CURRENT LITERATURE. 
BOOK REVIEWS. 
Nature study. 
THE infusion of nature study into our conventional education is like 
breathing life into a dead body, and yet no subject is in a more chaotic state. 
It is in danger of being condemned before it has had a fair chance to justify 
‘sell, Thrust into the hands of untrained teachers, it has brought to them 
and their pupils bewilderment and disgust. To give them help, unscientific 
makers have attempted to organize the subject, and the result has usually 
been a Jumble of ignorance and sentiment. The problem is peculiarly diffi- 
cult, for it must bring to its solution both experience in teaching children 
*een alone in trying to solve the problem, and have thus far made a con- 
Those who have only some knowledge of science would be 
hit eaccen ke an eqaaily conspicuous failure. At least they seem to 
ieie iy hot to attempt it. Not only is scientific knowledge demanded, 
tst-hand knowledge of almost all sciences, and this would naturally 
Cause ; i 
all but the unscientific to shrink from the task. A book‘ has just 
peared wh 
are concern 
very apt to ma 
statements : «Function should precede form ;" “It is not impor- 
2 Palmately vet shat ee root is fibrous, nor even that the ovate leaves st 
eS 7 tes @ sinuate tooth margin, and are alternately arrange 
% the Sa general rule systematic observation defeats its object 
perceptions of the children; therefore, the main thing 
This certainiy «: 
. become a ee true, but unfortunately, these excellent ideas do not 
 “Witha Cony "ed in the exercises suggested. Not only are schools afilicted 
8 a ecm education which nature study seeks to vitalize, but there 
the aaa form of botanical instruction which by no means 
> keeps a 
- Dat hag 1 Side” before the pupil. Our author knows what she wants, 
a ot been abj 
| oO i e a few 
_ Stttises with lea escape the conventional botany. There ar 
‘W 
oo ee, 
Mop) “ps 1. L.— Nature study in elementary schools. Small 8vo. pp- 
1898) ‘cmillan Company : New York. 1898. 90 cents. 
9 
