Aprils, 1897.] 



SCIENCE. 



533 



fort ' hypothesis, and ought to provoke seri- 

 ous controversy regarding the nature of men- 

 tal power. How long must we observe that 

 success in a given kind of work is no 

 guarantee of success in another, and that 

 expertness in one direction is an almost in- 

 fallible proof of mediocrity in another, be- 

 fore we shall concede the specific nature of 

 mental power. It is this concession which 

 gives preeminence to modern pedagogics. It 

 is impracticable and unphilosophical to 

 talk about symmetrical development. My 

 contention so far has been to show the su- 

 perior value of nature study as a source of 

 material for sensuous stimuli which are the 

 basis of all knowledge of the outside world 

 and of its myriad relations ; and, further- 

 more, the source of those stimuli which will 

 induce precise and economic action of nerve 

 centers and nerve tracts, a prerequisite to 

 the formation of habit and taste. I concede 

 the spiritual nature of these psychic forms, 

 but I contend for their physical basis. 



Accepting the proposition as established, 

 the question arises by what agencies can 

 habits be induced which will insure prompt- 

 ness and accuracy of execution. The de- 

 mand of the age is for ability to totalize 

 energy, to focalize power and quickly. 

 This is my second contention : That in eul- 

 turing value nature studies are not surpassed by 

 other branches of study. 



Conceding that nature study does not 

 furnish all the data demanded for the solu- 

 tion of all of life's problems, I still hold that 

 the habits induced by their studj' and, what 

 is of far greater importance, the tastes de- 

 veloped are of superior value in training to 

 manliness. Dr. Kuss says that " the asso- 

 ciation of conception with ideas and their 

 union with feelings and aspiration is under 

 the control of education." And Dr. Eade- 

 stock vigorously states that " scientific edu- 

 cation is only worth anything and is of vital 

 importance when its actions, powers and 

 means have become firm and steady hab- 



its;" and Rousseau, more than a century 

 since in his Emile, " Education is certainly 

 nothing but a formation of habits;" and 

 Locke, a century earlier, " We must expect 

 nothing from precautionary maxims and 

 good precepts, though they be deeply im- 

 pressed on the mind, beyond the point at 

 which practice has changed them to firm 

 habits." These citations are made in cor- 

 roboration of what has been advocated. I 

 do not contend that the humanities are 

 wanting as means to the desired end, but 

 by reason of their less sensuous nature they 

 are not as well adapted to form the be- 

 ginnings of habit which they admirably 

 strengthen and supplement. 



My third contention is that the study of 

 nature is preeminently ethical, since the exactness 

 demanded by all scientific research fosters and 

 necessitates love of truth. 



It seems hardly necessary to mention in 

 this presence the value of nature study as 

 promotive of the habit of truthfulness. 

 That the ethical value of scientific training 

 has been questioned may be referred to the 

 early practice of advocating this study be- 

 cause of the attractiveness of objective and 

 concrete study, until many regarded na- 

 ture study as a sort of amusement or enter- 

 tainment. I assume that the larger portion 

 of this audience is connnected with some 

 one or more of the scientific associations of 

 the country. I need but call attention to 

 the character of the papers, and to their 

 criticism to demonstrate the fact that with 

 the student of science truth is supreme. 

 With him hypotheses are abandoned as 

 cheerfully and as promptly as they are 

 formed. Experience teaches that this abil- 

 ity to set aside cherished ideas is not easily 

 acquired, but the very inexorableness of 

 nature schools men to place priceless value 

 upon truth. A scientific liar is a mis-, 

 nomer, a self-contradiction. 



The importance of the habit of truthful- 

 ness is worthy of greater emphasis than the 



