DAVIS ] PROGRESS OF NATURE-STUDY IX CALIFORNIA 261 



their support. Probably the most important sessions of the last meet- 

 ing of the State Teachers' Association, the greatest meeting in the 

 Association's history, were the on-s in joint session with the State 

 Farmer's Institute. Already similar sessions are being planned for 

 the next meeting of the Association, and also for the next meeting of 

 the Northern California Teachers' Association. 



It must not be inferred from this that nature-study in California is 

 running entirely into agricultural lines, but rather that certain agri- 

 cultural subjects represent a practical center around which to group 

 much if not most of the nature-study. 



Another line of activity should be mentioned in this connection. 

 I refer to the nature-study conferences held under the auspices of the 

 Department of Education of the University of California. Gathered 

 at these conferences were representative men and women from various 

 parts of the State who were interested in nature-study, and who took 

 part in the discussions. 



The first conference was held at Berkeley, Feb. 13, 1904. The 

 discussion centered around the following questions: 



1 . What common purposes, if any, should appear in nature-study in all schools 

 in which it is pursued? Does the purpose change from grade to grade? 



2. How is nature-study related to other subjects pursued in the same grade? 

 Is it an advantage to have it closely connected with school-gardening or with some, 

 other form of manual training? 



3. Is a central bureau of information needed to distribute literature and carry 

 on correspondence directed to the furthering of nature-study, on agricultural or 

 other industrial lines? How may the teachers of the State be otherwised helped 

 in carrying on such instruction? 



In November of the same year another conference was held. This 

 meeting was devoted to the consideration of (a) agriculture in the 

 public schools, and (b) proposed resolutions "relating to the encourage- 

 ment of such studies through legislative provision for a Central Bureau 

 of Information, for special training-of teachers and supervisors, and 

 and for the appointment of supervisors to act as deputy county super- 

 intendents of schools." 



The latter meeting resulted in the matter being presented to the 

 legislature in the form of a bill embodying essentially the above reso- 

 lution. Although the bill did not become a law, it attracted a great 

 deal of attention throughout the State and the emphasis placed upon 

 nature-study, especially along the lines- of elementary agriculture 

 gave a great stimulus to the subject everywhere. 



