No. L] NATURE STUDY. 221 



and lack of proper co-ordination among the different sub- 

 jects? If we introduce a clear purpose, such as is furnished 

 by the fundamental relations of mankind toward nature, 

 this will co-ordinate and unify the subject matter, throw 

 out such as is useless and irrelevant, and condense and in- 

 spire with life our whole system of elementary education. 

 Knowledge of the things that touch life closely is easy and 

 natural, and makes life stronger and better. Ignorance of 

 things that we see about us every day becomes positively 

 painful, unless the mind grows so dulled by the pain that 

 it ceases to perceive them. 



If the children are actively engaged in their home and 

 school gardens, they can easier than not learn about a num- 

 ber of the important insects, the common birds and other 

 animals in a manner that will greatly help them in their 

 work, and fill their after lives with interest, satisfaction and 

 enjo} T ment in the life and nature about them. 



It is very little that I have been able to sa,y on so large a 

 subject, and many topics which I had hoped to touch upon 

 I must omit, since I see that I have overstepped my time. 

 I hope we may succeed in bringing people to realize that 

 nature study is a subject of the greatest importance, not 

 only to our public education, but to our social life as well. 



Mr. A. M. Lyman. The lecture reminds me of a little 

 boy who wanted some maple sugar, and went and asked his 

 grandfather for the privilege of tapping a maple tree in the 

 front yard. Permission was o-iven him, but instead of o-et- 

 ting any maple sugar he came into the house bringing in 

 what he said was nothing but water. Another child, not 

 five years old, I have seen bringing a horn bug into the 

 house which she had been harnessing with a little string. 

 The string slipped off, and she wanted it tied on tighter ; she 

 had got a horse. Speaking of domesticating animals, there 

 was a little brood of toads about the house that knew when 

 she was ready to feed them. 



Prof. George T. Powell (of Briarcliff Manor, X. Y.). 

 I want to express the very great pleasure which it has given 

 me to listen to this address this evening. I believe it is the 



