The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1894-06-21
Continued from LIST Pdge.)

GU the SUBJECT oil botany, not pe-
cause of any preference ] may have
for that department OF natural his
tory, nor that | consider the study /
SD essential In itself. Botany as an !,
end Is OF less importance than other
sciences that might be named; as q |
means Of developing the powers OF
the mind II Is Of greater Importance
than any other science. 1t appeals
to the whole child. II commands
attention. Ii interests. And with
out attention and interest there can
be no teaching. hence no mental
growth.
Botany has been called the gentle
science. Does the study Of botany
cultivate the moral nature' The
moral nature has it's springs in the
feelings. The feelings prompt our
actions. Our actions Influence the
lives of others.
From flowers We derive sensations
caused by their form, their color,
and their fragrance. Sensations are
the FIRST physical experiences Of
which the soul is conscious. Under
the head of physical experiences
come emotion. The emotions which
plant study awakens 10 the minds of
children whose physical organisms
are normal, are emotions Of joy and
pleasure. Every emotion Is attend
ed by a desire. In this case, the
child desires to give Joy or pleasure
to smother; IL may he his mother or
some other member Of the family;
or IL may be his teacher or one Of
his playmates. He therefore selects
the prettiest, sweetest Il lowers, or the
largest, ripest fruits as a means to
reach the end. The child learus the
history OF the plant: How IL breatbes,
how it is nourished, how it increases
in size. how il reproduces itself, how
IL works, and how II rests. The
plants history leads the child To
think OF its Creator God; Of Gods
care. The contemplation OF Gods
care awakens the religious emotion
Of thankfulness.
Says White in his Elements OF
Pedagogy, at il true that observa.
ton aud the several thought powers
have each what may properly be
called a scientific plan Of activity
possible only to the developed and
trained will. In common observa
ton the mind perceives only tn,
more obvious qualities and rela
tions Of objects, and the resulting
concepts are the basis Of tho facts y
common knowledge. In this scien
titic phase observation discriminate,
more keenly and perceives the les,
obvious but often the more import
ant, attributes of objects, and tn,
resulting sharply defined concept
are the basis Of scientific facts. 1
is. however, to be observed tina
these two phases Of Thought involv'
the same processes and activity o
the same mental powers. This fac
il made evident, II We compare tn
mental processes involved in tn
concepts, facts, inductions, and elias
sitications which make upa common
knowledge Of plants. with those in
volv.d IN the scientific concept,
facts, inductions, and classification
included in the science of botany
II II also true that no clear distiuC
ton can be made between commo
knowledge aud scientific knowledg,
The one blends into the other. BIZ
r the elementary facts Of science d
= not constitute science. What
further needed Is that deeper il
sight OF the reason which can di'
Germ those universal facts and prir
g.. ciples and comprehend aud explai
all related knowledge, thus dete
mining and making possible il
! orderly classification and systemati
D arrangement. But human reaso
, does not stop with the general fact
: OF induction that make q scien,
\. poss BILE, but |, seeks to go back
D those causative energies and Col
trolling laws that produce aud a.
plain all events and phenomen
When such a causa,ive and contro
ling principle is discerned, the higl
!, est phase Of scientific thought
u reached, and the result is philos,
ply" THE highest aim OF phil
= sophy, and consequently OF huma
l. reason, is to discern the ultimat
. self determining principle OF Il
universe" II was Of Agassiz tn
y Longfellow wrote:
And Nature, the old nurse, took
l. The child upon her knee,
|, Saying: "Hcrc IN a story book
10 The father has written for thee"
~ Come, wander with me-" she said,
Y, Into regions Yet untrod;
n And read what i still unread
:. In the manuscripts Of ood"