46 THE NATURE-STUDY IDEA 



In the secondary schools botany should be taught 

 for the purpose of bringing the pupil closer to the 

 world with which he lives, of widening his 

 horizon, of intensifying his hold on life. It should 

 begin with familiar plant forms and phenomena. 

 It should be related to the experiences of the 

 daily life. It should not be taught for the purpose 

 of making the pupil a specialist : that effort should 

 be retained for the few who develop a taste for 

 special knowledge. It is often said that the high 

 school pupil should begin the study of botany 

 with the lowest and simplest forms of life. This 

 is wrong. The microscope is not an introduction 

 to nature. It is said that the physiology of plants 

 can be best understood by beginning with the 

 lower forms. This may be true: but the cus- 

 tomary technical plant physiology is not a subject 

 for the beginner. Other subjects are more impor- 

 tant. The youth is by nature a generalist. He 

 should not be forced to be a specialist. 



Just what kind of plant or animal subjects 

 should be taught must depend ( i ) on the desires 

 and capabilities of the teacher; (2) on the place 

 in which the school is — whether city or country. 

 North or South, prairie or mountain — for it is 

 important that the subject be common and have 

 relation to the lives of the pupils; (3) on the 

 desires of the pupils, particularly if they are to do 

 the collecting ; (4) on the time of the year. 



Whenever possible, let the pupil first come into 

 cognizance of the plant as a whole. It is well to 

 choose one species of plant that is common and 



