224 Tin: AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 



laws, for it is j)ait of the j,a'nius of the institution to croatc new knowlcdf^'c 

 as woll as to spread it. This gradual elucidation of tiic deep and difficult 

 is to my nu'nd one of the most marvelous features in tlie fi;ro\vth of science. 

 Some great law is first in the will of the Creator, then, like the light of a 

 star so distant tliat it takes ages to reach the earth, it reaciies tlie mind 

 of .some great naturalist, and finally it comes down, down, df)wn to the 

 vision of the very yoimgest. And the hest way to learn one; of these laws 

 is to see it in operation; this is far better tiian to read ahoiit it, for what 

 is seen l)ecomes part of oneself. 



In the development of our halls there is a constant clFort to shut out the 

 huiiiaii artificial element, to bring the visitor directly under tiic spell of 

 Nature, as under a great and infinitely gifted teaciier, by making e\-ery case, 

 every exhibit, tell some clear and simple story which appeals at once to the 

 imagination, to the reasoning instinct and to the heart. 



There are three especial ends we are endea\-oring to ad\-ance this year: 

 first, to bring within your grasp the scope of the Museum as a whole; second, 

 the particular meaning and lesson of each of its parts; third, how this mean- 

 ing may best be impressed on the young mind. I believe strongly that the 

 a\erage child is a better nature observer than the average adult, and if you 

 let children alone they will see a great deal. Thus there are one oi- two 

 suggestions which I would make from more than thirty years of experience 

 as a teacher: first, look at the object and get all you can out of it yourself, 

 then read about it; second, try to make the child work out the reason of 

 things before you work it out for him. In brief, nearly all the works and 

 j)roc-esses of man are complex, and one great lesson we have to learn from 

 Nature is its simplicity. Here are to be seen simple lessons in animal and 

 plant architecture, in beauty, in government, in co/iperation, in endurance. 

 Among the insects, the ants, bees and wasps lead wonderful lives, not alone 

 in their industry; we may consider all their ways and be wise. The moral 

 lessons, much needed for our day and generation, to be learned in the Habitat 

 (iroups of Birds are endless — the maternal and paternal love, the happy 

 family life of the young, the joy of living, the beauty of their homes. Many 

 of the so-called savages shown in this Museum can teach us far more than 

 the so-called civilized peoples — their industry, their patience, their sense of 

 beauty which adds the {esthetic touch to all their implements, often their 

 integrity, their courage, their fidelity. 



Nature study in the school and in the open already has hosts of friends; 

 it is no longer on trial, it is an established system. Nature study in the 

 museum is a newer part of the same educational movement. The great 

 museum can, however, do w-hat neither school, college, nor even the uni- 

 versity can; it can bring a vision of the whole world of nature, a vision w^hich 



