Mr. Elliot's Address 227 



the results of my experience may be of some interest 

 to other workers in the same field. From the first 

 class (in 1899), it has been clear to my mind that 

 such instruction must be guided by several important 

 objectives. 



(i) Such courses are primarily intended to produce 

 a habit of observation, of drawing conclusions, and 

 of exercising common sense. 



(2) A certain amount of practical skill in dealing 

 with flowers or specimens, and an elementary ac- 

 quaintance with the microscope, are necessary for our 

 teachers, who, especially in country schools, have to 

 use such flowers as they can get, not such as they 

 would prefer, and who are entirely precluded from 

 obtaining any outside assistance. 



(3) A certain amount of solid information is ab- 

 solutely necessary for them. The students must 

 know sufificient to be able to use ordinary sources of 

 information, and they must learn where they can ob- 

 tain knowledge which they do not possess. Even 

 their influence with the children and their parents 

 depends very much on their being well informed. Of 

 course no teacher should hesitate to confess his ignor- 

 ance, but he would do well to remember that every 

 such confession diminishes his influence. 



(4) Real interest in the subject must be maintained; 

 no progress can be made with perfunctory or unin- 

 terested students. One important ideal of such teach- 

 ing is to inspire a real love of country life and to 

 reveal the fascinations of Nature-study. But it is also 

 necessary for such classes to be real work ; they must 

 not degenerate into games played by the master and 

 students. Many suggestions on this subject appear 



