INTRODUCTION O 



children's help, therefore, and with her own earnest 

 efforts, she will find herself in possession of a rich store 

 of facts at the end of the year. 



In her own stndy she must take advantage of Avhat 

 others have learned and set down in books. The method 

 of discovery is pedagogically right for the child, but the 

 method of verification is the shortest and safest one for 

 the teacher. 



Then when she knows her material, let it ask her 

 questions : " Why am I prickly ? " says the Chestnut. 

 '' Why do I open in the antumn ? " " Why was I closed 

 all summer ? " " Why have some of my nuts two flat 

 sides ? " " Why have they thick and shiny coats ? " 

 " Why are they good to eat ? ' ' and many others. Let 

 her think out the ansAvers to them all, and let that 

 question, the solving of which ga'^ e her the greatest joy, 

 be the one to Avhich she first leads the children. 



Second: Having thus prepared herself, then, with a 

 cool head and a warm heart, let her leisureJy guide the 

 child's observation, imagination, and reason to the most 

 important truths with reference to the subject of the lesson. 



I have said, ''Be leisurely." Let her remember that 

 the object is to lead the children to think. Their un- 

 trained minds cannot do this in an atmosphere of im- 

 patience, emphasis, and hurry. She should not have 

 anxiety to cover a definite ground. Begin, and let the 

 lesson shape itself. If the children are interested and 

 are thinking, the teacher has succeeded, even if she has 

 not tanght one fact. 



Time : 



This course presupposes at least an hour and a half a 

 week, preferably divided into four periods for third and 



