256 NATURE STUDY REVIEW [7:9— Dec, 1911 



sented to them as a series of problems for discussion. Chil- 

 dren may be easily appealed to, in plain and direct language, 

 and shown how they may save themselves the results of ig- 

 norance or carelessness on their part or on the part of others. 

 The truth about common living should be taught thus early 

 in the child's life, especially as scientific research is bringing 

 to light so much concerning sickness and health. Such teach- 

 ing prepares the child to meet practical life as he finds it, and 

 acquaints him at an impressionable age with the necessity 

 of good health regulations. It gives knowledge concerning 

 cleanliness, ventilation and sanitation which he can use in the 

 home, both for himself and for others. 



Some teachers assert that hygiene is too difficult a sub- 

 ject for sixth grade pupils, and should be deferred to a later 

 period. It is true that much of the health teaching in this 

 grade is too difficult, mainly because too much physiology 

 and anatomy are presented with it. The latter subjects prop- 

 erly belong to high school and college curricula, but hygiene, 

 properly taught, is no more difficult than arithmetic, modern 

 languages and other subjects thought appropriate for sixth 

 grade pupils. 



Children must be drilled in school life in habits of health 

 in order that they may practice them and realize that the 

 health and efficiency of others with whom they come in con- 

 tact depends much upon their own vitality. In athletics the 

 boys and girls are drilled to stand up for their personal rights 

 and why should they not be drilled to stand up for their 

 health rights? There would then be more chance of their 

 demanding these rights through life whatever their condition 

 or station might be. 



Although this subject can profitably be -concentrated in 

 one year it should not be separated from the nature study 

 work of previous grades. An abrupt transition is not desir- 

 able for there is involved a continuation of the same process 

 of acquainting the child with his surroundings which occu- 

 pied so large a share of his previous education. One very 

 effective way of connecting the study of hygiene to former 

 work is through the medium of the garden. To supplement 

 the garden work pupils may collect seeds, plants and weeds 

 from their garden plots and investigate certain things con- 

 cerning them such as their relation to soil, the number of 

 seeds in a plant, the distribution of seeds, estimates of the 

 probable number of seeds becoming new plants, area covered 



