sufficiently elastic to meet the needs of
the individual students, who naturally come with preparation that is
quite varied. Almost invariably students who, on account of their
course in high school chemistry, are excused from the general basal
course in college chemistry have been handicapped forever afterward in
their advanced work in the subject.

=Organization of first-year course--General chemistry=

The first year's work in college chemistry consists of general
chemistry. It is basal for all work that is to follow, and yet at the
same time it is a finished course, giving a well-rounded survey of the
subject to all who do not care to pursue it further. This basal course
is commonly given in the freshman year, though sometimes it is
deferred to the sophomore year. Its content is now fairly uniform in
different colleges, the first semester being commonly devoted to
general fundamental considerations and the chemistry of the
non-metals, while the metals receive attention in the second semester,
the elements of qualitative analysis being in some cases taught in
connection with the chemistry of the metals.

The work is almost universally conducted by means of lectures,
laboratory work, and recitations. The lectures have the purpose to
unfold the subject, give general orientation as to the most important
fundamental topics and points of view, and furnish impetus, guidance,
and inspiration for laboratory study and reading. To this end the
lectures should be illustrated by means of carefully chosen and
well-prepared experiments. These serve not only to illustrate typical
chemical processes, and fundamental laws, but they also stimulate
interest and teach the student many valuable points of manipulation,
for it is well-nigh impossible to watch an expert manipulator without
absorbing valuable hints on the building up, arranging, and handling
of apparatus. In the lectures the material should be presented slowly,
carefully, and clearly, so that it may readily be followed by the
student. Facts should always be placed in the foreground, and they
should be made the basis of the generalization we call laws, and then
the latter naturally lead to theoretical conceptions. It is a great
mistake to begin with the atomic theory practically the first day and
try to bolster up that theory with facts later on as concrete cases of
chemical action are studied. On the other hand, it is also quite
unwise to defer the introduction of theore