Professor Geddes's Address 125 



such naturalist experts, such field-clubs and socie- 

 ties, such museums and libraries as may be available, 

 we teachers will soon learn and teach each other, both 

 independently and in gatherings such as the present, 

 how better and better to arrange year by year for our 

 pupils and ourselves, higher and fuller facilities for 

 Nature-study. 



SUMMARY 



The vital points of this paper are: — (i) That Nature is a 

 moving unity, a Pageant of the Seasons; not an abstract 

 syllabus (and concrete ash-bucket) of " object-lessons ", or 

 even dissected "types" — subordinately serviceable, even 

 necessary, though these may be. (2) That the essential 

 strategic point for the nature-teacher is to awaken and 

 develop in the child the wonder and joy of Nature before 

 the intellectual analysis of it, and thence (3) to continue 

 artistic and scientific education as far as possible in har- 

 mony, without undue isolation of either. (4) That for the 

 beginner the Nature Note-book — for the more advanced 

 pupil the maps and notes of an extending Regional Survey 

 — will be found of the utmost practical benefit in utilizing 

 and gradually systematizing the facilities of Nature-study, 

 and in training the pupil for the various specialist outlooks, 

 for studies of all kinds, even for corresponding occupations 

 also.* (5) That foremost among immediate practical possi- 

 bilities (taking excursions, &c., now for granted), and hence 

 the essential desideratum — to be secured for country and 

 suburban schools without delay, for town schools as far 

 as possible — is the school -garden; always provided this 

 be designed by or for art-teacher and nature-teacher to- 

 gether, so as to show to the full the living and seasonal 

 beauty of its chosen plants; and be not a "cats' grave- 



* See the writer's paper " Nature-study and Geographical Education" in 

 Scot. Geog. Soc. Mag., Oct., 1902. 



