METHOD OF STUDYING MATERIAL. 201 



Where the wood-grape's clusters shine ; 

 Of the black wasp's cunning way, 

 Mason of his walls of clay, 

 And the architectural plans 

 Of gray hornet artisans ! 

 For, eschewing books and tasks, 

 Nature answers all he asks ; 

 Hand in hand with her he walks, 

 Face to face with her he talks, 

 Part and parcel of her joy, 

 Blessings on the barefoot boy ! " 



The poorest student, the boy who takes no interest 

 in his school-work and plays truant whenever he can, 

 may be able to tell most. And here may be the oppor- 

 tunity of the teacher to interest and get a hold on that 

 same bad boy. 



If the children cannot relate to natural environment, 

 if they have never seen what they are studying, the 

 starfish or sea-urchin or coral, the cotton or cocoanut, 

 the limestone or iron ore or coal, in its home, or where it 

 naturally occurs, then the teacher may endeavor by pic- 

 ture or blackboard illustration or word picture to give 

 the children some idea of its occurrence. 



When the children know nothing about the occur- 

 rence of what they are studying, and it is difficult for 

 them to gain any clear idea of it, as in the starfish, it 

 is well to change the order of study, begin with what 

 they can see, the structure of the thing itself. This 

 will give a good foundation for future work ; and the 

 study of relation to environment may be taken up later, 

 and more or less incidentally. 



