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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 opportunity will be given for the student to
concentrate his 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 of 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 and their
geological occurrence. 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 Mineralogy, 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 of opinion in relation
to particular questions, may be 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
subdivisions 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 exceptionably 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
These collections are especially useful to students pursuing
graduate courses of study in Geology and Mineralogy.
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