hoak] outlook for nature-study in CALIF. 161 



gin with the child? It lies within the province of nature-study 

 to place the child in touch with these vital forestry issues. We 

 may profitably learn a lesson from Germany, France and other 

 European countries where the forestry resources are carefully 

 conserved. In Germany especially a large part of the tree pro- 

 pagation is done by the women and children of the forest districts. 

 What splendid work might be done right here in California; it 

 would give profitable and enjoyable employment to many a boy 

 and girl of our forest sections. Not only in the wooded districts 

 mig:ht this work be carried on but many of the waste and barren 

 places might be utilized and made a source of revenue by being 

 planted to hardy and drought-resisting trees. Why not enlist 

 the interest of the children? 



Under the old regime physiology had much to do with the "dry 

 bones" formal side and we have been inclined to cut it more and 

 more from the curriculum of the common schools. Under the 

 inspiration of the nature-study idea new fields have opened up. 

 Instead of a physiological diagnosis of the technicalities of di- 

 gestion, we have now learned it is better to approach the same 

 subject by a series of interesting experiments on foods and food 

 values, correlating the work closely with domestic science. 

 More stress is laid on the simple facts of hygiene taught in such a 

 way as to help the child to meet the emergencies of life and en- 

 able him to become an intelligent citizen. 



Our food supplies, their nature, origin, and purity, put the 

 child in vital touch with some of our great industries. It is not 

 trespassing at all on the field of technicalities to teach the child 

 the truth of the matter concerning our pure food laws. A 

 knowledge of the subtile crimes committed in the name of in- 

 dustry might be used to open up the meaning of good citizen- 

 ship to the child mind. 



Humane education is at present receiving much attention in 

 California. A committee of the Faculty of the State Normal at 

 San Diego have issued a bulletin on this subject. Its purpose is 

 to aid the teachers in the elementary schools in carrying out the 

 provisions of a recent amendment to Section 1665 of the Political 

 Code of California prescribing instruction in humane education. 

 This provisional outline throws itself in line with the general 

 trend of nature-study. The same work could be accomplished by 

 nature-study which recognizes that the child is cruel and thought- 



