NOTES ON BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS 



The Study of Nature. By S. C. Schmucker. Philadelphia: J. B. 

 Lippincott Co., 1908. $1.25. 



This book, by Professor Schmucker of the West Chester (Pa.) Normal 

 School, is volume VII in Lippincott's Educational Series, edited by Martin 

 G. Brumbaugh. Although many of the ideas brought out in the discussion 

 of the aim and purpose of nature-study have been expressed by a number 

 of other writers, they are here made most forceful by well chosen illustra- 

 tions and examples. The author is evidently in sympathy with nature- 

 study and her teachings. 



Without doubt the most practical part of the book for teachers is the 

 section including the chapters "The Teacher's Preparation," "The Work 

 in the Schoolroom," and "The Equipment of the Schoolroom." This is 

 the kind of help that will enable teachers to make their nature work a 

 success. The suggestions and directions of these chapters are evidently 

 the outgrowth of extensive experience in handling plants and animals and 

 of a close touch with the interests and activities of children. 



The half of the book devoted to the materials of study is interesting and 

 instructive, but does not contain much suggestion concerning the use of 

 the material mentioned and described. The author considers animals 

 preferable to plants for study, and so takes seven chapters for animal 

 study, in contrast to two for plants and one for the heavenly bodies. 

 These ten chapters contain the plainly observable and easily understood 

 facts concerning the more common animals, plants and planets. There is 

 gathered here information that is really useful to a nature-study teacher 

 who has not the time to search the several authorities. It is suggestive 

 rather than exhaustive. 



The course of study is outlined for four grades and is full of suggestion. 

 The questions are excellent problems for ready solution by observation. 



The book references are excellent though few in number. The brief 

 comment on each book is helpful. The advice to keep to nature and away 

 from books is good. 



That there is so little said about the school-garden seems to be a defect 

 in the book. The author shows himself to be in sympathy with the best 

 kind of school-garden, and it is unfortunate that he did not expand the 

 ideas touched upon in the first chapter. The illustrations are worthy of 

 mention as they really illustrate the point or points intended. The index 

 is complete and the book is fairly well cross indexed. One of the com- 

 mendable features is the presence of marginal topics, which make clear to 

 the eye just what topics are discussed on the page. The usefulness of this 

 book to an earnest teacher can not be doubted. 



State Normal School, L. S. Hawkins. 



Cortland, N. Y. 



