NATURAL OR SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN EDUCATION, n 



Why are we then, after all those ages, still at work on the 

 problem ? Why have we made so many blunders as the history 

 of educational methods shows ? Are we in any more hopeful 

 position to solve the question to-day than ever before ? Without 

 in any way underestimating the efforts of the past, or being over- 

 sanguine as to a complete and speedy realization of perfection in 

 education, I venture to think that we are now at last, if not 

 actually on the right road, at least getting closer to it. We have 

 begun to apply the inductive or scientific method to education 

 because we apply it to ourselves. Modern physiology and psy- 

 chology are, I venture to think, destined to revolutionize our edu- 



Fig. 1. — Odter Surface of Cerebrum (after Exner). The shaded portion represents the 

 motor area in man and the monkey — i.e., the area which most observers believe to be 

 associated with certain voluntary movements of the limbs, etc. 



cational methods. Certainly, until we study closely the physical 

 organization, and especially the brain of man, we are far from 

 scientific theory and practice in education, because without this a 

 true psychology is impossible. In other words, educating the 

 mind wisely depends on understanding its nature. This can only 

 be accomplished by a study of our physical organization also, 

 especially of that organ through which the mind expresses itself. 

 So far as we know, brain processes and mind processes are always 

 correlated. Cut off the blood-supply from the brain and the sub- 

 ject becomes unconscious, because thereby the subtle molecular 

 processes or movements that we term functioning suffer to such 



