hoak] : OUTLOOK FOR NATURE-STUDY IN CALIF. 155 



Judging from the enthusiasm which our students are showing 

 for the subject, and the great possibilities of the work when in the 

 hands of well-trained teachers, we predict for California very 

 shortly a new era in its educational progress. 



THE PRESENT NEEDS AND THE OUTLOOK FOR NATURE- 

 STUDY IN CALIFORNIA 



By CHARLOTTE M. HOAK 

 Los Angeles 



The nature-study idea is not new to California, but we are slow 

 in working out our practical demonstrations of its theories. 

 Except for splendid work done here and there bv those bold 

 enough to be pioneers in the field, little has been accomplished 

 toward getting the work firmly rooted in our rural and city 

 schools. Aside from laying out provisional outlines which are 

 still just so much untried, or little tried, material in our courses of 

 study the whole matter is practically at a standstill. At this un- 

 certain stage we need: (1) a true conception of the nature- 

 study idea; (2) a realization of its practical values; (3) a nature- 

 study outline and manual that can be used as a guide for Cali- 

 fornia teachers in the grammar grades in both city and country 

 schools; (4) trained teachers; (5) a familiarity with our own 

 field of work that will give the California nature-study broadness 

 of outlook and originality in the application of nature-study 

 principles. 



It is first necessary that we get our bearings with reference to 

 the nature-study idea. At the present time nature-studv is in- 

 terpreted to mean almost anything from the elementary agri- 

 culture taught in our normal schools to the sentimental effusions 

 given by many of our well-meaning teachers. To those of the 

 biological bent it means anything from simple lessons on plants 

 and animals to elementary biology and practical physiology. 

 To those who revive their recollections of the old "object les- 

 sons," it is informal teaching about natural things. The ad- 

 herents of the physical sciences claim recognition and advocate a 

 free use of the simple phenomena of the inorganic world and pre- 

 sent a wide range of material selected from the fields of geologv, 

 physics, chemistry, astronomy and physical geography. To 

 those who have no special bent, but are truly interested in the 



