HOW NATURE STUDY SHOULD BE TAUGHT 3 



changed their seats, and we young folks lined 

 up against the wall, from the door to the black- 

 board. 



On the final wake-up for " Remarks," the Visitor 

 said, " Now, I like a complete, well-rounded 

 definition. You must know the thing, and then 

 express it concisely and clearly. When you can 

 do that with a common thing, it shows that you 

 think clearly and can express your thoughts 

 concisely. It's a good thing, not only to get 

 acquainted with new words, but to define such a 

 common word as ' boat,' for instance." And he 

 went on to talk encouragingly of other school 

 matters, but chiefly to tell what he did when he 

 was a boy, as I have since learned that many 

 mature men have the habit of doing. Impressions 

 made in childhood are lasting. 



Then the teacher started in with, "And now, 

 pupils, I want to say a few words to you." I do not 

 recollect what she said, except that she expressed 

 her appreciation of the Visitor's encouragement, 

 but greatly regretted that he had not given us an 

 ideal definition of the word " boat." 



That beat me and my new shoes; it woke the 

 Visitor clear up, away up on his feet, and so 

 suddenly that Frank and I snickered, and he looked 



