Grade 1 of the Bionomic Course.

It has been seen that bionomic studies naturally separate themselves into two parts: an Elementary Division dealing with a selection of scientific facts and principles, and an Applied Division dealing with their applications to the actualities of Daily Life. Now the two Divisions of the 1st Grade will nicely fit into the two years of the 1st Period, each having about 78 hours of study.

Experiments of the most conclusive character have proved that even the children of the Working Classes are capable of imbibing Science, provided it be well selected, and suitably expressed, and there can be no doubt that it is much easier to teach it to the cultured pupils who come to a College. Nevertheless care must still be taken to impress facts by visual demonstration, and to give principles their simplest and clearest expression.

The elementary knowledge gained in the first year would be perfected and strengthened in the second by the useful and entertaining process of applying it in succession to all the most important requirements of Daily Life. Through Physiology, itself based on physical and chemical principles, the pupils would have acquired an insight into the constitution and functions of the human frame, and they would perceive its consequent requirements for development and maintenance, health, and comfort. They would therefore now be able to understand, and follow out consecutively, simple precepts of Hygiene respecting the selection of a site, and the general design of a House, its construction, fittings, and furniture, and the important subjects of Food and Clothing. As they proceed, they would here and there bring into use their physical knowledge, but especially they would find themselves engaged in a succession of interesting yet easy enquiries, which without too much straining their incipient acquaintance with Chemistry, would do much to develop it. The rationale of most of the processes connected with Domestic Economy admits of being briefly expressed in simple terms, but fuller explanations must be deferred for the second Period, together with those Symbols and Equations which so much assist the advanced Student in understanding them, but frighten and disgust the insufficiently qualified beginner.