PAKNHAMJ 



SCHOOL-GARDENS RELATION TO GEOGRAPHY 79 



sorghum, sugar beets, castor beaus, etc., help to realize the de- 

 mands of nature-study? We quote the "special purposes" of 

 nature-study from the Oshkosh State Normal School Bulletin 

 of May, 1906, designated ".Nature-Study Number:" 



First, to provide discipline especially to the perceptive faculties leading to 

 the cultivation of close and accurate observation. Second, to develop the 

 right moral spirit leading to svmpathv, kind treatment, and right feeling 

 toward life, especially animal life. Third, the work should aim to develop 

 the spiritual nature, leading to reverence, trust and belief. Fourth, to culti- 

 vate the aesthetic sense, leading to an appreciation of nature's beauty, 

 including recognition of the beautiful, training in the securing of beautiful 

 effects, and appreciation of the beauty of adaptation to use. Fifth, to arouse 

 love of nature and desire for her acquaintance and companionship. Sixth, 

 the work should help to maintain interest in all school work and aid in the 

 work of other studies, especially language, reading, and drawing. 



It is difficult to see why the cultivation and study of plants 

 that administer to man}- of our physical needs may not "provide 

 discipline for the perceptive faculties," "develop the spiritual 

 nature," "cultivate the aesthetic sense," "arouse love of nature," 

 and "help to maintain interest in all school work and aid in the 

 work of the other studies," at least in as great a degree as is 

 realized from the cultivation and study of plants whose beauty 

 is their only excuse for being? The cereals and grasses have 

 long been subjects for the artist and poet. 



The advocates of nature-study lay stress upon training the 

 feelings. Surely this is good pedagogy, and is not to be lost 

 sight of in teaching any subject in any elementary grade. A 

 present-day educator says, "The emotional spirit of instruction 

 is the factor that counts." And is it not true that the emotional 

 spirit can be aroused and developed by considering nature from 

 the economic side, the human side? Is it not also true that the 

 child should be introduced to nature in its relation to his life, 

 to his needs? We recognize the value of the aims and ends of 

 nature-study and of the nature-study garden. We believe that 

 the selection of material may be in the interests of industrial 

 and commercial geography, and at the same time contribute to 

 the realization of the nature-study aims and ends. We also 

 believe that nature-studv mav be so correlated with industrial 



