28 The Nature-Study Idea 



but the beginning of education. "With all thy 

 getting, get understanding." 



Of late years there has been a rapidly grow- 

 ing feeling that we must live closer to nature 

 and make our nature-sentiment vital; and we 

 must of course begin with the child. We at- 

 tempt to teach this nature-love in the schools, 

 and we call the effort nature-study. It would 

 be better if it were called nature-sympathy. 



As yet there are no recognized and regulated 

 methods of teaching nature-study. The subject 

 is not a formal part of the course of study; and 

 thereby it is not perfunctory. And herein lies 

 much of its value — in the fact that it cannot be 

 reduced to a mere system, is not cut and dried, 

 cannot become a part of rigid and formal school 

 method. Its very essence is spirit. It is as 

 free as its subject-matter, as far removed from 

 the museum and the cabinet as the living animal 

 is from the skeleton. 



It thus transpires that there is much con- 

 fusion as to what nature-study is, because of the 

 different attitudes of its various exponents; but 

 these different attitudes are largely the reflec- 



