viii HAROLD’S DISCUSSIONS. 
2. To present tlie information, as far as that 
can be done, in a way that may induce the 
reader to go beyond the book and see nature 
for himself. The child unaided will see but 
little in his environment, as is evidenced by 
the native races who live all their lives in the 
midst of nature without discovering any of her 
laws. The mind, excepting that of a genius, 
does not know how to begin to question na¬ 
ture. It needs assistance. The best help is 
that of an intelligent observer, who can go into 
the fields and forests with the child to question 
him and elicit from him such facts as will 
arouse his mentality. As that can not be done 
to any great extent, a book, the next best aid, 
must be put into his hand. 
If the book gives the information in full 
and detail, the reader w^ill content himself to 
take it second-hand. He will fail to improve 
his powers of observation and judgment, and 
thus defeat the chief purpose of science study. 
Many have not had their interest in nature 
aroused; they see no fiowers, hear no birds, 
look at no insects, and think of no law of the 
ever-unfolding life that revels at their feet. 
Yet all of them have lessons of profit and 
beauty for the asking. 
