INTRODUCTION. Xlll 



about the birds the teacher allowed himself to be enthu- 

 siastic over than about " the living organism." 



(3) Again, the Nature Study should vary in expression 

 with the seasons, and since I believe very strongly that the 

 seasonal order of study is the most natural, the most con- 

 venient, the most vivid, the most successful order, I am 

 glad that the author has laid particular emphasis on this. 

 There are many obvious advantages in the seasonal order 

 of study, and some which are not so obvious and are pro- 

 bably more important. We may note, for instance, that 

 the seasons have subtle influences on human life, and the 

 natural phenomena of the outer world will be studied with 

 most sympathy and insight at the time of their occurrence. 



Dr. Eennie has spoken temperately in regard to the 

 values of Nature Study, and perhaps it is well not to say 

 too much about them, leaving the teacher the pleasure of 

 discovering them. The difficulty is that one does not 

 really believe in the values of a particular discipline until 

 one sees them, and yet one cannot teach well what one does 

 not believe in. My conviction is that effective Nature 

 Study is very difficult, but that when it is effective it is 

 very valuable. 



In the hands of skilful teachers I have seen Nature Study 

 prove itself of value in school (a) in developing sensory 

 acuteness and precision, (&) in educating inquisitive 

 interests, and (c) in brain- stretching for there is a fine 

 discipline in its problems if they are honestly tackled. 

 Moreover, it helps us to find Nature " a joy for ever." 

 There is the practical side too, that it is actually useful 

 to understand something of those outer-world activities 

 that are intertwined with our human activities. 



Speaking of values, however, I confess to the heresy that 

 one of the functions of science in schools is recreative in 

 the true sense. Not that one wishes amusement (in 

 the modern vulgar sense at least), nor careless, slipshod 



