io88 



The Cornell Reading-Courses 



which bird sings it. And the patter of the rain, the gurgle of the brook, 

 the sighing of the wind in the pine, he notes and loves and becomes 

 enriched thereby. 



" But, more than all, nature-study gives the child a sense of companion- 

 ship with life out of doors and an abiding love of nature. Let this latter 

 be the teacher's criterion for judging his or her work. If nature-study 

 as taught does not make the child love nature and the out-of-doors, then 

 it should cease. Let us not inflict permanent injury on the child by tiini- 



FlG. 34. — A winter ajternoon at the farm fireside. 



was taken 



It wi s snowing when this picture 



ing him away from nature instead of toward it. However, if the love 

 of nature is in the teacher's heart, there is no danger; such a teacher, no 

 matter by what method, takes the child gently by the hand and walks 

 with him in paths that lead to the seeing and comprehending of what 

 he may find beneath his feet or above his head. And these paths whether 

 they lead among the lowliest plants, or whether to the stars, finally con- 

 verge and bring the wanderer to that serene peace and hopeful faith that 

 is the siire inheritance of all those who realize fully that they are working 

 units of this wonderful universe." 



