The Scottish Naturalist. 



5 



repressed and rooted out, never to flourish again. We have to see 

 to that. 



Now in this connection I may ask your attention to what is 

 being done by the Kirkcaldy Society. This year we are offering 

 prizes (the first prize being the sum of £2) to all that can pass an 

 examination in Structural Botany as laid down in the Scotch Code, 

 and that besides produce a collection of plants, gathered, pressed, 

 and mounted by themselves during the present season. But it is 

 not intended to confine our efforts to the subject of Botany. This 

 subject has been taken as the one most likely to interest children. 

 May we not hope that by and bye the Society may enlarge the 

 field to include collections of all natural objects whatever. This 

 scheme will, I am certain, prove successful ; and I hope we may 

 be able to send the winning collection for exhibition at the next 

 meeting of the East of Scotland Union. 



I cannot leave this branch of my subject without stating that it 

 was largely owing to the generous kindness of the Hon. President 

 of the Kirkcaldy Society that this scheme was originated. But 

 our societies have a duty collectively. I venture respectfully to 

 suggest that our council might take this important matter in hand. 

 I should be glad to lay before them, with the assistance of such 

 teachers as Mr. Barclay of Perth and Mr. Ellis of Bridge of Earn, 

 a statement of the bearing of the Educational Code upon the 

 teaching of Natural Science. Is it too much to ask that the 

 Education Department should secure for every school such a 

 collection as we have in this room (the Largo Museum) ? Why 

 should field science be limited in degree, and confined to our 

 Infant Schools ? If our council could see it to be a duty to take 

 up this important matter, I believe this would initiate a revolution 

 in our systems of teaching, and do much to secure the physical 

 well-being of our children, which is an all-important matter. You 

 will also give them that love of nature which will do much to 

 modify the corrosive influence of ordinary work. 



Can we secure that school children shall be brought fully under 

 the influence of natural objects ? I think this can be done. May 

 it be that our combined societies may so plan and work that our 

 youth shall be brought under the gentle influences of nature, and 

 shall have their powers of observation rendered more acute by a 

 knowledge of natural objects. 



