October 2a, 1893.] 



SCIENCE. 



221 



To show that such a state of affairs is not without ex- 

 ception, I will mention the state normal school of Michi- 

 gan. The faculty of that institution comprises about 

 twenty-five persons (exclusive of the practice school), of 

 ■whom, four are assigned to the department of English lan- 

 guage and literature, four to the department of mathe- 

 matics, and six to the two departments of science. It is 

 not a dozen years since only one teacher was engaged ex- 

 clusively in science teaching, but the rapid development 

 of science courses, along with specialization of depart- 

 ments, has brought the present gratifying conditions. 

 But what appears to me of much greater significance is 

 the introduction of science teaching into the practice 

 school. The catalogue of that department outlines a 

 course in science studies for the grades one to eight in- 

 clusive, making it equally prominent with the other sub- 

 jects. This course is of necessity rather crude, and the 

 teaching, I venture, is more so, yet the hundred and more 

 young teachers graduated from the institution each year 

 must carry away with them many practical ideas of the 

 new work, gained during their senior year of observation 

 and practice teaching. 



Having at hand the catalogues of the several normal 

 schools of Wisconsin and Minnesota, I am pleased to find 

 in them the same evidences of progress. As four or five 

 schools are sustained by each of those states they are 

 necessarily much smaller than the Michigan institution, 

 consequently department lines can not be so strictly 

 drawn around related subjects, and numerical compari- 

 sons are not easily made. It is noticeable, however, that 

 the sciences are generally taught by persons who devote 

 their energies entirely to that work. But it is the pre- 

 scribed courses of the graded practice schools that show 

 best the right tendencies of these institutions. 



That science teaching in primary schools falls far short 

 of our "dream" is true. That many successful efforts 

 have been inaugurated is also true. The writer enjoys the 

 personal acquaintance of several energetic young princi- 

 pals and superintendents who have organized science 

 courses in their schools, and can recall numerous in- 

 stances of teachers who are doing creditable work. A 

 very few cities (Muskegon is the only one known to me in 

 this state) have tried the plan of a special teacher or 

 supervisor of science. Under the present conditions this 

 is doubtless the best plan for cities of sufficient size to 

 justify the expense, provided the person employed is a 

 teacher and not a machine worker. The time and ener- 

 gies of the special teacher should be about equally divid- 

 ed between the pupils and the regular teachers. "While 

 doing considerable direct teaching in the school rooms, 

 the best work of this functionary should be the instruct- 

 ing, training and inspiring of the teachers, so that, though 

 they may not become at once ideal exponents of the 

 methods of science, they will at least be more willing and 

 efficient helpers. 



The present need in science teaching is not bo much in 

 the matter as in the manner. Formal dogmatic teaching 

 of the mere facts of science can only add another burden 

 to the crowded curriculum. Rightly used, no other line 

 of work gives to school life so many points of contact 

 with real life. Observation, investigation, experiment, 

 stimulated and directed by the teacher, should be the 

 directions of greatest activity, and discovery should 

 be one of the chief aims and rewards of the pupil. 

 Instead, the average teacher usually forestalls the best 

 activities of the child by beginning with the announce- 

 ment of what should be the conclusion. 



Where the new work has been introduced it is too often 

 regarded by both teachers and pupils as a strange ap- 

 pendage that has in some way become attached to the 

 body of educational matter. It should and will become a 



properly related part of the organic body. To change 

 the figure, I know from observation that the announce- 

 ment ''Get ready for the science lesson" means to the 

 pupils "Get ready for the weekly dose of this new educa- 

 tional medicine." Experience shows that it is sweet and 

 pleasant to many; to some it is almost nauseating. 



The desired all-round improvement in the preparation 

 of teachers must be a gradual evolution from the present 

 movement. No college or training school course is suffi- 

 cient in itself. The preparation of the future teacher 

 who shall successfully teach the elements of science in 

 their proper relations to other subjects must begin in the 

 kindergarten and continue throughout, constituting an 

 educational exjaerieuce in which the teachings of nature 

 contribute their equal share. 



The "thinking people" who need no argument that the 

 elements of science should be taught in the primary 

 schools are a small minority. In most instances where 

 teachers or school officers have undertaken the work in a, 

 systematic manner they have been permitted by the indif- 

 ference rather than the active consent of the majority. 

 The advocates of science teaching may well be thankful 

 for this toleration of indifference and should make the 

 most of their opportunity. C. D. McLouth. 



Muskegon, Mich. 



Birds That Sinq in the Niqht. 



The notes which from time to time have appeared in 

 Science with reference to the nocturnal singing of birds 

 demonstrate that a considerable number of species are 

 known to exhibit this eccentricity. From my own ob- 

 servations I can corroborate some statements heretofore 

 published, and, I believe, add one or two to the list of 

 daylight songsters guilty of keeping very late hours. 



1 remember hearing a song sparrow {Melospiza fa&ciala) 

 execute his full song at ten o'clock one dark and cloudy 

 May night in western New York. I listened some time 

 for a repetition of the serenade, but none was given. I 

 have known the catbird {Galeoscoptes carolinensis) to sing 

 in the moonlight. During a term of moonlight nights in 

 August I heard the notes of a black-billed cuckoo {Coc- 

 cyzus erythrophthalmus) nightly at frequent intervals for 

 about an hour shortly after midnight. But with the 

 cuckoo this is a well-known occurrence. I have more 

 than once heard at night the twitter of chimney swifts 

 ( Ghoetura pelagica) from a chimney. 



While on a summer camping expedition in the Cascade 

 Mountains recently I heard cries of the raven {Corvus 

 eorax pji'^^'f^cipaUa) in the darkness, and was awakened on 

 several nights by strange bird notes from the tree tops 

 above our camp. The song — for it might be called such — 

 was presumably executed by some small bird and con- 

 sisted of a clear plaintive whistle having a tremolo ending. 

 I was at a loss to account for its authorship, for the only 

 bird to be found about the camp in the morning, aside 

 from some woodpeckers, was the Oregon jay {Periaoreun 

 obscurus) which I was reluctant to credit with possessing 

 such a voice. However, being as yet unacquainted with 

 the notes of the pygmy owl (Glaucidium gnoma) of this 

 region, it occurs to me that the mysterious vocalist may 

 230ssibly have been this curious little robber. 



On two evenings recently at ten o'clock or later I have 

 heard call-notes of some small birds from vacant lots in my 

 neighborhood. They probably came from flocks of 

 migrating finches of some species, whose cries I am as yet 

 unable to identify. They were heard at intervals for 

 more than an hour one evening. 



Writing of birds, I am reminded of an incident of 

 another sort which I witnessed a few weeks since. Pass- 

 ing along the margin of a wood my attention was attract- 

 ed by angry bird notes, which were found to issue from 



