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study of her lulll, her luays, her beauties and her mysteries. Years have 

 hut increased ray contempt for the Rote system of Cram, (not teaching), 

 a system wliich 'put the cart before the horse' ; a system whiclt taught 

 Names before Things, feeding the child on symbols without realities, and 

 leaving him at last stunted, nauseated, paralyzed. He might pass 

 Examinations as these things, go, hut those who never 'passed' passed 

 him in the race of life." 



" How am 1 to educate 135 teachers in Nature Study ? Shcdl I 

 hold a. Summer School, or what is to be done ? " 



" I have taught all grades of Public and High School Work, and 

 am a Specialist in Science, yet I must confess to you that I am unable 

 to meet the demands of this new line of work." 



" We cannot too soon do aivay with the dry, uninteresting second 

 and third readers. We tuant lessons on the animals, birds and plants 

 of our own country, and not those lessons on things ivhich are never seen 

 except at a circus." 



" Your letter comes like a ray of sunshine to me, for as yet I see no 

 p)0ssibility of being able to take a special course in Nature Study, and 

 I know that I have wasted much valuable time and lost many golden 

 opportunities in not being able to take up the work properly. I knoiu 

 so little that when I try to follow a plan 1 am lost, and hitherto I knew 

 not where to apply for infor'tnation and assistance." 



" / have heard excellent teachers of long experience threaten to resign 

 their positions if called upon to teach all that is required by this new 

 draft of proposed regulations." 



" Instead of quarreling on the way to and from school, they have 

 their eyes and ears open to find neiv plants, birds or animals. The 

 gloomy days and dull Friday afternoons are brightened up by Nature 

 Study talks." 



" The chief hindrance I have found is the want of time. Too much 

 importance is put on promotion examination in this county to put much 

 time on Nature Study." 



" The Government could help a great deal in Nature Study by giving 

 to each school a hook, containing pictures and simple descriptions of the 

 common birds, animals, and plants of Ontario." 



" The children can name and teU some thing about nearly all the 

 birds in this neigborhood. I knoiu them only as they tell me, and they 

 often bring me new plants and ask me about them. Very frequently, I 

 do not knoiv and cannot find what they are, and thus lose excellent 

 opportunities" 



" The size of our grounds would not permit a school garden, but all 

 the school children in the city were given seeds to take home and care for, 

 and at the end of June we are to have a flower shoiu in the rink. Each 

 child is to bring his best plant for exhibition." 



