that is I)rouglit out.Tlierc is iin doubt about the fact that there arc soiiie miscnrl)lc nttcriipts at gencrill scieiicc tciicliiiig and science rcconstructioii 11s a \dioIc, but that niust be cspctcd until the situation gets h t t e r cstublisliccl tind IL soinewhat uniform conclusion is derivcd in tlic niattcr of the problem of tcxt-books, tcachcrs, suhjcct mattcr, aims, idcals, ctc.oiic can find, ns lie looks ovcr tlic various nrtic~cs, a grcnt 1i;iiAber. of rcasoiis for pitting in a general scieiicc cdursc in the first ycar of tlic high scliool.Thcrc is also a wide diflercncc of opinions cspresscd.Sonic of tlic rcasons ns brought out in the various published articlcs arc .-(1) Thirty pcr cciit of the-high h~liool students drop out before J1ic bginning of tlic sccoiid ycar.Many of tlicsc have lind no training in sciciitific mctliod or facts, not cvcn in pliysiology, and the gcncrnl sciciicc course will at least give that.If the studcnt docs not continue iii scIino1, and has lind n .course in gcncral scicncc, the pupil will be nblc to do succcssful work more ably in thc inorp advanced scickcs, 'such as physics, 'chemistry, n'nd gcology, that come in the-latcr ycars.By Iiaviiig lxcn introduccd to yiencc by mcans of such n coursc, the pupil will IH!able to make a wise selection in tlic courses 'that come later iii thc high school coihsc.Such a course givcs the pupil and the tcaclier a splendid ,opportunity to discovcr thc capacities of tlic child, wliicli is one of the coming duties of tlic scliool.-.