^ 5 S THE NA TURE- S TUB V RE VIE W [3 : g-DEc, 1907 



. Nature-study offers a most excellent opportunity for develop- 

 ing safe and economic methods of solving problems. With 

 materials before him it is possible for the pupil to be held to see 

 that his conclusions must be securely based upon his data. Great 

 care should be exercised in seeing that materials at hand are 

 used fully in establishing those conclusions that are justified, 

 and further that they are used in a suggestive and imaginative 

 way to forecast conclusions that cannot be fully determined, 

 but may serve as problems for future observations. There is a 

 prominent place for the nature-study imagination, but it is 

 regulated by the truths of nature and must not be allowed to 

 distort possibility, or lead into guessing contests concerning 

 things of which we have no trustworthy data. 



I realize that there are those who do not believe that this 

 point of demanding thoroughly accurate observations and fully 

 justifiable conclusions is well taken. Some believe rather that 

 children should merely be exposed to nature and allowed to 

 combine with it or be neutral to it as may be. Surely none of us 

 would argue for that complete and orderly observation and series 

 of judgments in any given field such as would enable children to 

 classify those data and judgments as a science. Such attempts 

 have often killed the nature-study spirit. If, on the other hand, 

 the sensitive plates of the child's mind receive exposure only and 

 no development, how can we hope to secure nature pictures that 

 have any setting, any relation to one another, or that are any 

 more indeed than befogged plates exposed several times and now 

 for this purpose uninteresting and useless ? Somewhere between 

 these two points of view the truth lies. In younger children 

 the mere exposure point of view predominates, but at least some 

 assimilation of materials must be made even here. In older 

 children exposure is no less used; but development, and quality 

 and quantity and scope of judgment must be extended. 



3. The third general purpose here recognized is to direct 

 inquiry toward those phenomena which, while best stimulating 

 inquiry and best serving to develop proper thought processes, 

 will give enjoyment and useful and interesting knowledge about 

 nature. 



The enjoyment aspect of nature-study must be given prominent 

 position. It may be no more than the pleasure of being out of 

 •doors or in company with rocks and hills and plants and animals. 



