viii AUTHORS' PREFACE 



There is another side of the question. The average boy, at least, 

 passes through a stage when the keeping of pet animals, the collect- 

 ing of butterflies or the cultivating of a garden are sources of great 

 delight. After a year or two of school life, however, he often 

 " grows out" of these early interests, and it is as a rule not until far 

 later in his life, if at all, that the aesthetic pleasures to be gained 

 from an appreciation of nature, begin to make themselves felt. 



In nature-study, however, the emotional senses are cultivated 

 incidentally with those powers of observation upon which the work 

 of the poet and artist depends, no less than the success of the man 

 of business, the farmer, and the scientific investigator. 



Furthermore, it must not be forgotten that nature-study adds greatly 

 to the pleasure of life, rendering intelligible what is going on in forest 

 and stream, in hedgerow and in garden, that it is part and parcel of 

 all true sport, and paves the way to any number of fascinating hobbies. 



There is a suspicion in the minds of some science teachers, to 

 whom nature-study is as yet only a name, that its promoters wish 

 it to take the place of science in secondary schools. Not only do we 

 believe that this is entirely unfounded, but we hold most strongly 

 that while all children should take part in nature-study, such work 

 will be greatly strengthened if it be followed by definite courses of 

 scientific training. On the other hand, as practical teachers, we 

 have found that nature-study is the best possible preparation for the 

 mind towards grasping the essentials of scientific method. 



In the case of elementary schools, however, it is questionable 

 whether the scholars, as a rule, stay there long enough to be able 

 to do any scientific work. It is not surprising, therefore, that the 

 importance of introducing nature-study into these schools, and of 

 encouraging informal out-door lessons, was officially recognised by 

 the Board of Education some years ago. 



