42 THE NA TU RE- STUD Y RE VIE W [a . 2 _ FHBEUARV , , 9o6 



is related to every other and when the children study about woods they 

 are studying both subjects, but we never pay any attention to that." 



It is, however, interesting to note the wonderful changes which 

 have come in both of these subjects within just a few years. If we 

 trace these through very briefly it will, I think, help us to see the 

 bearing of these changes upon our subject and how. gradually the 

 relationship has become more and more apparent. 



Let us first note the more or less distinct stages through which each 

 of these subjects has passed in the lower grades of our public schools. 

 A brief statement of the different stages in the development of the 

 study of nature in the grades may take the following forms : 



i. Book work — small botanies cut down from the larger ones such as 

 the teacher or superintendent had studied in college. Illustration : 

 Wood's Botany Readers. 



2 . Reading lessons from nature-study. Readers describing interest- 

 ing phenomena not in the environment of the pupils. Illustration : 

 Wright's Natural History Readers. 



3. The study of lower forms of life taken up in the order of their 

 development as a basis for future classification. 



4. The study of plants (taken to school by the teacher) by dissec- 

 tion, drawing and description. 



5. The collection of minerals, plants and animals. 



6. Studying plants and animals in their native habitation, field 

 excursions. 



7. School-gardens, poultry raising, care of pets. 



Is it not interesting to see how each step in the gradual develop- 

 ment of this subject has called for more and more of purposive phys- 

 ical activity which is coming to be known as manual training? 



Let us now glance at the progressive stages in the development of 

 manual training, taking wood work as a type of manual training. 

 Some stages in the development of this side of manual training may 

 be stated as follows : 



1. Wood work — making of a set of models arranged to present 

 progressively more difficult and complex problems in construction. 

 Illustration : Russian System. 



2. Models less abstract — some of them being articles which might 

 be taken home for use. Illustration : Sloyd system. 



3. A choice being given any useful models with opportunity for 

 original designs. Illustration : Modified Sloyd. 



4. Models as such replaced by real things of which there has 



