coulter] PRIXCIPLES OF NATURE-STUDY 5/ 



practical method of study with special emphasis on accuracy in 

 observing and reasoning. The third aim (for useful knowledge) 

 looks towards results which are primarily useful for their own 

 sake; but which secondarily and incidentally may come into rela- 

 tion with the study of natural sciences of the higher schools. 

 With differences in materials and advancement of pupils the em- 

 phasis upon the three aims will naturally vary ; but no series of 

 lessons and especially the work of no one year should fail to 

 give fair representations to the kind of teaching suggested by each 

 of the three aims as stated. There is no conflict between these 

 aims. The first depends upon the teacher's attitude towards 

 and interest in natural objects and processes; the second is sim- 

 ply a method of teaching; the third means nothing but selection 

 of useful facts for emphasis. How can such a combination mean 

 a conflict of aims? 



I know that some teachers w T ill answer, as some authors have 

 written, that the formal development of lessons which the very 

 statement of the aims suggests — and especially the second aim 

 (for accurate, critical work) — is opposed to the first aim (for 

 interest in nature) so completely that the " life and interest will 

 be taken out of nature-study " and the pupils will hate the subject 

 as they are commonly supposed to hate all serious work of the 

 school. This, if true, is a serious criticism. Limitations of space 

 will not allow proper defense here ; but I intend to refer to it in a 

 paper on " Informal Nature-Study " in some future issue of this 

 journal and describe some work observed in certain schools in 

 which nature-stud}- is " good fun " and at the same time serious, 

 critical work. 



PRINCIPLES OF NATURE-STUDY 



BY PROFESSOR JOHN M. COULTER 

 The University of Chicago 



[Editorial Note. — This paper was prepared quite independently of the 

 preceding symposium ; but it touches so definitely upon educational values 

 and aims of nature-study that it should be read in connection with the 

 papers which discuss the problems of aims and values.] 



Under the name of nature-study work has been introduced into 

 the schools that is hard to define. It seeks to supply a need that 



