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Prof. Goodale lectured yesterday afternoon on "Illustrations drawn, from leaves and flowers." All the available space in the botany lecture room was filled by the audience, and if the course increases in popularity as it has done, a larger room will have to be resorted to. Too much can hardly be said in praise of Prof. Goodale's lectures; they are certainly as clear and concise as could be desired, and every student ought to hear at least one of them for the sake of the mastery of method shown in them, if not for interest in the subject matter itself.
The lecturer showed how leaves are fitted in position and structure, to get all the sunlight possible, and how, from this example, the adaptability of means to ends is carried out in nature. This general principle can be impressed on young pupils by illustrations just such as this, where enough is suggested to them, to enable them to infer truths for themselves. Teachers should take extreme care, and not try to make the young pupils study details.
The flower is best studied by means of schedules - graphic representations of the arrangement and plan of the parts, from which the species can readily be found in any botany. The use of these schedules trains in the pupil the faculties of observation and comparison. At the request of some of the audience some views of the California trees were shown after the lecture.
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