FIRST CONFERENCE, 



Thursday, July 24 



CHAIRMAN: THE RIGHT HON R. W. HANBURY, M.P., 

 PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



Mr. HANBURY said : The department over which 

 I have the honour to preside is so closely interested 

 in the subject of Nature-study that I am glad of this 

 opportunity to give some of the views of the Board 

 of Agriculture upon the matter. As the Duke of 

 Devonshire said at the opening ceremony, the present 

 system of education is one which appeals too much 

 to the brain and to the memory of the child. We 

 want to do more than that, and to bring the other 

 faculties into operation. The object of those who 

 are interested in the study of Nature is not to 

 diminish the interest taken in the past and in dis- 

 tant objects, but to pay more attention to present 

 things which are immediately before our eyes. 

 Charity begins at home, and true learning begins 

 at home, and it is only by knowing and taking an 

 interest in things around us that we can appreciate 

 distant objects. Above all, it is Nature-study which 

 teaches us not to depend so much upon others and 

 make our minds receptacles for other people's ideas. 

 Nature-study encourages the use of the seeing eye 

 and the hearing ear. I represent an industry which 

 perhaps more than any other depends to a consider- 



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