526 NATURE STUDY. 



tance of the beginning in which for them lies the future ? 

 May it not be the little leaven which may impress the 

 idea of growth, development, evolution, the great thought 

 in the education and life of to-day ? Don't preach. Let 

 the bud do it. Some may hear. 



Shall we stop here ? Can we stop here ? To the child, 

 as to the poet, the book of nature is a revelation. To the 

 child just from home and mother protection without a 

 protector is inconceivable, is beyond his experience. In 

 guiding him in his study of this other divine book, shall we 

 sharpen his spiritual as well as his mental vision ? Can 

 we, as true teachers, do less ? Or shall we, through the 

 lessons of protection and care, lift him to a Protector and 

 Carer, through order and plan and purpose lead him to a 

 Planner ? 



Cannot we begin oar spring study with the thought from 

 Tennyson, with which we began our study of the dandelion 

 in Chapter I. of this book ? 



" Flower in the crannied wall, 

 I pluck you out of the crannies ; 

 Hold you here, root and all, in my hand, 

 Little flower but if I could understand 

 What you are, root and all, and all in all, 

 I should know what God and man is." 



SPRING NOTES. 



Now that we have our background, we can turn from 

 winter, and look toward spring. Have the children gather 

 and record spring notes. If they cannot write, they can 

 report from day to day orally ; and their best discoveries 

 can be recorded by the teacher, and form a basis for read- 

 ing lessons, or can be preserved on the blackboard. If 

 they write, cannot they keep a diary, recording always 

 in the first person what signs of spring each sees from 



