222 The Nature-Study Idea 



an artistic picture. It is natural for every child 

 to make lines and marks to express what it sees 

 or experiences; but when these lines and marks 

 do not conform to the ideals of grown-ups, we 

 discourage the effort and the child ceases to 

 draw. Considered as the effort of the child to 

 express itself, no drawing can be "poor." 

 Mrs. Comstock put on the board a copy of a 

 drawing from a child's pad, and it was as 

 follows ; 



Hoiu a man impressed a child.— face, arms, legs 



We all laughed; but we were told that this 

 was no caricature, but the impression that a 

 man made on the child — face, arms, legs. 



More than words, the drawing may show 

 what the world means to the child, even allow- 



