NATURE STUDY IN THE TOWN. 55 



arrangement of a uniform amount of time each week 

 throughout the year ; on the other hand it will be found 

 more satisfactory not to do so. 



The foregoing hints need not be regarded as exhaustive. 

 Other points will occur to thoughtful teachers. There are 

 many aspects of nature noticeable in a town which are 

 special to it, such as the stones with which its houses 

 are built and its streets are paved, or the soil beneath 

 these. There are the domesticated animals upon the streets 

 and in the houses, articles for sale in shops, and even the 

 fog which sometimes hides the sun at noonday. But we 

 have avoided reference to these, which, though admittedly 

 capable of yielding studies of great interest, in that some 

 at least are special to the town or to artificial conditions of 

 life, need not find a place amongst studies designed specially 

 to interest the pupil in the free and open fields of Nature 

 rather than in the town. But a wise judgment will save 

 the teacher from making any serious mistakes either way. 

 Everything here will depend upon the manner and spirit 

 in which the lessons are taught. 



Whilst freely acknowledging the special circumstances 

 of the town teacher, and submitting the foregoing hints to 

 meet these, it is hoped that a careful study of the Courses 

 outlined in this work will prove suggestive and helpful. 

 From these, together with the lesson hints to be found 

 throughout the book, most town teachers should find it 

 possible to frame satisfactory schemes of work such as will 

 tend towards the realisation of the best ideals in Nature 

 Study. 



