morlevI RENEWAL OF LIFE IN NATURE-STUDY 217 



with at all, the youth being allowed to gather his knowledge and 

 shape his ideal of the conduct of life from chance and generally 

 harmful teachings. There is another idea slowly gathering force 

 today. In many homes the parents conscientiously fulfil the 

 duty of instructing the child as to the nature and control of these 

 powers. But this is not enough. All homes do not give this 

 instruction. Moreover, the need for general respect and change 

 of idea and ideal with regard to it is becoming more and more 

 apparent, the need that the current of thought which finally 

 becomes the overwhelming force in social life shall set towards 

 pure thinking and speaking and living in this matter. 



This current of thought must be strengthened in as many 

 directions as possible, and since there is great value in its being 

 started in the mind of the child, to grow with his growth, to sink 

 into his sub-conscious mind, to work automatically as it were, 

 there is opportunity for the school to do a very important work in 

 getting the subject accepted, as it has already done in the study 

 of general physiology and in other directions. It is a task that 

 must undoubtedly fall upon the school in the future, the only 

 question being how and where to begin so as to accomplish the 

 most good and make the fewest mistakes. 



One important step is to give the young mind a worthy con- 

 ception of the facts of the reproductive life ; to make it feel as well 

 as know that the creative power is the most wonderful as it is in 

 the abstract the most beautiful fact in nature, to be thought of 

 and at all times spoken of with respect ; to fasten in the child such 

 a sense of the dignity and beauty as well as the value of the 

 "mystery of life" as will influence his attitude to the subject later 

 when to this teaching may and should be added the new word of 

 science, as it has always been the word of the philosopher and of 

 the moralist, that man is superior to his physical cravings; that 

 he not only can but must for his own moral, mental and 

 physical best-being, exercise dominion over his appetites. At 

 least the seed of this conception of duty can be sown in child- 

 hood, and to an extent in the schools. 



The advent of nature-study has suddenly opened a door to this 

 important work, the approach to which has hitherto seemed so 

 difficult, enabling the teacher easily to be a hitherto unattempted 

 work for society. The teacher should have a clear idea of the 

 end to be accomplished, and then seek the means best suited to 



