Judges' Report 15 



important teaching posts, were trained in this school. 

 They no doubt received a stimulus to scientific work 

 from the example of this highly successful School 

 Natural History Society. 



What we may call the note of vitality is also char- 

 acteristic of the exhibit of the Philadelphia Normal 

 School, from which much interesting information is to 

 be gathered, especially, perhaps, as regards correlation 

 of subjects. The dated drawings of seedlings in various 

 stages of development, made direct from nature, are 

 excellent examples of what can be done in school. 



(II) Seasonal Studies. — We would commend the 

 increasing prominence which is being given to seasonal 

 studies, as illustrated by numerous floral calendars, 

 records of birds, and the like. This seasonal method 

 gives order, correlation, and naturalness to the work, 

 and it seems to us of particular value when the whole 

 range of seasonal phenomena — astronomical, meteoro- 

 logical, and occupational, as well as biological, is taken 

 account of It is also of importance that the same 

 objects — whether trees or birds, the plants or animals 

 in pond or shore-pool — should be observed with per- 

 sistence through the different seasons. The simple 

 device, followed in several schools, of making indi- 

 vidual pupils vouch for particular records in the 

 calendar or on the chart, seems praiseworthy. The 

 danger which attends seasonal records is that the 

 entries may become purely formal. An opportunity 

 is lost when the occurrence of a plant or animal is 

 noted without any enlargement of knowledge con- 

 cerning the circumstances under which it lives. 



(III) Regfional Surveys.— We direct attention to 

 the value of regional surveys — geographical and geo- 



