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question as to the necessit}^ for teaching: children the 

 care and functions of the dilierent organs of the body, 

 so that they may know how to preserve their existence, 

 and their power to do and enjoy, or shall they spend 

 their time instead upon Uterature and arithmeticy What 

 availeth a man if he gain the whole world and lose his 

 own souly 



Shall he learn the chemistry of food and how to 

 augment his strength and power or shall he spend 

 precious hours learning myths and fables? 



In how many ways is he indebted to the science of 

 physics, not only for his bodil}^ health but for his suc- 

 cess and hapi^iness in whatever i)ursuit he enters upon 

 in after life. The origin of the seasons, the phenomena 

 of light, the pressure of the atmosphere, the buoyancy 

 of water, the velocity of ,the wind, the expansive power 

 of steam and crystallization, the effect of heat and cold, 

 the force of gravity, the mechanical principles that 

 underlie the application of power to practical purposes, 

 and a thousand and one things that the child is exDeri- 

 menting with every daj\ should be explained to him in a 

 truly scientific manner. 



The time to teach children these subjects is when 

 they first attract their notice and possess sufficient 

 novelty to secure involuntary attention. 



They should be taught the principles which govern 

 the barometer, thermometer, compass and clock, and all 

 the mechanical contrivances they come in contact with 

 in their daily life. Think of the thousands of so-called 

 educated people, who consult a thermometer a dozen 

 times a day without the slightest knowledge of its 

 philosophy. People have become so accustomed to 

 going through the world with their minds dulled by 

 ignorance that they no longer have interest in their sur- 

 roundings. Children at first show great curiosity about 

 the new world they have entered, but after asking in 

 vain for explanations from their parents and teachers, 



