68 The Nature-Study Exhibition 



questions. We call this a 'game' — 'The Survival of the Fittest*. 

 It is immensely popular with the lads, and co-ordinates the teaching of 

 spoken English with Nature-study. The flowers and leaves gathered 

 are used in the drawing lesson as a basis of design also. 



" The animals, birds, and insects shown in the photographs have 

 almost entirely been brought to the school by the children themselves, 

 who take a great interest in the school after they have left it, and often 

 send us interesting articles for the school museum, e.g. a flying-fish, 

 a tortoise, &c. , from other countries. 



" The head-master's drawings in coloured chalk are used by the other 

 teachers to illustrate their lessons. Some are after well-known pictures, 

 and many are original. 



" We have three aquaria and one vivarium in school, all managed by 

 the children themselves. Sometimes we visit the local municijial 

 museum, where a competent naturalist (Mr. Mosley) arranges a most 

 useful monthly collection — on a table — of the flowers, plants, insects, 

 birds, &c., of that month." 



At Langport and Huish Episcopi Board School: — 



"The chief idea in view in our scheme of Nature-study is that the 

 boys should ' use their eyes ' when out of school. 



" The greater part of our work is done out of school, and is absolutely 

 voluntary. 



**Boys are told little or nothing of Nature-knowledge. If they are 

 ignorant of the name, e.g. of a plant, they enquire of one another, fail- 

 ing which they ask their parents and friends. By this means parents 

 are encouraged to take a direct interest in school work — indifference of 

 parents to their children's education being a not uncommon feature 

 of elementary education. 



"My experience here has shown that the more intelligent scholars 

 form small natural-history excursions of their own on the principle of 

 the division of labour. Thus one supplies what the other lacks, either 

 in knowledge or specimens. 



" In the upper department of the school we have a Natural-history 

 Calendar which the boys verify daily. They also collect specimens of 

 wild flowers, and a large number of them bring over 50 each week. 

 Nothing is taken without a name. They are required to bring a com- 

 plete plant, except root. This latter exception was made because some 

 of the more ardent collectors used to bring rare plants. 



*' In the lower group classes of observations sure dealt with. Children 



