Mr. Rose's Address 203 



ideals strangely differing from the realities so labori- 

 ously pictured for them. 



The only absolutely reliable channel of knowledge 

 is observation. 



The orange-tree grown from the pip on the window 

 ledge of the city board school — the water - snail 

 passing its declining days in the 3 -lb. jam jar — 

 the home-made barometer read daily in the village 

 school-room until it becomes a trusty friend — these 

 and kindred things are such common indications of 

 a breaking away from the old style, that it is surely 

 correct to say that the whole tendency of recent 

 methods in elementary schools has been to approach 

 and to impinge upon Nature-study. 



The complete change has not yet become suffi- 

 ciently general, but the time is surely approaching 

 when every school that for one reason or another is 

 hesitating will bring itself into line by adopting some 

 measure of Nature-study, not because it is the fashion, 

 but because it is the obvious sequence to what we 

 have all already done. 



But the elementary teacher has so often been the 

 victim of the educational " crank " that he must be 

 pardoned if he is predisposed to doubt the lasting 

 character of new educational expedients. 



Transitory innovations, which add to his burden 

 by filching time from what he knows are the essentials 

 of his work, are always unwelcome. 



Even innovations which are acknowledged to be 

 new essentials can only receive their due and pro- 

 portionate share of his attention by the nicest adjust- 

 ment of conflicting desires. 



So that those who are expecting so much from the 



