576 IOWA DEPARTxMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



words. For instance, a teacher may hear a recitation in physiology and 

 talk about joints, but during the whole course may not study one real 

 joint, when almost any day several specimens of joints in bones might be 

 brought from the homes of the pupils — no seeing, no thinking. 



.The things we study about are all around us if we were only taught 

 to look for them. This is especially true in the rural districts. Then 

 why not see them? Perhaps some one will say our common schools 

 should stick to the three R's. Granted, but when we read we read of 

 these things about us. Then why not see them so that we may under- 

 stand the words we read? When we write or talk we can write or talk 

 of some of the things we see. When we count we may count things we 

 see and thus have our number work directly in touch with our life. Such 

 teaching would mean the elements of agriculture, or nature study, or any 

 other name you wish to apply to the things seen, used as a part of the 

 three R's — it would put life into the three R's. Then if the boy becomes a 

 doctor or a farmer he has formed the habit of seeing things — his founda- 

 tion is well started. 



We have some excellent teaching in this direction now, and in the 

 near future we will have more of it, not because a state law requires it, 

 but because the progress of the pupil demands it. Teaching done simply 

 to satisfy a law is usually done along the line of least resistance and is 

 bookish. The trained teacher who is conscientious will do things better 

 than the law demands. The numiber of such trained teachers is slowly 

 increasing and would more rapidly increase if their pay was commensu- 

 rate with the progress and prices in other lines of work. 



So'me reading lessons, some language lessons and some arithmetic les- 

 sons often are lessons about seeds and their germinations; some about 

 soil and water; some about rain and snow; some about animals and 

 plants; and some about birds and butterflies. Such lessons properly con- 

 ducted are parts of a foundation good for the future in any walk of life. 

 Call it nature s-tudy if you like, but it is nature study from the stand- 

 point of the boy and not from the standpoint of the scientist. AVould 

 not such work be of great benefit and be the proper foundation for the 

 boy who is the fai-mer to be? 



But all our thoughts savor of money getting. What is the education 

 that will help us to make more money seems to be the ruling idea. Is 

 there nothing in addition to the dollar that is worth while? Few of us 

 are scientists and do not see things with the scientist's eye, but do we 

 see anything of value in what we look at except as we see dollars growing 

 on it or out of it? Do we see anything of value or worth in a beau- 

 tiful sunset or in a bunch of violets by the roadside? Perhaps a field 

 of corn means more to us. Why. Can the farmer see more in a row 

 of corn than the money it will bring? Does he see more? Should he see 

 mo re ? 



In the earlier days farm life gave considerable training of the hand, 

 but at present the machine deprives the boy's hand of its proper train- 

 ing. The schools must help the boy out in this, and they are so doing, 

 by what we please to term manual training. With a training of the eye 

 and hand in a common sense way to help express thought, the farmer 



