General Aims of Nature Study 51 



are our best and only guide. A sound judgment, 

 when properly trained, will lead the pupil to subordinate 

 his own personality where it is inadequate to the task, 

 and will warn him not to attempt what is impossible. 

 Yet nature study deals with the original sources of 

 knowledge, and as such will call, in the majority of 

 cases, for that exercise of the will in repeated attempts 

 to overcome difficulties which tends to strengthen it. 

 The success which often follows from such exercise 

 of the will naturally tends to strengthen self-reliance. 



With this end in view, the work can be so arranged 

 by the teacher that a proper amount of success in 

 the work will be attained whenever a due amount of 

 energy is put into it. Poor results with work thus 

 arranged should not be accepted, and a due recognition 

 should be given when the work is well done. Such 

 consciousness of success strengthens the self-reliance 

 of the pupil, and stimulates him to further exercise of 

 his will. 



Opportunity for this exercise of the will is necessary 

 to the formation of character. Without will power, 

 knowledge, no matter how extensive, produces no 

 results. The theory that all school work should be 

 made as agreeable as possible does not mean that it 

 should be reduced to mere listless and idle play. The 

 aim should be to eliminate the notion of play as the 

 pupil advances, and to lead him to apply himself, 

 voluntarily and systematically, to his work. The 

 great variety of the pupil's powers, both physical and 

 mental, brought into exercise, when nature study is 

 properly pursued, renders it pleasurable, and makes 

 it less fatiguing than are many other branches of the 

 school. 



Character is not developed by avoiding contact 

 with the realities of life contact with things. On 

 the contrary, it is by entering into this real life, by 

 acting and reacting on the physical environment, 



