xvi NATURE-STUDY. 



None but a lover of nature could have written that 

 magnificent monograph. None but a lover of nature 

 would have had his pupils in mind as he wrote it. None 

 but a lover of nature can teach nature study. I have 

 said that more than once; I am willing to repeat it in 

 every paragraph that I write on this subject of nature 

 study. If you do not yourself love natural objects, never 

 be misled into the attempt to take charge of a class of 

 young persons in nature study. An exceedingly small 

 amount of experience in such conditions will speedily 

 "prove it to you," as Uncle Remus says, that you are 

 "forepreordinestinated" to fail. 



As well might you attempt to write a book "How to 

 Win the Love of your Pupils," or "How to make Other 

 Persons Gracious, Kind and Courteous." Love them, 

 be really gracious, kind and courteous at heart, and the 

 transferring of these sentiments to your pupils will be 

 accomplished readily and as surely, as rays of light will 

 emanate from a luminous body. 



The authors of "Nature Study Lessons" have not laid 

 down a schedule of nature study methods and topics for 

 each week in the school year. They have merely pro- 

 vided details of material from a few natural objects of 

 wide range. They have wisely left it to the true teacher 

 to utilize this material in her own way. 



The merits of the book in supplying detailed sugges- 

 tions for sharp seeing are self-evident to any nature-lov- 

 ing teacher. She needs no introduction to tell her that 

 this is good material, for she will at once recognize what 

 is helpful in her work. Neither does she need to be 

 told how to use it, for she will make her own method, 

 and use best in her own way such of these observations 

 as come within the scope of her own interests. No other 



