The Integument-Man 59 



mistake in statements of small fact. Now, the 

 person who is afraid of making a mistake is the 

 very person to trust, because he will be careful. 

 Of course he will make mistakes — every one 

 does who really accomplishes anything; but the 

 mistakes will be relatively few: he will at once 

 admit the mistakes and correct them when they 

 are discovered, and the pupils will catch his 

 desire for accuracy and admire the sincerity of 

 his purpose. Pity the man who has never made 

 an error! 



The teacher often hesitates to teach nature- 

 study because of lack of technical knowledge of 

 the subject. This is well; but technical knowl- 

 edge of the subject does not make a good 

 teacher. Expert specialists are so likely to go 

 into mere details and to pursue particular sub- 

 jects so far, when teaching beginners, as to miss 

 the leading and emphatic points. They are so 

 cognizant of exceptions to every rule that they 

 qualify their statements until the statements 

 have no spirit and no force. There are other 

 ideals than those of dead accuracy. It is more 

 important that any teacher be a good teacher 



