The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-02
TEACHING TO OBSERVE.
Advantage of Lessons On Sci
ence in Public Schools.
Address of President Kelly of
Academy of Science.
Banquet Last Night by Topeka Phil
osophical Society to the Acad-
envy of Science.

In his annual address before the
Academy of Science yesterday, Presl-
dent d. S. Kelly urged more general
teaching of science in our schools. He
said:
This academy has been the uplift to
many a young man who has grown into
prominence in his chosen field of re-
search. The work of this academy in
developing talent, has been indeed
gratifying; and, in the development of
the material resources and wealth OF
the state there can be no computation
of the value of this academy. Yet, it
seems to me. that there is work for it
to do, which it has not yet undertaken
There is an influence which it can and
should exert upon public schools of the
state.
THE condition of science in the public
schools is not what it should be. One
object of this academy is to encourage
scientific study. We believe that the
study of nature should begin with the
child And, yet in q very large ma
jority of the schools of our state no pro-
vision whatever is made upon the daily
programme of this study. Our boys
and girls are compelled to seek lnfor-
nation from books alone, and thus dull
their perception and reasoning facul-
ties. Their education is obtained
through the examining process. They
come to believe that because a thing is
stated in a book, it must be so. Eyes
they have, but they see not; minds they
have, but they reason not. What we
need in this country more than any
thing else just now, is a system of edu-
cation that teaches us to examine the
facts, the data and upon these base con-
clusiOns This needs to be taught to all
ages, from the Kindergarten to the col
1ege president.
Some few school are doing good
Systematic work in science. From such
schools there are destined to go out
many active observers of nature. And
the influence of these schools will be
felt in years to come. But the schools
doing the best science work, strange to
say, are found in larger cities.
In many schools the science work
has met with what might be regarded
as a failure. There is perhaps no
branch of science so poorly taught in
our schools as zoology, and might add
next to this botany. What is the rea-
son for this failure?
I'm some cases the teachers placed
in charge of these branches have had
no special training in science. They
themselves have never learned to OBJ
serve, and they know nothing of the
methods which should be used in such
work Too frequently these branches
are given to some teachers whose chief
work is in some other line 1t is quite
easy to predict the result. The teacher
is forced to take the work and he treats
the subject as he would history or
grammar, depending solely upon the
text book. The work, therefore, be-
comes a pouring in process.
Too frequently the teacher expects
too much of the boys and girls and is
constantly forcing them to form con-
illusions before they have sufficient data
of their own, and the student becomes
discouraged. But the experimentation
made in elementary science in the last
decade by the superintendent and
teachers has resulted in much good.
They are gradually feeling their way
down to the child in this work, as in all
other subjects.
1T is claimed that a course of natural
science cannot be successfully carried
out without special teachers But how
ridiculous that seems. If teachers in
our public schools had the same train
ing from childhood in natural science
that they have had in other subjects.
there would attend their efforts the
same good results. When we shall use
the children's own elements the things
that are simple to them, and within
their reach and discover upon what
they work with interest and independ-
ence, how they work what methods
VIII best call out their activities and
enable them to largely teach them
serves and by what means they can
pest express their ideas, we shall he
upon the sure road to successful work
Ineh there will go out into natures
neIds scores of workers where now
there is not more than one"
This pleased the members 81 we'll