48 The Ottawa Naturalist. [May 



industry to the end that closer observation may be obtained in an 

 increasing important method of building, which is one of the fea- 

 tures of modern life. The report would make a valuable addition 

 to any school library. Senior scholars, especially, would be in- 

 terested in its accounts of the mineral and agricultural possibilities 

 of New Ontario; they would also learn of the care taken by our 

 Governments to furnish accurate information concerning our 

 resources. Supplementing this, some of the classes might be 

 directed to write, under the name of an appointed secretary, on 

 some industrial or scientific matter that has been unanswered in 

 class and which the authorities at Ottawa or Toronto are, as a 

 rule, able and pleased to help in solving. 



There are several brands of cement made in Canada as the 

 Star," "Hetcules," " Saugeen," "Imperial," "Monarch," 

 "National," "Giant," "Samson," "Raven," "Sun." The 

 children might be led to observe what brands were Deing used 

 in their district, and to enquire as to their origin. A cement 

 map of Ontario, or indeed, one showing the cement structures of 

 the locality might be made. And here it might be said the same 

 line of observation and recording might be practiced in regard to 

 agriculture, implements, waggons, buggies, wind-mills, sewing 

 machines, bricks, shingles, graniteware, clocks, tools, etc. 



This article has not been written for information, but as sug- 

 gestive treatment of this or similar industries and employment of 

 men. Many exercises will suggest themselves to one awakened 

 to the "new teaching" that finds exercise for training children's 

 powers of observation, for awakening wholesome sympathies and 

 interest, for inciting to useful manual operations in the common 

 things lying about us. Here are a few: measuring a waggon box 

 to find capacity ; by weighing a cubic foot of gravel, estimate 

 weight of load ; consider how cities issue debentures for new 

 sidewalks and how property owners pay for them ; incorporating 

 into their arithmetics questions which were real arithmetic ques- 

 tions because actually ivorked o\x\. by themselves ; drawing a map 

 and estimating the cost of any sidewalk, fence, drain or road in 

 which the individual child or the school has an actual interest ; 

 drawing the tools used in the operation ; getting figures from 

 practical men regarding the area of walk that one barrel will make 

 and making up arithmetic problems for. class work ; setting a mud 

 foot-scraper in a cement block for school use ; making a drinking 

 trough for the birds. Indeed, the trouble to the teacher is in the 

 great number of exercises and interests that arise and claim atten- 

 tion rather than in their fewness. It is in the proper selection of 

 studies, that the Nature Study teacher shows her skill, no less than 

 in her methods of presenting them. 



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