University of Virginia Library

CORCORAN SCHOOL OF NATURAL HISTORY AND GEOLOGY.

Professor Fontaine.

In this School two subjects are taught, Geology and Descriptive Mineralogy.
There are two courses—first, a course embracing the requisites in Geology for
the attainment of the degree of Bachelor of Arts; and second, a course covering
what is required in Mineralogy and Geology for the degree of Master of
Arts.

B. A. COURSE.

Three lectures a week will be given throughout the session. The design of
the course is to enable the student to obtain such a knowledge of the science
of Geology as should be possessed by a well-educated man. As full an exposition
of the fundamental principles will be given as the time will allow.

Text-Books.—Le Conte's Elements of Geology and Dana's New Text-Book of Geology.
The instruction will be in part by lecture.

M. A. COURSE.

This course consists of two divisions, one in Mineralogy, the other in Geology.

Mineralogy.—The course in Mineralogy closes with the examination
which takes place in January. Three lectures a week are given in it. In this
course attention is paid to crystallography, and especially to the physical properties
of minerals. In Descriptive Mineralogy the relations, geological occurrence,
and history of the individual species are made prominent.

Geology.—This division of the course begins after the examination on
Mineralogy in January. Three lectures a week will be given. A knowledge of
the principles taught in the B. A. Course will be assumed. The more general
and complicated problems in all the branches of Geology will be dealt with in
this course. As thorough a treatment as possible will be given of Stratigraphy,
Lithology, and Paleontology. More stress will be laid on the methods of fieldwork
and the application of geological principles. The aim will be to give
such a knowledge of the subject as may be useful to the student in bread-winning
pursuits, or may serve as a basis for the more specialized course required
for the attainment of the degree of Ph. D.

Text-Books.—Le Conte's Elements of Geology; Dana's Manual of Geology (new
edition). For Reference.—Geikie's Text-Book of Geology. The instruction will be in part
by lecture.

PH. D. COURSE.

The Post-Graduate Course in this School is so arranged as to enable
the student to concentrate his efforts in some special line of study. Selections
will be made from one or both of the subjects taught in the School. The work

will be adapted to the wants of the students, and, as far as possible, original
research will be required in the treatment of the branches chosen.

Candidates for the degree of Bachelor of Arts are required to pass in the
B. A. Course, and those for the degree of Master of Arts in the M. A. Course
in Geology and in Mineralogy, in addition to the B. A. Course. For the degree
of Doctor of Philosophy the candidate must, in addition to the requisites
for the degree of Master of Arts, complete the Post-Graduate Course.

The Lewis Brooks Museum contains collections illustrating the main
sub-divisions of Natural History. Each of the collections is arranged so as to
exemplify the principles of the science, and at the same time offers a large variety
of subjects for advanced study. In Geology the specimens show all the
different kinds of rocks, classified according to mineral character and the formations
in which they occur; the collection of fossils, plaster casts, maps, etc., is
exceptionally fine, and fully illustrates Historical Geology. In Mineralogy the
principles of the science are made plain by well-chosen suits of specimens,
models of crystals, etc.; the general collection of minerals contains all the important
minerals, and many of the rarer ones, in good specimens. Zoology is
well illustrated by a fine and large collection of mounted skeletons, stuffed animals,
dried specimens, plaster casts, etc. In Botany the collections contain
charts, papier-maché models of flowers and fruits, sections of wood, etc.; the
bulk of the collection is in the form of an herbarium selected from the most important
and interesting botanical regions of the world. In addition to the
above, a beginning has been made of a collection to illustrate the geology and
mineralogy of the State of Virginia, and this will be increased as rapidly as
possible.

These large and carefully-selected collections of geological and mineralogical
objects afford unsurpassed facilities for the full illustration of the principles
taught. As free access to these collections is allowed the student, he can find
in their study an opportunity, rarely obtained, for gaining a practical acquaintance
with natural objects acquired from various parts of the world, and chosen
for their typical character. These collections are especially useful to students
pursuing Post-Graduate courses of study in Geology and Mineralogy.

The Professor, when the number of applicants is sufficient, organizes a party
of geological exploration. The field-work is done in the month of July, and
is entirely optional with the students. Persons engaged in the study of
Geology and Mineralogy may, although not members of the University class,
with the consent of the Professor, and on paying $25 to the Proctor, join the
exploring party.