KEPNERJ CHOOSING AN AQUARIUM 341 



Standing success; and it makes the nature-study lessons different 

 from any the children have ever had. Thus each plant and 

 animal has an interesting history, many not so long and intricate, 

 which children can trace out along with the life-history of the toad; 

 and the children will get a definite foundation upon which to 

 base futtire observations, and a keener insight into life in general. 

 The children may be taught to look for adaptations, family 

 characteristics and variations, controls, etc., in plant and animal 

 life, which are very important factors for a thorough imderstanding 

 of nature. Care and thoughtfulness of the life procured at the 

 pond must be taken while getting it, while transporting it, and 

 when establishing it in the aquarixmi. The children should feel 

 responsible for the prosperity of the aquatic life, and should look 

 upon the teacher only as an assistant and supervisor. Not only 

 will their interest be more intense, but their love for all living things 

 will become more keen. "Where sympathy is, cruelty is impos- 

 sible," and one comes to feel the spirit of these beautiful lines 

 from Coleridge's "Ancient Mariner": 



"He prayeth best who loveth best 

 All things both great and small; 

 For the dear Lord who loveth us 

 He made and loveth all." 



This s}-mpathetic attitude should be called out as early as 

 possible. "Pond scum" is the chief food of the yoimg tadpoles; 

 if this is not available at all times a tulip leaf makes a good substi- 

 tute. 



What child won't be willing and eager to help these little creatures 

 who have been taken away from their real home? If the weaker 

 tads are not getting enough food, why not take those back to the 

 pond where they can get plenty? The children will recognize 

 this as kindness rather than cruelty to the weaker ones. This 

 promotes good fellowship, and fosters the sense of taking care of 

 and protecting the weaker forms of life, — including, foremostly, 

 younger children. Thus the children come to recognize the 

 discrepancies, deficiencies, necessities, and controls within the 

 aquarium, and are materially benefited by the experiment. 



The study of the aquariimi as a reqmsite to nattu"e-study is a 

 broad field which already has a good foimdation but which needs 

 to be fully developed and carried out in ever>- school curriculimi. 

 Aquaria are kept in all well-equipped schools, and the benefits 



