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PH. D.
The course in this school is intended to give the student
as large a stock of useful information as possible, to teach
him methods of investigation, and to train him in habits of
observation. Original research will be insisted on, and
efforts in some line of special study.
Topics for study will be taken from both of the subjects
taught in this school. The abundant material in the
Lewis Brooks Museum, mentioned below, gives unusual
facilities for the pursuit of graduate work.
Descriptive Mineralogy.—The course in Mineralogy is
so selected as to give the student a good knowledge of as wide
a range of the principles as possible, and at the same time
to cause him to acquire a practical knowledge of the various
mineral species. In the practical study, the more common
minerals, and those of more importance from an economic
and geologic point of view, will have preference. A practical
knowledge of the crystal forms and of the characteristic
groupings and massive forms of minerals, will be
required. Special attention will be paid to the relations
of minerals, their association in nature, their geological
occurrence in history. The student will be trained to
determine minerals, as far as possible, by their obvious
characteristics, without the help of tests, and practical
examinations will be held, from time to time, to test his
skill. One or more theses will be required.
Dana's Text-Book of Geology, and Weisbach's Mineral Tables will
be used, and topics from various authors will be assigned for study in special
cases.
Geology.—In Geology the aim will be to fit the student
for independent and original research. He will study as
thoroughly as possible the broader problems of the science,
involving the knowledge of stratigraphical principles.
Special attention will be given to imparting a practical
knowledge of the various rocks, and of the animal and
plant fossils of the different eras, with the view of using
them in determining unknown formations. Stress will be
laid upon field work, and the methods of determining and
describing the geology of new regions. To impart such
knowledge, the student will be required to work up some
particular region or formation, and report his results.
Topics involving a knowledge of the literature and growth
assigned to form the subjects of theses.
Dana's Manual of Geology, and Geikie's Text-Book of Geology, will
be used as text-books, and selected books of other authors will be used when
necessary.
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.
Zoölogy 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 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.
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