132 The Ottawa Naturalist. [October 



phases of its being, if that teacher himself cannot use the materials 

 of its knowledge ? 



That this Nature-Study course was a success, was the verdict 

 of the whole class. Although it ran into the holidays of the student, 

 who usually places a high value on his holidays, yet every member 

 of the class considered that the time had been well spent, and that 

 they had got a glimpse into nature that will ever remain as a 

 refreshing picture. Most of the students were the product ot our 

 Public and High school system, and had to a certain extent lost 

 their independence. They had been spoon-fed too much, and were 

 practically unable to investigate and verify facts for themselves. 

 This Nature-Study course delivered them from this bondage ; it 

 made them investigators and have opinions of their own. To the 

 writer the work seems of great value, not onh' for the information 

 the students obtained at first hand, but for the attitude which it 

 developed and the point of view obtained. The writer was not 

 teaching botany, entomology, and geology ; he was teaching plants, 

 insects and fields. 



The Nature-Study course will be given again next spring ; 

 and, if it proves satisfactory, will become a permanent feature of 

 the Third Year. 



As advocates of Nature-Study we all have one common 

 object in view. Human as we are, our methods will be as varied 

 as our minds, and methods are not the be-all and the end-all of 

 education. With some ot us, our methods may lead some author- 

 ities to believe that we are furnishing information chiefly ; with 

 others, methods may be over-done, toj much attention being 

 given to the cultivation of the Nature-Study attiiiide, and too little 

 to the useful side. There is a happy medium, but only the very 

 best teachers can hope to attain to that stage of perfection. It is 

 clear, nevertheless, that, whatever mistakes may be made at the 

 outset as to methods in the introduction of Nature-S udy, "the 

 essence of it," in the words of Bailey, " can never pass away, 

 because it is fundamental to the best living." 



