GENERAL INTRODUCTION 15 



III. THE SCOPE OF NATURE STUDY 



He who knows what sweets and virtues are in the ground, the waters, 

 the plants, tJic heavens, and how to come at these enchantments is the 

 rich and royal man. EMERSON. 



A great many of the books published on nature study 

 confine themselves to the consideration of animal life and 

 plant life. This is surely a mistake, especially for children 

 reared in large cities. While it is admitted that living things 

 are more attractive to children than dead things, the average 

 child knows too little of animals and plants from contact 

 with them to be greatly benefited by studying them,- 

 especially such phases of biology as are so frequently chosen 

 for lessons in text-books. The average city child's mind is 

 impressed with a score of percepts derived from physics, 

 perhaps, to one derived from botany or zoology. The won- 

 ders of light, heat, sound, electricity, gravity, friction, etc., 

 are impinging his consciousness incessantly. Then, if nature 

 study should treat of the child's environment, why should 

 he not study these things ? Is he not as interested in a kodak 

 or a telephone as in a crawfish or a toadstool? 



Nearly one third of the nature study work, especially 

 in the grammar grades, should be based upon physics. 

 Geology, mineralogy, chemistry, astronomy and meteor- 

 ology, agriculture and the industrial activities all contribute 

 to enrich the course, but none of them should be taught in 

 a cold, isolated way. A child loves to see a relation almost 

 as well as an object. He should learn things in their natural 

 relations in order to see their beauty and use. 



Physiology and Hygiene. That the results of using the 

 many text-books prepared on this subject for- the common 

 schools are much below the expectations of both authors 



