2 64 THE NA TURE-STUD V RE VIE W (3 : q-dec, 1907 



Itl the realm of classified knowledge this principle will select 

 biology before chemistry or physics, either of these before the 

 facts of geology or of astronomy. It means that animals shall 

 precede plants ; that physical elements shall come before chemical 

 elements, and community life before that of the individual. 

 This plan eliminates our formal and sentimental study. It deals 

 with life processes, causes and adaptations, as well as mere 

 physical activity. 



But this principle will allow an abundance of material — more 

 than we can ever use. Let us now apply our second principle 

 (that which holds that nature-study shall fit the child to function 

 efficiently as a member of society) to help us in a closer assort- 

 ment. These principles in conjunction with each other will 

 select material that either by itself might reject. The former 

 would select the frog instead of the toad (because it is the more 

 active,) while the two combined would choose the latter (because 

 it more closely affects man's social and industrial life.) The 

 former would select the squirrel in preference to the cat ; combined 

 they would choose the cat. By their combination the growth of 

 seeds and buds would be chosen instead of the color and forms 

 of leaves. All plant study would center about life processes 

 and adaptations that are essential for the plant life that best 

 meets man's physical, social, and intellectual needs. This would 

 involve the study and cultivation of vegetables and house plants 

 rather than a study of the names of wild flowers; the budding 

 and grafting of fruit trees rather than the pressing of leaves or 

 the collecting of woods. It would suggest an elementary study 

 of electricity rather than an analysis of potassium chlorate; a 

 study of fishes rather than the fresh water mussel; a study of 

 the bumblebee in preference to the butterfly; a swarm of bees 

 rather than a colony of ants; flies and mosquitoes rather than 

 beetles and snails; roses, carnations and lilies instead of hepatica, 

 marsh-marigold or chickweed the problem of cross-fertilization 

 or the moving of sap rather than nature of bark or the form of 

 twigs and leaves. These principles would not prevent one from 

 using the most available material, but they would guide in the 

 selection of the small portion of it that can be used. 



Courses in nature-study, now generally in use, differ very 

 widely from this view in their principles of selection. Availability 

 seems to be the main criterion for selecting material, and even 



