526 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



troduction of science into even elementary schools do so at their 

 proper peril and that of the commonwealth. 



Having discussed briefly the positions which science has held, 

 is holding, and should hold in general education, I shall now 

 consider what I conceive to be the proper way of introducing the 

 child to a knowledge of the material world. In a little book which 

 I published some years ago, called The First Book of Knowl- 

 edge, I drew up a systematic course of object lessons of the kind 

 which I should like to see generally adopted, because I think that, 

 however defective it may be in many respects, it is perhaps the 

 first attempt to direct this kind of education ; and I insist that, on 

 this account, it or its method will have to be considered by educa- 

 tionalists. For, after all, it must be conceded that matter, and the 

 properties of matter, play a not unimportant part in the universe 

 in which we happen — at the present moment at least — to be liv- 

 ing. And so my task will consist mainly in considering the pur- 

 pose and use of such a book. 



In the first place, it should not be a book of reference ; it should 

 not be written and used on the principle of a directory or of a dic- 

 tionary, or even of a manual of household recipes, which we con- 

 sult to-day to find out how to make egg sauce ; and to-morrow, 

 how to remove ink stains from the fingers. 



It must be progressive in order to be educational ; it must deal 

 with familiar stuffs and things in such a fashion, and after such 

 an order, that the understanding of one may help in the under- 

 standing of those afterward to be considered. 



On the table before you is a series of familiar "stuffs and 

 things." The total cost, including the packing box and bottles, 

 may be three or four pounds. This collection was made to illus- 

 trate the book of which I have spoken, and it contains, I believe, 

 all the stuffs and things required in the building of a house and 

 used by its indweller. 



Now let us build the house. The first stuff is concrete. This 

 is made of lime and pebbles or gravel. To make lime, again, lime- 

 stone or chalk is required. And to quicken or burn either, fuel is 

 necessary. I find it therefore convenient to describe the forma- 

 tion of coal, and to defer the description of the formation of wood 

 and the growth of plants, and also of the process of combustion, 

 to a later chapter. 



After coal, the description of the formation of coke, ashes, 

 cinders, and breeze follows at once ; but the complete description 

 of the manufacture of coke is deferred until that of gas is con- 

 sidered. 



The pupil is now prepared to understand the action of fire on 

 limestone — the quenching or slacking of quicklime, and the forma- 

 tion of concrete and mortar. A description of the natural forma- 



