1 64 THE NA TURE-STUD Y RE VIE IV U ■ 5-may, 1908 



study throughout the elementary course, while stepping over the 

 line into an adjoining county we find the whole matter ignored. 



Nature-study is not yet understood by the great majority of 

 even educated people. Two years since one of the leading daily 

 papers in San Francisco ridiculed a bill introduced in the legis- 

 lature which was intended to extend the teaching of nature- 

 study in a more uniform and systematic manner through the 

 State. The bill was defeated. What hinders most the spread of 

 nature-study at the present time is, however, the lack of teachers 

 who appreciate and understand what is wanted. Even in those 

 counties where nature-study is supposed to be taught, compara- 

 tively few teachers attempt to do anything with the subject and 

 fewer still go at it in the right way. 



In past years several cities in the State have employed special 

 teachers of nature-study, but as far as I know there is not a 

 single city which does so at present. 



Instruction in nature-study is given in each of the five normal 

 schools, and this should in time have a marked influence upon the 

 schools. It is found in actual practice, however, that this nor- 

 mal instruction often fails when the test comes. The young 

 teacher knows the theoretical side of nature-study, but is not 

 able to apply it, because of lack of actual contact with nature. 

 We have yet to thoroughly appreciate the fact that it is the same 

 with nature-study as it is with all those science branches which 

 deal with phenomena, and that is, that knowledge which can be 

 applied is gained only by going out into the presence of nature 

 and there taking lessons. 



The emphasis laid upon the teaching of agriculture during the 

 last few years has resulted in the introduction of this phase of 

 nature-study in many schools. The utility of the subject has 

 appealed to many where the common pleas for the teaching of 

 nature-study have failed to awaken any response. At least 17 

 counties in the State recommend the teaching of agriculture in the 

 seventh and eighth grades. This is one step in the direction of a 

 common basis for nature-study teaching; and if gone at in the 

 right spirit must result in great good. I can not help but depre- 

 cate, however, a tendency toward the formal study of agriculture 

 in the elementary school. We should not introduce specialized 

 science at this period. Formal lessons from a text-book, no 

 matter what the science, have no place below the high school. In 



