I 



The Teacher's Interpretation of Nature 



TWO sisters stood on the doorstep bidding 

 good-by to their husbands, who were off 

 for a day's outing. One looked at the sky and 

 said: "I am afraid it will rain." The other 

 looked at the sky and said: "I know that you'll 

 have a good time." There was one sky, but 

 there were two women. There were two types 

 of mind. There were two outlooks on the 

 world. There are many persons who will not 

 be pleased if they can help it. 



I know a nature-study teacher whose first 

 inquiry about any object is, "What is it worth?' 

 Or, "What value has it to mankind?" Some 

 objects are to be studied and protected because 

 they are useful to man in supplying his wants, 

 and all others are passed over as not worth 

 knowing. I doubt whether this attitude can 

 bring about any close and satisfying touch with 

 nature. The long-continued habit of looking at 



8 ,13 



