50 HOW NATURE STUDY SHOULD BE TAUGHT 



that is, original investigation on the part of the 

 child ? Have you not simply used a few natural 

 objects in the various kinds of work that you 

 have mentioned ? If so, and, I really hope it is 

 so, you are after all not guilty of spoiling the 

 wintergreen. 



Not long ago I attended, in a high school 

 assembly-room, an exhibition of the work of the 

 grade schools in the town. As I entered the hall, 

 a supervising teacher came forward and said, " I 

 am glad you came ; I know you will be interested 

 in everything, but I want especially to show you 

 what we have done in nature study. I know you 

 are interested in ' such things.' " 



Indeed, I was interested and proud too, of the 

 good results attained by the schools, for the ex- 

 hibition showed lines of work that were truly 

 remarkable. 



" There," said my fair guide, as we approached 

 a particularly attractive table, " I know you'll 

 like this. Isn't that beautiful? How well our 

 children do it ! Isn't it surprising ? Don't you 

 think they've done well? " 



Truly it was a beautiful exhibit ; the children 

 had done well. I said so frankly, and expressed 

 surprise that so excellent work should have been 



