(i2 II.C. I^XTII.MOI.dlill'AI. SoriKTV. 



is n |icst. Also, till' iiriiiciiili' of ("insi' ami eftVct arc easily m-aspcil licrc. lie sees 

 lliat lliiu,t,'s are imt let'l tci cliaiiee. luit tlial lliis universal rule ;;iiverns all actious. 

 Latei- in his school-life he eau ajiply tliis saiue rule in history, jiolities. and personal 

 eoiuluct. Stress generally eau lie put upon the value of any life in nature, his 

 attention rivetert upon tlie lieinousness of destroyini; any ereaturo without a fair 

 Irial, and llie I'.ritisli sense of justice and fair jilay inlrodu'-eil to him for the first 

 time; lie will ilevelop a loye of the lieautiful. the loleration of tlii' useful, even 

 tlioii^ii it is uyly: llie ^eiieial priui-iple llial everything' lias some ]iarticular finiction 

 after all: in fart, this study ojieiis \\\i tile widest helds to the stuilent of nature in 

 the wonderful insects of the world, tlieir lieautiful fitness fiu' tlieir existeni-e and 

 peculi.ir characteristics, and he feels a greater reverence for that Great Intluenee 

 uliich introduced them all. In fact, a foundation is laid for tlie moral standin.g 

 of Ills after-life. 



This suli.ject lends itself well in correlation witli the other suhjects in the 

 class-room. It is tlie life of natnre-stud.v, which otherwise uii,ght be and too often 

 is dry and prosy. In literature, in reading and discussing the lesson, new words 

 are aililed to the vocahular.v; in sjielling and dictation likewise: in geography, in 

 the e-\aiuination of the particular ph.vsical and prevalent conditions ohtaining in the 

 haliitat of special insects, a depth of inforiuation is sounded: and jierhaps it is most 

 advantageotis in the realm of art-work. Here the pupil is introiluceil to the real 

 ami li\ing creature: he sets to work to study its general characteristics; lie portra.vs 

 its likeness to tlie best of his aliility. and he has the satisfaction of knowing that 

 whatever he in-oduces is his own conception of the olg'ect. not his piu-frayal of some 

 other's design or conc-eptiini. Tt is his own work, his ]iersonal reproduction: he has 

 the wonderful knowleilgc that he himself without any aid has ]iroiliiced somethin.g 

 non-existent liefore. He is the originator ;iml he revels in the fact, (iiveii such an 

 impetus, much may he expi'Cti'd from such a source, and disapiiointmenl is seldom 

 attending. 



Let nie state that the teaching of this snhject is meeting with a largess of 

 success. Its practicaliility appeals to the live teadier: he gains .1 greater control 

 over his class than ever liefore through his association with their victories and 

 their disapiiointmeiit and defeats. .\ general eiithusiasni. detenniiiat ion, and per- 

 severance is instilled into jnuiil and teacher alike, which result in tin' iniiirovement 

 of the other suhjects of the ciirri<ulum. It affords a rest, a change from the constant 

 routine of the other work : even outings which the .youngsters relish to look forward 

 to with keen interest are quite in line with the idea of teaching' this suliject: as a 

 matter of fact, are ]ierh;tps the entire stimulus of the work. 



It is not at all within the hounds of this short paiier on a wonderfully extensive 

 topic to outline a course in the snhject. That has already been attempted and suc- 

 cessfully comiileted l.y abler hands th.in mine: sultice it to say that noble work 

 is being done along these lines in our schools of the Province, a work which in time 

 will be crowned with the success it so meritoriously deserves. 



In <-losing. let me thank ,vou for the o|i]iortunity of presenting my iilcas on tli? 

 subject to you, an audience <if practical men. IlKiroughly conversant with tlie tojiic 

 in band; in f.ait, living exiioncuts of its ]inssibilities. We in the schools admire 

 your work, ami fully grasp the signiticance of it. in the world of miture-stud.v. We 

 feel grateful for instruction imparted by various members of the Society during the 

 recent summer schools, deejily appreciating many minor details which have been 

 of untold value in the presentation of the suliject to the cl.-iss. practical hints by 

 experienced men. Had it not been for such advi<r, our work of a necessity would 

 h,-ive been a \eritable drudge instead of the pleasure it became for us. and through 

 us was made for others. 



Mr. I 'liairman, I tli.ink you. 



