2OO Introduction. [& 



until we are able to comprehend the more difficult truths. 

 Likewise, in the acquiring of scientific knowledge, we 

 should begin with such things as we can easily demonstrate 

 to be true. This helps us to see the next truth which 

 lies beyond, and thus we follow that "soundest canon of 

 instruction, to proceed from the known to the unknown." 



The method of teaching science now in vogue in the 

 public schools is more like teaching geometry by merely 

 taking the captions of the propositions and omitting the 

 demonstrations. The idea seems to be to give pupils 

 a taste of all the subjects which men ever study. The 

 food is altogether too difficult for them to digest; the result 

 is they are made mental dyspeptics and not infrequently 

 loathe it. 



All good methods of science teaching are crowded out 

 by the attempt to " ambulate" the whole field of zoology, 

 physiology, botany, physics, chemistry, astronomy and 

 geology within the ordinary limits of a high-school course. 



Too much of the science teaching is beyond the com- 

 prehension of the pupils. They cannot retain interest 

 long in that which they do not grasp. Pedantic essays 

 about Nature's laws, delivered by youthful graduates, are 

 the natural outgrowth of a course of instruction which is 

 as abstruse as it is pharisaical. 



Teachers persist in feeding their pupils upon the dry 

 husks of science. Their study of the subject is made an 

 empty process of cramming names. 



In botany, a list of names is given to define leaves as 

 to their margins, another list to define them as to their 

 bases, another list to define them as to their apices and 

 still another list to define them as to their method of 

 venation. Under the head of "observation lessons" the 

 child is required to learn such things as are the last he 

 would have use for if he were a specialist in botany. They 

 are the fine points in the science, upon which wise men 

 differ, and about which the scientific botanist cares very 



