Charles Bessey, Letters, 1880

Quoted by permission of the Bancroft Library University of California, Berkeley

BIOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT. Professors: C. E. Bessey, M. Sc., Ph. D. Botany. F. E. L. Beal, B. Sc., Zoology. M. Stalker, B. Sc., V. S., Anatomy. D. S. Fairchild, M. D. Pathology. Assistant: H. Hosborn, B. Sc., Entomology

[?]

Iowa Agricultural College.

Ames, Aug 7th 1880

Professor E. W. Hilgard. Univ. of California My Dear Sir,

[?] a [?] you will review a copy of my new book on Botany which I beg of you to accept with my compliments.

I shall be glad to review suggestions and criticisms [about?] it after you have examined it.

Very truly Yours C. E. Bessey.

University of California,

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE

Berkeley, NOV. 27, 1880.

PROF. C. E. BESSEY, IOWA AGR. COLLEGE.

MY DEAR SIR,

IF I HAVE BEEN REMISS IN ACKNOWLEDGING THE RECEIPT OF YOUR VALUABLE VOLUME ON BOTANY, YOU MUST ATTRIBUTE IT TO MY UNWILLINGNESS TO RESPOND IN MERELY GENERAL TERMS. IN VIEW OF THE "FUNDAMENTAL CONTRADICTION" AS SOUTHERN PRESBYTERIANS SAY: BETWEEN YOUR METHOD OF PRESENTING IN TAKING A STAND ON THE QUESTION WITHOUT MATURE DELIBERATION. YOUR BOOK IS CERTAINLY A MOST WELCOME, AND MUCH NEEDED, GUIDE TO TEACHERS OF BOTANY, WHO ARE UNDER THE MORAL OBLIGATION TO KNOW MORE ON ALL SUBJECTS TAN THEY EXPECT TO TEACH, AND WHO THUS FAR HAD TO GO FOR SUCH INFORMATION TO COSTLY BOOKS PUBLISHED IN EUROPE, AND SO FAR AS THE MOST DESIRABLE AND CONCERNED IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES. IT IS EQUALLY VALUABLE FOR THE USE OF THE ADVANCED STUDENT, WHO WANTS TO KNOW MORE OF PLANTS TAN THEIR NAMES AND MORPHOLOGY OR RATHER, ORGANOGRAPHY. I WISH THERE WERE MORE SUCH. YET WHEN I REFLECT UPON THE NUMBER OF THOSE IN MY CLASSES WHO WOULD HAVE HAD TIME OR DISPOSITION, IN THEIR HASTY RUSH FOR "AN EDUCATION", TO MASTER YOUR BOOK, I FIND THEM FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. I HAVE FAITHFULLY TRIED TO KEEP THE CLASSES INTERESTED IN THE DETAILS OF THE VEGETABLE ANATOMY, AND OF MICROSCOPIC LIFE; BUT I HAVE FOUND MYSELF, YEAR AFTER YEAR, DROPPING MORE AND MORE INTO THE VIEW OF GRAY AS EXPRESSED IN THE LAST EDITION OF THE TEXT BOOK, THAT IT IS FIRST OF ALL NECESSARY TO CREATE THE PROPER INTEREST BY EXPLAINING TO THE STUDENT WHAT HE CAN SEE, BEFORE YOU CAN SUCCESSFULLY TALK TO HIM ABOUT WHAT HE CANNOT SEE, AND MUST TAKE ON TRUST; OR REASON OUT BY A PROCESS OF LOGIC APPLIED TO FACTS, WHICH OUR PRIMARY EDUCATION LEAVES UTTERLY UNDEVELOPED EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF THE KINDERGARTEN SCHOOLS. I CANNOT BRING MYSELF TO LEAVE OUT THE SUBJECT OF MINUTE STRUCTURE ALTOGETHER, AND THINK THAT

GRAY HAS UNQUESTIONABLY GONE TOO FAR IN THIS RESPECT, IN HIS LAST EDITION. BUT WHILE ADMITTING THAT SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS ON THE PART OF THE TEACHER MAY ENABLE HIM TO CARRY A PAIR OF AVERAGE COLLEGE CLASS THROUGH YOUR COURSE, I CANNOT BUT FEEL THAT THE MATERIAL I HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH IN MY PAST EXPERIENCE, WOULD BE BUT LITTLE IMPRESSED WITH THE SUBJECT DURING THE TIME ORDINARILY GIVEN, DESPITE MY BEST EFFORTS.

I SPEAK TO YOU CANDIDLY, AS TO A FELLOW-TEACHER, AND AS ONE WHO BY LONG EXPERIENCE HAS HAD TO LEARN TO TONE DOWN HIS ASPIRATIONS TO WHAT HE WISHED TO DO AND CONSIDERED THE PROPER METHODS AND OBJECTS; IN VIEW OF THE VERY IMPERFECT PREPARATION, AND THE SENSELESS HASTE, THAT FORM THE BESETTING SIGNS OF OUR AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

I HAVE STRENUOUSLY RECOMMENDED YOUR BOOK TO ALL THOSE IN MY CLASS WHO MAY DESIRE TO OBTAIN A MORE INTIMATE ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE SCIENCE, AND WILL BRING IT TO THE ESPECIAL NOTICE OF TEACHERS AT OUR NEXT EDUCATIONAL MEETINGS.

I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU JUST HOW YOU MANAGE YOUR COURSE BASED UPON THE BOOK, AS TO MODES OF DEMONSTRATION [C.]? - WHETHER YOU USE IT WITH LARGE COLLEGE CLASSES, OR ONLY WITH SPECIAL STUDENTS, AND IF THE FORMER, WHAT KIND OF PREVIOUS PREPARATION THEY HAVE HAD.

THANKING YOU AGAIN FOR THE BOOK, BOTH PERSONALLY AND FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE PUBLIC

SINCERELY YOURS

[Eng.]? [W.]? [Hilgarg]?

12 EAST 234 STREET. MADISON SQUARE.

NEW YORK.

Jan 8/80

My dear Sir:

If I know anything about books, through my own experience and that of other publishers, experts can't write books on their specialties for unformed or untrained readers. Psychological laws would tend to indicate

the probabilities of it and experience [?] it so thoroughly that if [?] psychological laws dont point toward it, they need revision.

I had no idea that a bookmaker's work with the [larger]? books would be confined to [?]. Re-arrangement seemed to be about a matter of course.

Of the authors of books published, Prof [?] objects to my [?] because he has [?] contemplated making a