1 5 8 THE NA TURE-STUD Y RE VIE IV U- s-m ay, .908 



that a nature-study outline and manual adapted to this particular 

 locality would be a great help. It must be a simple, compre- 

 hensive, flexible, non-technical text that may be used as a guide 

 for the grade teachers in both city and country schools. It 

 should present a suggestive outline of work in nature-study com- 

 mencing with the lower grades and blending logically into the 

 science work of the high schools in the upper grades. Aside from 

 the outline, it should contain several sets of suggestive and 

 simple lessons and experiments that have already been tested 

 and will help the busy teachers to make the best of our available 

 material in the best way. Lastly a helpful bibliography con- 

 taining a list of the best books that have been written both on 

 theory and in demonstration of successful practice might be 

 appended. 



One of our greatest needs is trained teachers. It matters little 

 whether they be trained in the colleges or in the school of practical 

 experience, if they are only able to meet and overcome the many 

 obstacles that stand in the way of doing the proper kind of work. 

 We have already begun to make a provision for this great lack by 

 incorporating in our normal training schools for teachers courses 

 in elementary agriculture. The task undertaken by the teachers 

 of this subject is an arduous one due both to lack of genuine 

 sympathy and lack of proper equipment for laboratory and field 

 work. Few have courage to stick by the problem until they ar- 

 rive at its ultimate solution. Our State University through its 

 agricultural department has fostered this phase of the work and 

 under able and efficient leadership has fought a good fight for its 

 cause. It is now equipped with a splendid experimental farm, 

 and we hope that this great open-air laboratory will prove a train- 

 ing school for teachers as well as for successful farmers. 



To nature-study we look for efficient aid in the solution of 

 many of our perplexing problems. A proper understanding and 

 a practical application of its underlying principles will have a 

 sane and wholesome influence on the school, the home, and the 

 community at large. The rural school problem, the use of the 

 school-garden, our forestry and irrigation questions, our relation 

 to important matters of home, municipal and national hygiene, 

 the nature, source and purity of our food supplies, the much dis- 

 cussed question of humane education, our attitude toward home 

 industries — these open up a wide and interesting field wherein we 

 can already see the promise of doing effective work. 



