General Methods 85 



and the nature of the subject require on the other 

 hand. 



I. 



THE OBJECT. What are the natural divisions of 

 an object of study, and which of our general methods 

 is suited to each of these divisions, on the one hand, 

 and, on the other hand, suited to the variously devel- 

 oped powers of the pupil? 



1. Each living thing can be studied (#) as con- 

 sisting of parts, or (b) as a whole, and (c) as having 

 relation to other things, environment. 



2. Both as a whole and as parts, the object may 

 be studied, (a) as regards its morphology (origin, his- 

 tory, form, or structure), (b) as regards its physiology 

 (use, function, or work). 



3. The study of an object in each and all of the 

 divisions above may consist (a) in ascertaining the 

 isolated facts. But this gathered material (b) must 

 be combined with what is already in the mind, must 

 be assimilated, and generalized or apperceived. 



4. When facts have been thus built up into a sys- 

 tem of knowledge, there still remains the step of 

 expressing the ideas gained (a) orally (recitation), 

 (b) by the hand (drawing), (c) by the pen (writing). 



II. 



THE PUPIL. Normal development is a general 

 concept, which implies: (a) physical development, 

 (b) intellectual development, (c) moral development. 



i. We have a right to assume that the pupil has 

 (a) some power, (b) some knowledge. He needs 

 more of both. Are we to assume that all knowledge 

 and all power which the pupil is capable of can be 

 developed by merely "drawing it out" merely 

 spinning it out of his own inner consciousness ? Then 

 we have no need of nature study. 



