FOREWORD TO THE TEACHER 



Man's place in relation to science. Living things, man in- 

 cluded, live in an environment which is made up of certain 

 definite factors, and with these factors living things react and 

 interact. Some of these factors are materials things ; other 

 factors are forces. The ultimate result of the complex we call 

 life is the interaction of the materials and forces with the living 

 things on the earth. Man, however, is supreme among animals 

 because of all the animals he alone can control the factors of 

 his environment. He has control of fire and water and elec- 

 tricity. His home has evolved from the cave of primitive man 

 to the complex housing systems of the present age. His com- 

 munal life has brought with it new problems the disposal of 

 wastes, the safeguarding of water and milk supplies, the need 

 of community sanitation and hygiene. His higher civilization 

 demands use of machines, the need of which his forefathers 

 neither knew nor felt ; of transportation and communication ; 

 of more varied and practical education as well. 



Children's interests in science. In the midst of such a life 

 as this our children are growing up. Science beckons to them 

 from every side. In every device used at home for comfort 

 and better living, science speaks. The telephone and telegraph, 

 the trolley and the automobile, the airplane and submarine, have 

 all become part and parcel of their daily lives. Many of the 

 common things of science which directly affect the lives of chil- 

 dren are equally interesting to both sexes. But in any scheme 

 of modern education we must take individual differences into 

 consideration. We no longer educate in the mass. Sex, age, 

 environment, capability, heredity, all are important factors 

 which must be recognized by the modern teacher as having a 

 place in educational practice as well as theory. 



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