The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-15
PLEADS FOR THE BIRDS
PROF. LANCE, OF ST. PAUL, BEFORE
THE NATIONAL TEACHERS
ASSOCIATION
DISCOURSE ON NATURE STUDY
Is Marked With Pointed AIIusiOns
to the Practice of Women In
Using Birds as Orna-
ments.

At the meeting of the National Fduca-
tional association at Charleston, S. c.,
Thursday, Prof. D. LANCE, Of the st. Paul
schools, read a paper on Mature Study
in the Grades" of which the following
is an extract:
The speaker first discussed at some
length the matter and method Of his sub
ject. He said: Begin at home with such
objects and phenomena that attract the
attention of the child before he went TO
school Study a few of the beautiful wild
and cultivated flowers, few common
trees and shrubs, injurious insects and
weeds, important agricultural plants, anu
show how much civilization owes to our
dumb helpmateS the domestic animals
The necessity of outdoor lessons was
strongly emphasized. THE child does nos
know trees, if he has only studied them
from leaves and tWigS brought into the
school room; he must see them grow,
where one tree struggles with The other
for light and air. Without the necessary
material and without field lessons the
childrenS educa ton becomes booklSh. use
good books to guide and 10 inspire you
but always look with your own eyes. IN
discussing the aims and objects 10 nature
study he said in part: Long before the
boy is interested in the complex relations
of social and political institutions he is
interested in the life of birds, bees ara
flowers: in the relations between boYs'
pie do not devote most of our time 70
things we care nothing for, why shouid
not q boy be allowed to devote at least
a little of his time to things he really
wants to know. We were all born cltlzenS
in the great realm of nature, but now
few learn to know their great home. fAost
Of US become too one-sided. All were porn
men, but few die as men. The one des
a grocer, the other a lawyer, the one
money maker, the other money spend
or, a few die as oficeholders and many
die as school teachers" In speaking or
the aesthetic aspect of his subject Mr.
LANCE expressed the opinion that children
are far more enraptured by a Knoll COW
cred with wild flowers exhibited on ma
lures own background than they are oy
any painting or work of art. Cnlidren
do more easily appreciate the beautiful IN
nature and in men than in works or art
which are all to certain extent lil ne
lions Of nature and symbollzatlons. Inc
child does not appreciate pictures WIN
ont colors, or a suggestion Of vigorous
action Only a mature mlnd can apPI0-
ciate most paintings. o,,oo,
Moreover, works of art are too exp zen
sive while wild and garden mowers anu
a bird concert in the woods cost HlIle
or nothing" The speaker heartily com
mended the works Of the Audupon So
cieties, the League OF AmerlcIn 0p 49, ~
men and other associations that Wor kk
for the protection of birds, CANA Hsn
and forest. I'm every worthy hoVGlne 7I9
the teacher should be active-he shoulo
not
in the ranks where the battle is fought,
don;t ride on the baggage wagon; must
be every true teachers motto BESIDES the
dollar value of birds, game, hsh ana Tor
est these gifts of God so laV1shly pc
slowed upon our country have hlgher
value not measured by the gold or sllVer
standard Hunting and fishing are the
medicines that thousands OF men anu anu
boys like to take for their health. II you
object to gun and rifle, hunt with the
camera While there is no wrong IN US
ing the feathers of game birds Killed IN
season. or of domestic birds fer decorative
nurposes. the woman who wears song
bird corpses on her hat foregoes high
pleasure to indulge in lower Innocent
and useful birds have been Killed py
the thousands during nesting season,
when as many nests full of helpless young
were starved. AS long as women con-
tinue to be cruel through ignorance or
thoughtlessness, male bfutes VIII come me
forth to kill any bird at any time for
money" The speaker had seen one Wom-
an with three dead birds on her hat
Whether she carried them about with
from a morbid desire to improve on the
works of her Creator, he had not the
courage to ask Of the woman under the
birds. 1.-THE children should know some
thing of the beautiful, grand and the
sublime nature that inspired our Amer
lean poets and writers. Can you i'm
agine Dickens writing 'Evangeline' or
'FIinwatha?' 2" After pointing out how the
49, go host he +a,oh+ to he kind To
birds and animals by becoming acquaint-
ed with them, and the material benefit
arising from a knowledge of nature and
natures laws. the speaker concluded with
the purely scientific and moral ASPECT of
his subject. What is the truthP has
been asked by the humblest slaves and
by the kings of intellect ever since God
gave to man the light of reason. On
this side Of the great unknown the whole
truth will never be revealed. But where
in bygone ages slaves and savages
quaked in fear and superstition great
nations now strive hopefully onward and
upward. What is the good of science?
Like a blessed goddess she has begun
from the slavery of toll, from fear and
superstition. To search for the truth
without prejudice, to accept 1t with sin
upon the Win grpa+ fn9 ora e OF
son science is teaching mankind