NATURE-STUDY. xxix 



discoveries of her ways, so must the teacher go into the 

 heart of the child if she would really know the possibili- 

 ties that are there. The best, and the worst, too, must 

 be discovered. There may be latent forces deep in that 

 child, which it is your duty as a teacher to discover and 

 to develop. You will never reach them through five 

 times one are five, nor the noun following the preposition 

 is in the objective case. Leave your desk, and with the 

 child as a true companion, pass through the door of na- 

 ture, there to study and wander in beautiful paths, both 

 of you being children in the kindergarten of God. 



Character Building. 



It has been said of music that it is the only art that 

 cannot bring degrading thoughts to the mind. Sculpture, 

 architecture, painting, literature can all be perverted from 

 their high mission of elevation, to become powerful fac- 

 tors in degrading. Nature study cannot be anything but 

 uplifting. The sunsets, the clouds, the woods, the fields, 

 are always pure, and they willingly stretch out their 

 hands to their admirers. If there is any response on our 

 part it is always, "I would be as pure as you are pure." 

 We can study science to sharpen intellect only, but we 

 cannot have the true "nature study" without elevation 

 of thought and refinement of life. We love nature by 

 our best nature. Where there is the real love there is 

 the real personal uplifting. Nature spreads her beautiful 

 on every side and says, "Come and be beautiful with me." 

 "Do not "go with the child into the beautiful realms of 

 nature, hoping to win him to something loftier and purer. 

 Go because the child will win you, will make you purer 

 and better. He is your master there. Heaven lies very 



