228 Education through Nature 



ent on acuteness of the senses and on the practical 

 powers of the mind. The pupil is taught to make 

 things, to do things, and that in the order in which 

 these things have been invented by man in the course 

 of history. Pupils are expected to prepare their own 

 food from the raw materials which nature under their 

 cultivation is made to yield; to make their own gar- 

 ments from fabrics manufactured by them from the 

 unwashed fleece; to repeat, in other words, the eco- 

 nomic activities of the race. 



There is much reason to suspect that this view of 

 development is a superficial view of the social philoso- 

 pher trying to be scientific. It penetrates no farther 

 than human activities. Yet so far as it goes, it is in 

 accord with scientific principles. It has the appear- 

 ance of a return to nature, but is in reality only a return 

 to primitive society. It does not rest its claims on 

 biological laws, but rather on primitive social laws. 

 That such activity is natural to the child is evident 

 from its games. 



Yet this theory has the disadvantage of suggesting 

 low ideals; of being the outgrowth of the practical 

 spirit of our age; of being in league with that spirit 

 which places the successful business man above the 

 inspired poet, and a popular foot-ball player above 

 the man of science. There is about it some of the 

 atmosphere of the kitchen and machine-shop and a 

 spirit of the "over-man" that does not impress one as 

 ideal. Notwithstanding its practical appearance, it 

 is essentially artificial, inasmuch as that law of neces- 

 sity, which operated in primitive society, is wanting. 

 Take away that necessity which compels the hungry 

 savage to hunt his food, and a little pretence at original 

 cooking is hardly better than riding a broomstick 

 instead of a real horse. It is play. 



The Humanistic Standpoint. The social theory may 

 be regarded as the outgrowth of those new concep- 



