244 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



PRACTICAL OBJECT LESSONS. 



eitOXf 



ting specimens of Peal, Lignite, Je 

 ' Clay, Shale, Sandstone Rock. eic. 



1. FEAT. 



ANTHRACITE COAL, 



\~\ JK recently had an opportunity of inspecting 

 the excellent series of practical object 

 lessons prepared by Messrs. Cox and Co., of New 

 Oxford Street, London. As aids to the teachers of 

 young people we cannot imagine a more satis- 

 factory or 



useful plan , , 



than that 

 adopted by 

 this firm. 

 Those which 

 naturally first 

 appealed to 

 us were the 

 elementary 

 geological 

 series, con- 

 sisting of 

 twenty ex- 

 amples of 

 minerals 

 under various 

 groups, such 

 as the metal- 

 lic minerals, 

 earthy mine- 

 rals, igneous 

 rocks, sedi- 

 m e n t a r y 

 rocks, British 

 fossils, and 

 coal. To ex- 

 plain our 

 meaning we 

 give an illus- 

 tration of the 

 latter series. 

 The speci- 

 mens are 

 mounted upon 

 cards. With 

 these objects 

 as the text, 

 teachers find 

 no difficulty 

 in preparing 

 elementary 



discourses far more interesting to the pupils than 

 the most elaborate descriptions set forth in books. 

 With regard to the trustworthiness of the various 

 geological collections, it may be mentioned that 

 they have been prepared under the direction of a 

 gentleman connected with the geological depart- 

 ment at South Kensington. The firm also supplies 

 more elaborate series arranged in small hardwood 

 cabinets. On inquiry we find that the chief 



,' Bituminous, Oil and other Coal, with examples 

 found in and around the British Coal Fields, 



7, Carboniferous Coal Shaie. 



lO.'Torbanile, Kerosene Shale. 



CANNEL COAL. 



11. BLACK BAND IRONSTONE. 



BITUMINOUS COAL. 



FOSSIL COAL SHELL. 



coniferous Sandstone, 



lemllic Minerals. Earthy Minerals. J 



COX &. CO, 9t> and 101. 'Se 



lie Rocks, Sedimeoiiiry Ro 



sford- Street London ; 



Hlusireted Brktd Catalo'siitof-Kinaergartin, ScJiw/Jf/eed/iluorli Ma: 



applications for these practical object lessons come 

 from the middle - class and higher grade Board 

 schools. It was unexpected to hear that recently 

 three hundred sets had been forwarded to the 

 order of the educational authorities of the island 



of Malta. The 

 same princi- 

 ple of prac- 

 tical lessons 

 has been ex- 

 tended by 

 Cox and Co. 

 to the arts 

 and manufac- 

 tures. The 

 whole forms 

 an admirable 

 means of 

 imparting 

 elementary 

 education on 

 the origin of 

 or manner of 

 producing 

 common ob- 

 jects familiar 

 to every 

 scholar. For 

 instance, in 

 the case of 

 flax, speci- 

 mens are at- 

 tached to the 

 card, exhibit- 

 ing in the first 

 place the flax 

 plant, then its 

 various stages 

 of prepara- 

 tion, until it 

 reaches a 

 piece of fine 

 linen. Many 

 other subjects 

 commonly 

 met with by 

 boys and girls 

 are treated in the same manner, including table- 

 knives, buttons, silk, etc., one of the most attractive 

 being the stages of manufacture of a needle. We 

 imagine that this series might be extended with 

 considerable advantage by Messrs. Cox. For 

 instance, economic entomology could be easily 

 represented. Cases showing the work of the hive 

 bee and of insects injurious to crops would be 

 useful in village schools. 



