488 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 
children are being educated chiefly with reference to adult life, it is 
known that methods suited to adults are far less efficient than those that 
recognize the peculiarities of child nature. It is now found that the 
old, analytic, logical methods are not only not the best for young chil- 
dren, but they are the worst possible—far worse than haphazard teach- 
ing which leaves the child’s mind free to work and develop in its own 
natural way. 
Details can not be given in the space of a single article, but those 
who know best, believe that if a Utopian social life is ever to be devel- 
oped it will be largely through the application of the results of re- 
searches into child nature. Such research is being carried on in many 
places and all up-to-date departments of education, normal schools and 
universities include some instruction regarding the results of such 
research, while enlightened parents and all progressive workers in insti- 
tutions dealing with the welfare of children are seeking and using such 
information. It is to be hoped that the time is not far distant when 
public appropriations and private benevolence will provide for more 
extensive prosecutions of research in this difficult, complex and most 
important of all sciences. 
