The Chautauquan, Vol. 03, June 1883Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
History
The Chautauquan, Vol. 03, June 1883
Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
Chautauqua Institution -- Periodicals; Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle -- Periodicals
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION AND STUDY.
At Penikese books were discarded, except for occasional reference, and
the several students were encouraged to study the objects for which
they had opportunity or special inclination. Each was also encouraged
to select for himself some particular line of investigation and devote
himself to that alone, and to a great extent this was done. There were
the botanists, who gave special attention to the seaweeds and other
plants; the ornithologists, who did nothing but collect, dissect, and
preserve specimens of birds; the microscopists, who studied the diatoms
and foraminifera and other microscopic forms, and made microscopic
sections of tissues. One gave his entire attention to radiate animals,
another to mollusks, and still another gave special attention to the
development of the eggs of the tern. In the study of animals, about the
first lesson impressed was the necessity of mastering their structure
by the free use of the dissecting knife. For some days the toads of
the island furnished specimens for the dissecting table; a day or two
was devoted to the study of the internal as well as external structure
of the lobster, each student dissecting one or more specimens. Then
sharks, skates, star-fish, jelly-fish, flounders, sea anemones,
turtles, birds, and even insects went under review in the same careful
manner.
A second lesson urged was the importance of studying the development
of animals while in the egg or embryo state. Döllinger, the father of
the now noted Dr. Döllinger, and in whose house Agassiz lived for four
years, was the founder of this branch of scientific research, and gave
Agassiz his first lessons in Embryology. Agassiz often alluded to him
in terms of most tender recollection and regard. This man commenced
his investigations in 1817, by opening three thousand eggs in various
stages of development.
Prof. Agassiz, while preparing the drawings and material for his study
of the embryology of the turtle, published in the second volume of
his “Contributions to the Natural History of America,” opened and
examined many thousand turtles’ eggs. He frequently and earnestly urged
attention to this, as an almost uncultivated field of research, and yet
of vast importance in the solution of problems.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account