comstock] influence of nature-study idea 11 



science had remonstrated in vain. It was not until the nature- 

 study movement permeated the people throughout the land that 

 they came to resent this extermination; and not until then was 

 there a sufficiently strong popular opinion created to establish 

 and carry out protective laws. This is well shown in the legisla- 

 tion concerning birds. Bird-study was one of the first and has 

 always been one of the most important phases of the nature- 

 study movement. But who that has watched the growth and 

 strength of the bird protection propaganda, would for a moment 

 say that it had its inception or gained its strength because of its 

 economic importance? Pure sentiment, — a love of birds in the 

 hearts of thousands of people all over the land, created the crusade. 

 The economic considerations trailed after; and yet there has 

 hardly been in the history of any country a movement of greater 

 economic importance. This is a cogent illustration of the value, 

 if not limiting the nature-study idea or its scope to what seems to 

 be practical use. It should be remembered that in all history 

 crusades have been born and lead of the spirit. 



In reviewing the progress of nature-study in the schools we may 

 be reassured, because the phases through which it has passed 

 successfully are enough to have proven its robust qualities. 

 Coincident with the toy science made over from the university 

 laboratories came what has been aptly termed the cute and fluffy 

 stage, which resulted from the impact of the nature-study idea 

 upon the imagination and enthusiasm of those teachers trained 

 in pedagogy but utterly untrained in science. This resulted in 

 an effervescence that frothed over and soon dampened and 

 rendered soggy the nature-study section of the school curriculum. 



Now normal schools and teachers' courses in the university 

 summer schools give the teacher the needed training, and we can 

 see even so soon the prophecy fulfilled, which L. H. Bailey made 

 twenty years ago. He said: 



"Nature-study is not science. It is not knowledge. It is not 

 facts. It is spirit. It is concerned with the child's outlook on 

 the world. 



"Nature-study will endure, because it is natural and of universal 

 application. Methods will change and will fall into disrepute; 

 its name will be dropped from curriculums; here and there it will 

 be encased in the schoolmaster's 'methods' and its life will be 

 smothered; now and then it will be ovcrcxploitcd ; with many 

 persons it will be a fad: but the spirit will live." 



