THE NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [i, i, jan. 1905 



BY HAROLD W. FAIRBANKS. PH.D. 

 Berkeley, Cal. 



In attempting to frame a definition of nature-study I may be 

 undertaking something which cannot be accomplished to the satis- 

 faction of every one, and yet all will agree, I think, that the sub- 

 ject must be more sharply and clearly stated if we would have it 

 productive of the most good in our schools. One has only to 

 look over the literature of nature-study to see how varied are the 

 standpoints of different teachers with reference to the subject. 



Some teachers hold that the chief object of nature-study or 

 science, for they use the terms interchangeably, is the acquisition 

 of facts, and consequently fill the course of study with a mass of 

 materials which are to be studied in a scientific manner. Other 

 teachers hold that the subject is valuable chiefly for its training 

 of the mind and senses, and for its power to arouse an interest 

 in and love for the world about us. With the first class the sub- 

 ject-matter and its manner of presentation are all important, with 

 the second class the subject-matter is considered immaterial as 

 long as the desired training of the senses is brought about. The 

 extremes of these two schools are far apart, and represent radi- 

 cally different standpoints, but there are many intermediate views 

 held. 



The term nature-study, it seems to me, may be appropriately 

 used for all that direct observation and study of natural phe- 

 nomena which belongs within the province of the elementary 

 school. Nature-study has to do with the raw materials of science, 

 but it is not science as that term should be used. It is not even 

 elementary science, if by science we mean the coordinating, ar- 

 ranging, and systematizing of the facts of nature. Facts will be 

 acquired but that is not the main object. 



Nature-study differs from the older system of " object teach- 

 ing " in dealing more directly with phenomena in their natural re- 

 lations, less with isolated " objects." Nature-study is less formal 

 and the cultivation of language and expression is incidental. 

 There must be some system in any properly arranged course of 

 nature-study, but not an inflexible one. The teacher should be 

 permitted to emphasize those aspects of nature with which he is 

 most familiar, and the work should be further determined by the 

 physical environment of the school. 



