44 KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 
has presented. Some teachers acquire great reputation through their skill in 
developing a subject, logically bracketing-out the syllabus, as some one has said, 
‘on arod of blackboard.’’ Then comes the reproduction by the pupil, and, if 
he does not reproduce well, the presentation is thought not to have been clearly 
done; so it is repeated. This method is said to be psychological and scientific; 
nevertheless it induces passivity (a polite term for laziness), a habit of waiting 
to be told what to do, and a wrong attitude toward the work of investigation. 
It is a literary method carried over into science work, with disastrous results. 
The very best presentation of a thing is made by the thing itself. The thing 
must be suitable to the age of the pupils. Experience has shown that when 
pupils are given simple, natural objects in which they have some interest, and 
are permitted to observe, draw, and describe in writing, guided only by a few 
words written upon the blackboard, to show the order of the work, they acquire 
such a habit of application and power of expression as can be developed in no 
other way. They are so pleased with the expression of their own ideas that the 
disposition to appropriate the ideas of others ( to save themselves from thinking), 
or to copy the expressions of others, is entirely counteracted. The most impera- 
tive needs of the children are, (1) opportunities to work by themselves; (2) 
skillful guidance ; and (3) generous encouragement. 
The ‘‘ question-and-answer’’ method is yet a very prevalent one; indeed, it 
appears to be about the only one known for science by a great many teachers, 
judging from its general use. In this method the teacher prepares the outlines 
and questions and determines the probable answers. With a great deal of coach- 
ing, he may succeed finally in getting the pupils to give the desired answer. 
This kind of teaching is very deceptive. A few bright pupils watch the inflec- 
tions of voice, and can soon tell by observing the teacher’s face (instead of obsery- 
ing the natural object) just what the teacher wants them to say, and they say it, 
while the rest of the class wait to hear what the bright pupils have to tell and 
try to remember that. The pupils asa whole do not observe or think; and the 
disposition to make independent investigations is not cultivated. 
If the teacher using the question-and-answer method would take a hint from 
the ludicrous answers frequently given by the pupils, when the objects are beyond 
their ability to comprehend, and if he would ‘‘ right about face’’ and change his 
objects and methods, there might be some value coming out of such methods. 
There is a valuable experience to many a boy in eating a green apple. 
Here are a few sample answers to questions in teaching elementary science : 
1. The trachea is the windpipe going from the mouth to the lungs and rami- 
fying throughout all parts of the body. 
2. A voleano is a mountain that emits fire, smoke, ashes, and burning saliva. 
3. ‘*What is space?’’ ‘I can’t express it,’’ said the boy timidly, ‘‘ but I’ve 
got it in my head.”’ 
4. What is meant by digestion? We mean by digestion that the food is 
moistened, so that it will not stick by the way. Food must be digested in order 
to pass through the stomach. The salivary glands digest it. Glands are muscles 
on each side of your jaw and in the ears. 
5. In a description of the spinal column, the teacher was informed that there 
is a cushion of gristie in between the vertebre that goes into the holes every 
night and comes out every morning; and that is the reason why we are taller in 
the morning than we are night. 
6. Another teacher was informed that some whales produced pearls and others 
ivory. They make ivory out of whalebone, and sometimes oil. 
There is much interest now in elementary science both east and west of us 
