General Aims of Nature Study 39 



increase our power of sense perception. Invention, 

 which itself is dependent on a knowledge of the laws 

 of nature, may greatly increase our range of vision; 

 but there is also the possibility of a more delicate and 

 complex organic development of the sense-organs 

 themselves. 



The conditions under which this organic develop- 

 ment of the sense-organs takes place, seem to be suitable 

 activity or proper use. A muscle is strengthened 

 by suitable exercise, and so is a sense-organ. Disuse 

 in the one case as in the other leads to atrophy and 

 degeneration, as can be seen in the blind fishes of caves. 



There seems to be no sense-organ that cannot be 

 trained in this way by proper use. Notice in the blind 

 how the sense of touch becomes developed. Certain 

 it is that many persons who have eyes see not, and 

 that many who have ears hear not. Equally certain 

 it is that this defect is a serious one; for it deprives 

 the individual not only of a great source of enjoy- 

 ment, but of much valuable information which daily 

 observation might give. The acuteness of the senses, 

 resulting from proper use, is not to be sought primarily 

 for its own sake, but rather for the wholesome effect 

 which their best functional activity exerts on the mental 

 and moral life as a whole. 



As a rule, children observe well; but a false method 

 of teaching, especially that which reduces all school 

 work to a study of books, often destroys this natural 

 tendency. When we reflect what an important factor 

 in mental growth the habit of close and accurate obser- 

 vation is, we can but deplore that so much of our 

 school work tends to diminish rather than increase 

 this power. Nature study if so taught as to awaken 

 interest, rather than fatigue the pupil, can be made 

 an important aid in the development of this power. 

 When properly developed and trained, observation 

 becomes a habit which cannot fail to be a lifelong 



