Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-08-18

b,s made much OF the teaching Of the
schools a Doll and unprohiaoie cram
ming OF the memory with iacis, some
times useful, Hut quite as often useless
or even harmful. and hl7 ulIccily
tended TO impair those powers OF tne
mind which are concerned in rs hghcf
work of comparison, concentration anu
reasoning.
Bit yJu may ask, hls science been 50
we'll taught il our schools as 10 lusuiy
Dos Introduction everywhere Rave a'l
the conditions necessary 10 ls success
GOD presentation been metz rs % certain
that its history in Che schools OF lover
grade will be a repetition OF that uhich
followed iis Introduction mo OUT
higher institutions OF IyNni1g' 70 ali
these questions ] answer frankly no.
lu 'maHy cases." u.s. another ha7 sl'd,
"thc so.cll'.I science teaching has
bunr :. dsmaI li'ure' I1. the causes
are not Oar Co c.E. To ihu trt place
the number of teachers who are pre-
pared to deal with this subject IS not 40
aIi large. Nsyer having themselves
teen taught fHa real methods and aims
OF science, DO BIS not 90 all strange mat
they cannot teach others. THE INST
impcdimrut. then, 20 the success Of t1.s
work unqualified teachers a sec nd
and possibly OBJ greater hindfanCe TO rs
prosperous advance BIS the almost UNI.
ycr.al 200 sclngepuon which prevails, OF
Dos true aim 8f end. Even among those
who advocate ibs teaching OF science,
it underlying purpose is wrongly iclt
90 Dee the conveyance Of knpWledgc Tor
it so.calicd practical value. kuop igc.
90 D.. sure. is one ul the ends 10 be
sought. but DO Is subordinate 10 the
higher aim of discipline. says the
writer on nature study in the Report Of
the Committee 1i Tens Il must 1s zee
membcrcl that The pumly object 90
nature study b. not that the children
may gct a knowledge OF plants and ani'
mails. Ihc hut purpose is tl interest them
in nature. This must DE done before
other desirable results can Doe obtained.
The second purpose is 10 train aud de-
ycI1p tie Chi drcu, D. e.. 90 tram them
10 observe, compare and express lscc.
reason and tcllI, 90 cause them 90 form
the habit of investigating carefully and
VI making cicll truthful statements,
and TO develop DO them a taste lot
original investigation. the third puf-
pose IS the acquisition Of knowlei ge.
This. however, the paragraph con.
cludcs, must be gained ty actual
experience" and Thrust De knowledge
classified" or science,
"A third obstacle which has stood In
The way Of genuine teaching Of science
In elementary schools, is the use Of
books, 20 which have already alluded.
How often has the sole equipment for
this work been a book a book writ
ten possibly Tor college classes, or at
best. under conditions not az all appii
cable to the circumstances OF the case
at hanli IL cannot be too often repeated
that Tor this work books are a positive
hiniMuCc. The child must make his
own discoveries. There must be MOTH
ing 10 Interfere with his freedom TO
question nature lJr himself. The effort
Of the teacher, even, must be to interest
and guide the pupil, never 10 discover
Tor him. ] rciicrate Il, then, that the
child must not study the book but the
thing. les this study that qu.ckcns
the senses, that trains judgment, that
develops power aud resources. that
makes character
have noted some VI the causes
which have prevented and do stiIl pre-.
Of the ughtiul aims OF the study OF
science. These causes must be re-
moved before a better future will be
reached lne outlook Is hopeful, how.
ever. Thee D. az the present time To-
America d development Of interest in
elementary science teaching which b.
most Significant Educational Assem-.
blics arc urging It's Importance: con-
a. 81 L. -
courses VI study adapted TO all grades
from the kindergarten 10 the college.
cur higher Institutions oi learning are
Offering special instruction to those who
are preparing To teach 10. The TINS has
already arrived when the claims Of
arithmetic and technical grammar 10 the
leading places a. disciplinary studies 90
our schools are ia question. Ine force
OF tIa revolution whoa has just over.
run our colleges o. not yet hp nt. The
rapid Eiuw,h OF the Kindergarten, the
Introduction %. drawing aud manual
training into public schools, the cXteu.
sion of laboratory methods down from
the university and college 10 the nigh
school, and from the hlgn school to the
elementary school, are all prophecies vt
the approaching day when empty
No la VIII nave no place ~ a
school room, aud when our children
eyes will no longer bee sealed TO the
beauty and REGIMES, that ltc an arc uud.
above aud beneath them,
The world s beginning TO realize the
need Of choosing lines Of school work
which have more than knowledge
value More aud more the reader OF
educational literature sees the words
discipline, power, character. That
which will most surely aud eKpediuously
secure these ends Of education must
give us most concern. From no one
department OF study can fullest culture
be drawn The most rigorous, fullest
rounded, systcmaucal character Is the
product OF many dIsclplines; but VI
none in the larger measure than that
which Is built upon the impeushable
truths Of nature revealed 10 blade and
flower aud tree, than that into whose
fibre and tissue are interviewer the
principles OF harmony and obedience To
the laws OF God.