98 The Nature-Study Idea 



them to emphasize the purely agricultural 

 phases in the schools; but this sentiment had to 

 be created or quickened. At first it was impos- 

 sible to secure much hearing for the agricul- 

 tural subjects. Year by year such hearing has 

 been more readily given, and the work has been 

 turned in this direction as rapidly as the con- 

 ditions would admit, for it is the special mis- 

 sion of an agricultural college to extend the 

 agricultural applications of nature-study. 



In making these statements I have it in mind 

 that the common schools do not teach trades 

 and professions. I would not approach the 

 subject primarily from an occupational point of 

 view, but from the educational and spiritual; 

 that is, the man should know his work and his 

 environment. The mere giving of information 

 about agricultural objects and practices can have 

 very little good result with children. The 

 spirit is worth more than the letter. Some of 

 the hard and dry tracts on farming would only 

 add one more task to the teacher and the pupil 

 if they were introduced to the school, making 

 the new subject in time as distasteful as arith- 



