I 62 SOCIETY OF NATURALISTS. 



2. The methods which the Society should adopt to give effect 

 to its recommendations. 



I. 



In regard to the first topic, we believe the following proposi- 

 tions fairly formulate the views which are held by the members 

 of the Society, and which the Society should use its influence to 

 diffuse : — 



1. Instruction in Natural Science should commence in the 

 lowest grades of the primary schools, and should continue 

 throughout the curriculum. 



2. In the lower grades, the instruction should be chieflv by 

 means of object-lessons ; and the aim should be to awaken and 

 guide the curiosity of the child in regard to natural phenomena, 

 rather than to present systematized bodies of fact and doctrine. 



3. More systematic instruction in the Natural Sciences should 

 be given in the high schools. 



4. While the Sciences can be more extensively pursued in the 

 English course in the high schools than is practicable in the clas- 

 sical course, it is exceedingly imdesirable that scientific stud}' 

 should be entirely omitted during the four years of the high-school 

 course by students preparing for college. 



5. An elementary (but genuine and practical) acquaintance 

 with some one or more departments of Natural Science should be 

 required for admission to college. 



Believing that the propositions stated above will command 

 general acceptance, we are aware that there must be difference of 

 opinion in regard to details, and that the precise subjects to be 

 introduced into the curriculum must vary somewhat with the cir- 

 cumstances of different localities. We offer the following, not as 

 necessarily the best scheme, but as a reasonable and practical 

 scheme which may at least serve to illustrate the general piin- 

 ciples which we have formulated : — 



In the primary schools and in the lower grades of the grammar 

 schools we would recommend that the study of plants antl animals 

 should be the main part of the scientific work. The botanical in- 

 structions should commence with such simple exercises as chaw- 

 ing and describing different forms of leaves, and should gradually 

 advance to the easier and more conspicuous flowers, and later to 



^\ 



