20 NATURE STUDY, BY GRADES 



chart : or they may be placed in a large paper envelope made 

 by the children for that purpose and properly labeled. 



In response to this demand for pictures in schools, pub- 

 lishers have prepared and offer for sale excellent groups of 

 nature study pictures, black and in colors, at reasonable 

 prices. These are very valuable if properly studied. 1 



In a similar way, fitting articles on nature topics may be 

 cut by the pupils from current magazines, bound in heavy 

 paper, properly labeled, and used as books in a library. Many 

 of these articles are written by specialists and experts and 

 deal with the latest developments of science and progress. 



To the class studying a given industry, an address by a 

 workman actively employed in that line will be of great value. 

 A practical talk by a miner or sailor, even though ungram- 

 matical, will give clearer ideas to a class studying mining or 

 navigation than the smoother sentences of the regular teacher 

 whose knowledge of the subject is only theoretical. 



A Text-book and its Uses. In most other subjects of 

 study a text-book may be followed to lessen the labor of the 

 teacher and without detriment to the pupils ; but, as already 

 explained, the very life of nature study is the study of things, 

 not books. For this reason most of the text-books on this 

 subject are hurtful to the pupil, and themselves hinder the 

 purpose of their authors. They are only screens placed 

 between the child and nature and obscure the view. Inas- 

 much as children are studying books, books, books, during their 

 entire school life in all other branches, the author pleads 

 that they may be allowed to study things in this branch. 



If this view be a wise one, then it follows that the environ- 

 ment of each school must contain most of the things studied. 



1 A. W. Mumford, Chicago, has made a specialty of nature study 

 pictures, mostly in colors. 



