ASTRONOMY IN HIGH-SCHOOLS. 3 o 3 



ances. They are very apt to take the place of the observation of 

 nature, a very pernicious result. Besides, to understand the motions, 

 one must study each separately. The observation of nature must pre- 

 cede the illustration of nature. A light and a ball revolving on its 

 axis sometimes help. The very simplest apparatus is the best. Young 

 folks have a superstition* about complicated apparatus. It begets a 

 vague wonderment which is very far removed from a scientific tem- 

 per. God's own great machinery is undoubtedly the thing to study. 

 But a small telescope would enlarge greatly the field of observation. 

 The pupils could, with its aid, study Jupiter's miniature system, the 

 rings of Saturn, the phases of Venus and Mercury ; and, by the sun- 

 spots, they could detect the revolution of the sun on his axis. Mr. 

 Whitall, of Phillipsburg, New Jersey, gets up a small telescope for 

 fifty dollars which would be of great use. I find the astronomers who 

 wish to do original work have great contempt for a telescope costing 

 less than eight hundred dollars. Mr. Whitall's telescope is probably 

 better than that which discovered Jupiter's moons and Saturn's rings, 

 and, for the sort of teaching I have described, would do a great deal of 

 good. 



I have a good deal of trouble with people who are attracted by the 

 interest of my girls, and who always want to tell them the things they 

 ought to find out for themselves. Bright young fellows from col- 

 lege, who want to show off before the girls, are particularly given 

 to this. But my pupils themselves aid me, for they do not wish to 

 be told. 



It is important to have a good deal of drawing. Fortunately, in 

 the best schools, the importance of this art is now appreciated. The 

 constellations should be drawn from nature and from meniorv, with a 

 statement on each map of the boundaries. When any planet is under 

 study, I always have diagrams drawn showing its various positions in 

 relation to the sun and the earth. 



I do not pretend that this is other than the most elementary work, 

 and I do not myself pretend to be much of an astronomer. 



There is nothing wonderful in teaching as I have described, but it 

 is certainly a great mistake to teach otherwise. It is probable that, in 

 the active centers of thought, others have adopted this plan. It is cer- 

 tainly far from general. I am sure nearly all teachers of girls would 

 find their own knowledge made more accurate by the observation and 

 study it requires. Teachers in boarding-schools, who are with their 

 pupils at night, could accomplish admirable results ; and I should think 

 intelligent parents would be delighted to train their own children. 



