OF EDUCATION 63 



and how eager the child is to tell what he has learned. 

 Next is the mathematical investigation of the object, 

 including concrete geometry, drawing and arithmeti- 

 cal problems. Very young children are interested in 

 making mathematical discoveries and computations, 

 and at the same time they are indelibly fixing the 

 scientific facts in the memory. Last of all follows the 

 reproduction in written language of all that has been 

 learned upon the object. Of this the child never 

 tires, but he acquires descriptive power seldom 

 equaled by scholars twice as old, who are trained in 

 the common method. 



' ' But when will the children learn to read and 

 spell?" 



By the object-method the child will not only read 

 and spell better at the age of eight or ten years, but 

 he will accomplish twice as much in writing, compo- 

 sition, and mathematics as in any other, and all these 

 branches are learned incidentally, while the main 

 work is the pursuit of science. There is no delay in 

 the acquisition of knowledge if we first give the child 

 a motive for learning, and then present the work in 

 the natural order. 



The above statement may be considered extrava- 

 gant, but we solicit careful investigation. Moreover, 

 there are parallels in nature, which if we would study, 

 we need not be surprised. 



