PREFACE. ix 



for his own guidance, and help the pupil formulate for 

 himself, some motive some particular object to be gained 

 by each exercise. Much of our failure in the sciences, as 

 elsewhere, is due to the lack of this definiteness of purpose. 

 The pupil should be encouraged at all times to raise 

 questions or suggest problems that interest him. This 

 stimulus of natural curiosity will do more to give motive 

 to his work than any other one thing. The "problem- 

 raising attitude" is essential to secure the "problem- 

 solving attitude." An effort has been made in the table 

 of contents to aid the teacher in formulating special 

 motives for each of the general chapters. 



2. Mental Activity Rather than Information. It is es- 

 sential that we place a larger emphasis on mental attitudes 

 and on habits of intellectual activity, and on the neces- 

 sary processes whereby sound conclusions are reached, 

 than upon the mere possession of information, whether 

 useful or not. Furthermore, the student is entitled 

 rightly to a complete mental reaction when biological or 

 other matter is placed before him. To cause him to 

 observe and record hour after hour without allowing and 

 encouraging the following on through of these obser- 

 vations to conclusions, whether these are correct and 

 final conclusions or not, is taxation without representa- 

 tion in respect to personality. The abortion of the 

 mental reaction and the undue arresting of the normal 

 mental processes always kills interest in youth. The 

 mind must be allowed to come to a natural resting-place, 

 even though it may be necessary to give it material later 

 which will cause it to seek another. It is of course 

 essential that the student be taught to hold his conclu- 

 sions subject to revision, whenever new observations make 

 it necessary. 



