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lose that which is of far more importance in the early years. Yet 
to “teach the star-fish’' and leave it an isolated subject, and to 
continue the sime process with other subjects is to create for the 
child a world of objects and ideas neither related to themselves 
nor to the child. The question of unity is a vital one, and 
seems to us to-day that in nature-study unity must be on an 
educational basis. Gradually and naturally, with increase of 
knowledge and development of the reasoning powers, this edu- 
cational unity will become scientific. 
n shall we choose for subject-matter in nature-study 
and what shall be its order? When we remember that each indi- 
vidual is the center of his own universe, the question simplifies 
ee to some degree. Toa certain extent the answer will vary 
h the environment of the child; nature-study for the country- 
a will differ somewhat from chat of the city-child; still the 
governing principles are the same. Taking the normal child as 
the center, let the naturally widening circles of his environment 
furnish the subject-matter. These widening circles too often lose 
their symmetry in nature-study, and become an irregular coast- 
line with peninsulas and promontories, and worst of all, with 
shoals or outlying islands entirely cut off from the mainland. No 
one knows better than the teacher of nature-study the tempta- 
tion to lead a bright-eyed eager child out into the unknown ; but 
one must know where to turn back, and one must make sure that 
the child can find his way back alone. Our schools are full of 
lost children who cannot find their way back alone. 
One bright Saturday morning not i since a lady sat watch- 
ing a little girl in Riverside Park. e child skipped up toa 
cluster of dry seed-pods, shook ie. over her hand, and ran 
along the path scattering the seeds as she went ; she flew up to 
some fluffy white balls of dandelions that had gone to seed, knelt 
in the grass, and blew the seeds as far as she could; then she 
began picking up the maple-keys from the walk. The curiosity 
of the lady on the bench was aroused and she approached the 
child: ‘What are you doing, little one?” she asked. “ Help- 
ing nature,” was the brief but enlightening reply, and the little 
maid danced away upon her mission, leaving in her wake a 
