The Value of Physical Science in the Work of Education: an Address Delivered July 25Th, 1865, Upon Laying the Cornerstone of the Jenks Chemical Hall at Lafayette College

The Value Of Physical Science In The Work Of Education: An Address Delivered July 25Th, 1865, Upon Laying The Cornerstone Of The Jenks Chemical Hall At Lafayette College by William Henry Green. This address argues for the integration of physical science within a liberal education, contending that scientific training strengthens the mind, fosters disciplined thinking, and aligns intellectual development with religious and moral aims. Green emphasizes that science should not merely accumulate facts but cultivate the faculties of information, classification, and judgment, illustrating with examples from chemistry and physics how abstract principles become meaningful through systematic investigation. He advocates for robust university facilities—laboratories, cabinets, observatories, libraries—and large endowments to sustain scientific instruction. The talk links natural science to the formation of character, the advancement of national education, and the harmonization of science with Christian faith, urging a comprehensive program that prepares graduates to contribute thoughtfully to society and civilization.