HOW NATURE STUDY SHOULD BE TAUGHT 23 



exact sum of the knowledge when he gets back home. He 

 is so intent upon the bare fact that he does not see the spirit 

 or meaning of the whole. He does not see the bird, he sees 

 an ornithological specimen ; he does not see the wild flower, 

 he sees a new acquisition to his herbarium ; in the bird's 

 nest he sees only another prize for his collection. Of that 

 sympathetic and emotional intercourse with nature which 

 soothes and enriches the soul, he experiences little or none. 



Professor Hodge had evidently heard of or 

 met the German washerwoman, or other like 

 minded folk with a " Vat for ish dat ? " for he 

 writes in "Nature Study and Life " : 



But, the teacher says, the parents make all sorts of ob- 

 jections to nature study, call it a " fad," " nonsense," com- 

 plain of ' ( waste of time on new-fangled notions, ' ' say that 

 " they never had to learn such stuff." These objections of 

 the home are for the most part right as to what often goes 

 by the name of nature study, and nothing could be more 

 helpful for development of ideal courses adapted to local 

 conditions, than to invite their freest possible expression. 

 If we cannot find a nature study worth while, a nature study 

 so full of human good that it will meet and overcome all 

 such objections, then we should devote the time to other 

 subjects. But from several years' experience, the writer is 

 confident that all reasonable objections can be met, and 

 that we can find a nature study so good that this attitude of 

 parents can be completely reversed and their interest and 

 enthusiasm so thoroughly aroused that they will say : ' ' We 

 had no chance to learn these things, but we wish our chil- 

 dren might be given the opportunity and teach us." 



The trouble is, as has been so often reiterated, 

 that few teachers swing themselves around to 



