woKLEY RENEWAL OF LIFE IN NATURE-STUDY 219 



The superstition that this subject must be approached secretly 

 and as it were in the dark Uke some wrong thing is a superstition 

 which needs to be speedily laid to rest. The subject whenever 

 approached at all should be handled openly with a clean frankness 

 that admits of no wrong interpretation, arouses no unruly 

 elements and gratifies in a legitimate way the natural curiosity of 

 the child which otherwise may become morbid, feeding unwhole- 

 somely upon the imagination or seeking gratification from 

 unworthy instructors. This phase of the subject can be best 

 dealt with in the home, the teacher having little opportunity here 

 excepting through her power of assisting the parent. 



While the work in the low^er grades is necessarily very limited, 

 in the higher grades it becomes less so until finally in the upper 

 grades of the grammar school and particularly in the high school 

 the limitations are practically abolished, taking for granted 

 that the teacher is skilful in foreseeing and avoiding pitfalls. 

 Here is opportunity to do memorable and telling work. Here 

 preeminently the "biology class" if it exists or if not the botany or 

 physiology class can be made the medium of conveying most 

 precious truths. The age of the pupil is of the greatest assistance 

 not only because he is peculiarly susceptible to this side of life and 

 eager to understand it, but because he is at that place where the 

 broad generalizations, speculations, thoughts of the universal, 

 appeal to him with peculiar force. Now is the time to strengthen 

 the conceptions of a well-taught childhood, or to give a new and 

 powerful impression where early ones have been harmful or have 

 not existed. Now is the time to appeal to the sense of mystery, 

 poetry, chivalry, desire to know abstract truth which is stronger 

 in adolescence than at any other period. At this time can be 

 made impressions so strong that they must color the whole after- 

 thought of the pupil. But here the teacher needs skill, knowledge 

 and above all discreet sympathy with this unfolding life of the 

 man, the woman. He must be master of his subject, able to 

 handle it with a certainty that shall command respect and instil 

 into it a powerful sentiment which shall be devoid of sentimen- 

 tality. 



Through nature-study the teacher should come as much as 

 possible into personal relations with the pupil. Field work is a 

 great help in this, gives opportunity for informal talks and sug- 

 gests diversions in one direction and another, so that where the 



