During a sabbatical leave in 1898 McFarlane traveled to Europe and studied under the geomorphologist Albrecht Penck at the University of Vienna. Upon his return two courses on Europe were added to the curriculum: "The Geography of Europe" and; "Detailed Study on the Origin and Distribution of the Physical Features of Europe." In 1901, the Michigan Board of Education awarded McFarlane an honorary Master of Pedagogics degree. Subsequently an honorary Doctor of Pedagogics was awarded from his alma mater New York State Normal College in 1903 (Martin, 1962, p. 5). McFarlane left Ypsilanti in 1901 to assume the principalship of the New York college and Calkins left for Central Michigan State Normal School at Mount Pleasant.

William Morris Davis of Harvard was quite aware that geography was being fostered more strongly at "Normal" schools than at universities in the U.S. It was not until 1903 that the University of Chicago created the first university doctoral granting department of geography in the U.S.. Thus, the "cradle of geographic education" and its diffusion was in Normal institutions. W. M. Davis, not wishing to see geography decline in Michigan, informed Mark Jefferson of the departure of McFarlane from Ypsilanti. With his strong support Jefferson arrived at the "Normal" in 1901 to perpetuate its growing geographical tradition.

Jefferson immediately separated Drawing from Geography and by 1904 increased the number of course offerings to 10 plus summer courses. During the summer of 1904, Isaiah Bowman offered three courses to include "Geographic Excursions" on Wednesday mornings and all day Saturday (MSNC, 1904a, p. 20). The week-end walking field trips pointed out "...the history of the landscape and those geographical processes that commonly pass unnoticed with the object of illustrating the possibilities of out-of-door work with public school classes." (ibid. p. 21). Trips extended beyond Ypsilanti to the Detroit River and to the Great Lakes.

In the Natural Sciences, Sherzer added a geology field experience in the summer of 1906. Trips included the glacial and lacustrine geology between Ypsilanti and Trenton, Michigan, Put-in-Bay, Ohio, Niagara Falls, and Mammoth Cave, Kentucky (MSNC, 1906, p. 165-166). The interest in field studies coincided with significant local events and growing national interest in geography.

In 1901 Charles D. Walcott, Director of the U.S. Geological Survey contracted with Michigan to create and publish a topographic map-series of the State (Michigan Academy of Science, 1901).

The first map to be published of the Lower Peninsula was of the Ann Arbor Quadrangle in 1902 (Martin, 1923, p. 242). Israel C. Russell, Professor of Geology at the University of Michigan, elaborated on the need for a topographic survey on behalf of the Michigan Academy of Science in 1903 (he stated that the maps were to be at a scale of 1:125,000, but they were actually drawn at a scale of 1:62,500) (Russell,1904, p. 149-165).

Russell emphasized the usefulness of topographic maps: "The tens of thousands of boys and girls in the schools of Michigan cannot make a proper beginning in geography until a topographic map of the land surface with which they are individually familiar, is available for their use." (ibid. p. 160). Mark Jefferson, as quoted by 1. C. Russell, noted that "The map of the Ann Arbor Quadrangle is to the students of geography, in the Michigan State Normal College, what the natural history museum is to students of biology (Russell, 1904, p. 163-164). Justification for beginning the topographic survey of Michigan's Lower Peninsula in the Ann ArborYpsilanti area was to train teachers in map reading techniques and to make field trips more meaningful.

In 1904 the new science building was opened (i.e. present day Sherzer Hall). Sherzer introduced a glacial geology course which increased geology offerings to six ( MSNC, 1904b, p 105). At the close of the century awareness of the impact of continental glaciation on the Great Lakes' landscape was profound. G. B. Wright's The Ice Age in North America (1891) and A. Winchell's Walks and Talks in the Geological Field (1890), the latter being suitable for laymen, encouraged an examination of landscapes. In 1923, Sherzer offered a course titled after Winchell's book (MSNC, 1923, p. 59). W. M. Davis' "Geographical Cycle" (1899) simplified and illustrated visible relationships between youthful, mature and old landscapes. Salisbury's Physiography (1907) synthesized thought on the subject to that time. Landscape interest was so popular that Jefferson and Sherzer conducted Saturday field trips for Normal students, Michigan school teachers and interested citizens as well.

In the summers of 1904-05 Sherzer was in charge of the Smithsonian Glacial Expedition to the Canadian Rockies and the Selkirk Range. He prepared and published a monograph on the region (1907). During the summer of 1906 (MSNC, 1906, p. 166-67) he organized a crosscontinental excursion (30 days) for students. Stops included Pike's Peak, Salt Lake, Yellowstone, Seattle, Victoria and the Canadian Rockies - all for a price of $225.00. In Michigan, Sherzer began work on the glaciallacustrine landscape of southeastern Michigan (Wayne, eastern Washtenaw Counties) for the U.S. Geological Survey (Sherzer, 1917). His detailed mapping and research helped site the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, which is still in use (Isbell, 1978, p. 216).