davis] PROGRESS OF NATURE-STUDY IN CALIFORNIA 259 



intentions, its organization does not admit of the prosecution of work 

 of this character. One of the promising things for the future educa- 

 tional interests of California is the contemplated reorganization of 

 the Association which will make such work possible. 



As has already been said, the report just quoted reflects something 

 of the ideal held by those who were leaders in the movement. It is 

 quite certain that at this time the idea of nature-study carried with it 

 very generally the idea of elementary science. The child had not 

 been taken very seriously into consideration. 



The suggestion of a natural-history survey is a good one and 

 deserves a better fate than it then met. If the children and teachers 

 of the public schools could be led to participate in some such work, 

 and if at the same time this work were well organized and directed by 

 those who would keep the child's point of view in mind rather than 

 that of the scientist, such an undertaking ought to succeed. Indeed 

 such a scheme is not without precedent; its practicability has already 

 been demonstrated by the phenological observations conducted in the 

 public schools of Nova Scotia under the direction of the Botanical 

 Club of Canada.- "These observations are especially valuable as 

 furnishing a stimulus for a portion of nature-study work in the public 

 schools of the Province. It is, no doubt, starting many young pupils 

 on the beginning of an observant course which will make them 

 specially useful citizens; while it substitutes an enjoyable occupation 

 for otherwise monotonous hours spent on the road to and from school. 

 The work has also some scientific value, worthy of preservation and 

 compilation of observations." 3 



Progress and Tendencies of Nature-Study in California 

 The progress and general trend of nature-study in the State since 

 1897 is well shown in an examination of the county courses of study 

 recently made by Professor Everett Shepardson." Referi ing t< > the prom- 

 inent movements in California education he says that the manuals, 

 circulars, courses of study, etc.. show what the county boards of 

 education thought should be done and so, in a measure', represent the 



-[A leaflet concerning this work may be obtained from Dr. A. II. MacKay, 

 Superintendent of Education, Halifax, X. S.] 



3 Journal of Education, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Apr. 1905, p. 72. 



* A Comparative Study of the Courses of Study of Forty six Counti- from 

 about 1S96-7 to 1904, by Everett Shepardson. Western Journal of Education, 

 vol. XI, ( 1906) No. 8, pp. 9-17- 



