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movements, investigate its means of locomotion and 

 trace the circulation of blood in its body. After the 

 study of life and function, structure had a meaning to 

 them. They understood and were interested in it. 

 Even the flower, whose beauty always attracts the child, 

 no matter how approached, became more attractive, 

 had a deeper meaning, when the child discovered that 

 the flower and each part had a special work to do, and 

 learned that even color, and odor and honey were aids 

 in performing this work. Through the flower, that 

 emblem of all that is beautiful and pure, I believe they 

 cannot but gain a higher realization of their place in 

 life, a purer and holier conception of the great mystery 

 of the origin of life. 



Even the stones tell the children a story of life or 

 energy or action. The limestone, with which our coun- 

 try about St. Paul is covered, they approached through 

 snail and snail-shell and clam, until the children them- 

 selves deciphered the story of the past, which its fos- 

 sils told. The sandstone is a story, as well as a struct- 

 ure, a story of the action of water. The soil at their 

 feet has told them how water and air have joined 

 hands in making this earth fit for man's habitation. 

 The crystalline rocks, limestone and granite, they 

 understood after they had seen the formation of crys- 

 tals of alum, and salt and blue vitriol. Then the 

 crystals had a story. 



Thus every plant and animal and stone becomes to 

 them not merely a " what," something to sharpen their 

 observing powders, and develop and clarify their powers 

 of expression ; the very stones at their feet ask why ? 

 and how ? ; bring into play every power of their mind. 



