THE MISSION OF NATURE STUDY 17 



tion, nature as it presents itself unanalyzed, a composite 

 picture of the sciences. Whenever the study of nature 

 enters upon organization of the whole and the pigeon- 

 holing of facts in some general system it becomes science, 

 and in our usage of the term ceases to be nature 

 study. The sciences are all bound up in the great bundle 

 of nature, and their dissociation comes sometimes later 

 in one's training, but in the training of most it does not 

 and need not come at all. Where in our educational 

 programmes nature study shall be said to stop and science 

 study to begin is a question not primarily related to this 

 topic. But the attitude toward nature which nature study 

 seeks to engender would suggest that, with opportunity, 

 nature study would pass into science as naturally as 

 the boy into the man, and with as little innate need for 

 a sharp line of demarcation. 



Its True Place. Between sentiment and science, there- 

 fore, nature study must find its place; the former is its 

 atmosphere, the latter may be its successor. Its mission, 

 or at least its opportunity, is nothing less than initial train- 

 ing in the scientific spirit, which when found in men who 

 love and cultivate nature makes of them what were once 

 called " naturalists." The old-time naturalist has almost 

 disappeared with the development of modern science, but 

 his spirit is the spirit of nature study. To cultivate the 

 scientific spirit in contact with nature is to obtain a distinct 

 and exceedingly valuable educative result, which makes of 

 nature study much more than the cultivation of a senti- 

 ment. 



Educative Result. What this educative result means 

 to us as a people may be indicated. The test of teaching 



