INTRODUCTION 3 



for its own sake, is the hollowest kind of mockery. It leads to a 

 disregard for the truth in the striving after sensational statements 

 and bizarre comparisons. The constant beating of gongs and 

 shaking of tambourines drcwns out the sweetest voices of nature 

 to which she alone can give tongue. 



Still others seem to believe that nature's phenomena can not 

 appeal to children unless the various agents are personified and 

 made to march before the children in the form of kings, princes, 

 fairies or other questionable shapes. This must always result in 

 failure as far as nature study teaching is concerned, and on the 

 other hand can not have the charm and good of true fairy stories. 

 Ingenuously worked out battles between the marshaled hosts of 

 the Frost King and the Heat Emperor or an account of the adven- 

 tures of Fanny Violet and Billy June Bug have about as much in 

 them for coming close to nature as would a marvelous account of 

 how the Jolly little Fraction made trouble for the Sullen Giant 

 Rule of Three for getting even a child's view of number 

 relations. A.11 these means are not only wholly unnecessary, 

 but they defeat the purposes of nature study and prevent the 

 accomplishment of just that special good which it can do. The 

 child is as interested in the real facts and phenomena of nature 

 when he can see them clearly, as he can possibly be in the array 

 of any imaginary incongruities. 



It is very important that not too much be attempted at a time. 

 It is a common error to bring too much into a single lesson. One 

 thing at a time seen clearly, should be the rule. Time must be 

 given the pupil to see and enjoy. Progress in the power to deal 

 with facts successfully is a matter of growth. Growth requires 

 assimilation, and assimilation demands time. Hurrying over a 

 a thing before the undrilled powers of the child have grasped 

 what is before him, is losing a fine educational opportunity. 



In the lower grades the lessons should be brief in addition 

 to being simple. 



Experience has clearly shown that it is better in the elemen- 

 tary grades to avoid keeping the lessons on the same group of 

 phenomena for a very long time. The children soon become 

 weary of a subject which is thus brought up day after day, and 

 nothing is more inimical to success in teaching then such a feel- 

 ing. The lessons must be fragmentary and the subject frequently 

 changed. 



