1. To develop the tastes of the child for the beauti- 

 ful, to lead him to appreciate the best in nature, to 

 think the great thoughts of nature, and to direct him to 

 that which is above nature. 



2. To develop the powers of the child, the powers of 

 seeing, telling, and thinking, of observation, expression, 

 and reasoning. 



3. To give him a knowledge of all his environment, 

 nature as well as man, of his relations to the present, 

 as well as the experiences of the past. 



Having touched on the objects or purposes of nature 

 study it" seems wise to consider some of the general 

 principles which may help us in gaining these objects. 



In the very beginning we cannot emphasize too 

 strongly the fact that the centre and circumference of 

 this work is the child. Its object is to interest, elevate, 

 develop, and instruct the child. The college professor 

 may teach botany, may plan everything with the sole 

 idea of giving a clear, systematic, well-rounded knowl- 

 edge of the plant or plant kingdom. The teacher in 

 the elementary schools who thus plans her work will 

 certainly fail. If she would have the best success, every- 

 thing must be subordinated to the child, everything 

 planned and conducted with reference to his nature and 

 his needs. What he learns about nature is very second- 

 ary. What he gets from nature is all important. Success 

 or failure in nature study, or in the method of education 

 of which nature study is the simplest and best exem- 

 plification, depends primarily on our center, our point 

 of view. If we approach it from the standpoint of the 

 child, become as little children, we shall enter the 

 kingdom. If we do not, we shall fail. 



