CHAPTER XL 



SOME FUNDAMENTAL MISCONCEPTIONS 



ANY teacher using plants or animals as materials must 

 be much hampered unless she feels herself on pretty sure 

 ground with reference to what may be called the funda- 

 mental conceptions in biology. These are, especially, the 

 things which pertain to all living beings; to plants and 

 animals alike. With reference to many of these the best 

 information is, of course, inadequate, and we yet remain in 

 ignorance of the real fundamentals. None the less, the 

 forceful teacher in nature study cannot afford to get along 

 with the antiquated and erroneous conceptions which 

 remain remarkably prevalent. She must be posted as to 

 modern ideas concerning such matters as the relation of 

 light and air and food and water to life, the adaptations of 

 organisms to their environment, and the evolution of new 

 kinds. Otherwise her touch is apt to be decidedly un- 

 certain and wavering when it comes to dealing with many 

 critical matters. However thorough may be her familiarity 

 with details of structure and function in particular forms, 

 unless she has a tolerably firm grasp upon these funda- 

 mentals her teachings may give birth to equally funda- 

 mental misconceptions. However well the details may be 

 taught or elucidated, the value of such teaching is under- 

 mined if there is involved a misapprehension of general 

 biological laws. It is a case of building on very uncertain 



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