Excerpt from Ophthalmic Literature, Vol. 4: May, 1914When Dr. James L. Thompson became the office assistant of Dr. Elkanah Williams in 1869 he entered upon the study of ophthalmology under educational conditions that must still be considered in many respects most desirable. The ideal of a university Mark Hopkins on one end of a log, the student on the other, was even improved on. For With the private patient for Whom there was every incentive to do their best, and the office fittings and instruments of Dr. Williams' office, there were all the clinical material and equipment that the best educational organization could utilize.In its ultimate analysis the best educational organization has always been the individual teacher meeting directly the inquiries and needs of the individual student. The only reason that any other plan has found favor is because this plan made excessive drains upon the teacher's time. It was more economical and cheaper to teach students in large classes.For things that can be taught as well, or almost as well, in large classes, there will be no return to individual teaching. But some things never can be taught so well to classes. Much clinical material Will never be available for the instruction of more than the single assistant, and if clinical teaching can be given as a by-product of private practice it may there be carried on as cheaply as in the largest and most thoroughly organized medical school. And clinical study of cases forms the most important means to be utilized in preparation for ophthalmic practice.The single student in continuous immediate contact With his instructor furnishes the ideal educational relation, because the student can have the question promptly answered When it arises in his mind, or can at once be put upon the line of thought and study Which Will enable him to answer it for himself. This is of great advantage, too, in connection With his reading.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully, any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.