Inquiries and Answers 189 



ment. Make the most of common and simple- 

 subjects, and leave the extensive outfits to 

 teachers of science. Two pieces of apj^aratus 

 that you ought to have are an a(jiiarium for 

 things that live in water and a terrarium for 

 those that live on land. These become "scenes 



of life" and supplement the outdoors. (Sec 

 p. 229). 



Is it ''tlwrougir? 



"I do not believe in your nature-study move- 

 ment," a high-school teacher said, "for it does 

 not lead to thoroughness in school work." 

 I asked her to explain what she meant by 

 thoroughness. She took me to her schoolroom. 

 It w^as a laboratory. Pupils of sixteen and 

 seventeen were studying the cell. For three 

 weeks the pupils had been working on the cell, 

 and they were to continue the work for a month. 

 This, she told me, was thoroughness. I agreed 

 with her. "But of what educational value is 

 this knowledge to the pupil?" I asked. "The 

 pupil knows the cell," she replied, "and to know 

 the cell is to understand the structure and 

 growth of the plant." 



