2 6 THE NA TL 'A'E- S TUD V RE ^JE IV [5 : i - 1 an. , i^og 



From a harmless acquiescence in the work of plants the children 

 became positive factors in their production. The work was to 

 function in doing something. The servant, nature-study, then 

 became free and had from that time an existence of its own. 



It was, and is, no longer a servant of science, but has a dis- 

 tinctive aim of its own. Science aims at knowing, nature-study, 

 at doing. Knowing in science is the end, in nature-study, a 

 means. A botanist studies flowers in order to know them, the 

 children study them in order to grow them — and the most valu- 

 able part of the study is in the growing of them. The scientist 

 studies the lever in order to determine the mathematical relation 

 between power and load; the nature-study pupil studies the 

 lever in order to use it and see it working in the construction of 

 buildings, etc. The scientist studies the electro-magnet in order 

 to understand it, the pupil in nature-study, in order to use it. 

 Science seeks the material cause of material effects, nature-study, 

 the production of these efTects. 



The studied production of material effects necessitates careful 

 investigation, a close adherence to facts, conclusions freely open 

 to revision — all of which come naturally in the production of the 

 effects. For example, a group of children w^sh to grow the best 

 possible specimen of a plant. They will learn in tlie growing of it 

 that the plant requires water — more than that — something of the 

 quantity needed from time to time. They will probably con- 

 clude from their experience that all plants need a like amount of 

 water. This conclusion, while based on experienced facts, may 

 need revision when applied in the growing of some other plants. 

 If so, the revision would be a most valuable one for it brings the 

 children face to face with themselves in a contradiction. Such 

 experiences would help them form the habit of carefully weign- 

 ing facts, of forming conclusirins from all the j'-.cis in hand, of 

 willingly changing conclusions — but only in the light of new facts. 

 This form of thinking, this spirit of investigation is native in both 

 science and nature-study, and is scientific. Therefore, wliile 

 nature-study is not science, it is scientific. 



II. Children should provide material and use it. Nature- 

 study in our schools should furnish children with an ()])portunity 

 and a desire to do, in which doing the children work with material. 

 It is the function of the teacher to see that the o|:)portunity and 

 desire arc funiislu'd. Not only that, but she should see to it that 



