6 THE NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [3 : ,- JAN ., igo7 



ment that there is one fundamental method oi teaching nature-study and 

 that consists in getting the pupil to see and think for himself. Upon 

 this depend two of the three aims above stated, the aim for sym- 

 pathetic acquaintance and the aim for training in thoughtful observ- 

 ing. Books and lectures can not suffice for these, as possibly they 

 might for giving useful information. There will, I think, be found 

 little dissent from the proposition that true nature-study can not be pri- 

 marily book study. Rather should nature-study aim to make the pupil 

 learn to study nature in the absence of books, thus preparing for the 

 usual condition in our e very-day life. 



The fifth principle refers to selection of materials for study. On 

 this I see general agreement for the proposition that we should first 

 of all select the most common and the most interesting from the viewpoint 

 of every-day life. The general application of this principle is re- 

 sponsible for much of the apparent lack of uniformity in courses of 

 nature-study. The geographical distribution of natural things is 

 highly variable and hence the selection of common things for nature- 

 study must vary. However, this is of no great significance, for if 

 nature-study be guided by the principles already discussed the educa- 

 tional result will be the same whether the materials selected be the 

 common ones available in a Maine forest or those in a Dakota wheat 

 field. 



There is one other fundamental principle which is so important 

 that it deserves statement more emphatic than that incidentally 

 suggested in a preceding paragraph. I refer to nature-study for the 

 child as contrasted with nature-study for adult minds. We must 

 recognize the established principles of child-study in all our nature- 

 study for elementary education. To the general recognition of this 

 great principle we owe the comparatively recent decided advance in 

 differentiating between nature-study for elementary schools and 

 science study for higher schools. 



Summarizing, I have pointed out that there is now great agreement 

 on the following fundamental points:- (i)the working definition of 

 nature-study (2) differentiation from science in the strict sense (3) 

 aims of nature-study for elementary education (4) the observational 

 method is fundamental (5) principle governing selection of materials 

 for study (6) dependence of nature-study on child-study. (The order 

 of statement is quite unimportant, for these are principles which must 

 stand or fall together). 



These, I believe, are the established guide-posts which definitely 



