The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-03-19

Story and story reading should be the
of nature study. For example,
The Ugly Duckling'' should supplement
the study of the duck; THE Pot of Gold
should follow the rainbow lessons and
BLACK Beauty should be read in con-
nection with the horse.
OF necessity the reading of the first
year will be much of social character,
as the pupils are too young to record
their own expressions. As the second
and third grades are reached the les
sons should show more individuality. The
value of social work cannot be overes-
timated, but even a good thing can be
carried to excess. / have heard teach
ers complain that it is almost impossible
to get original expressions after a class
had developedt some nature lesson and
read and re-read it. This method of OBJ
serving fact, having it recorded on the
blackboard, observing another. noting it.,
then correcting, re-arranging and reserv-
ing for a reading lesson, is certainly a
very helpful one. 1t is suggestive, in
structive. promotes sociability and re-
spect for the opinions of others; but the
plan of permitting the individual to OBJ
serve, write his own observations as he
makes them, correct and express with
continuity is equally as good, for it helps
develop keenness, perseverance and indie
pendence. There seems to be tendency
in these times to suppress the individ-
uality. Beware of so doing. country
is what it's citizens are.
About the third and fourth years chill
dren become interested in such things as
steam, electricity and the various in
ventions. This is a good time to intro
duce such reading as the biographies of
Fulton, Franklin Morse, Whitney Watt
and Edison. Let me tell you what
little boy said who had been led by
careful teacher to read the story of one
inv 1frap- a
day, Jack, how did you like the fell
low we read about yesterday oh"
replied Jack, hes all right He beat
that cowboy chat l read about the 9TH
er day. all to pieces. The cowboy was
too smart, but this fellow was just
smart enough
Jack had evidently been reading some
of those sensational stories of the wild
West,but with boys keenness he could
well discern between genuine character
and the wild bravado of the cowboy
AS the child advances in years nature
work furnishes a basis for geography
and history reading. We seldom realize
that history and geography are nothing
but study of nature pure and simple,
but under a different name.
The great masters of the world-the
poets. musicians, sculptors and painters
are all opponents of nature. Read their
works and you are reading nature.
There is one danger against which we
must guard, and that is the overlapping
OF subjects. Repetition is a good thing,
but when Tom studies taro in the first
year taro in the second year, taro in
the third year and taro in the fourth
year he gets weary of taro and loses in
terest in nature study generally A good,
well-defined course of study would obv-
ate this difficulty entirely.
When nature work is made the basis of
reading, the expression of the reader is
bound to be natural Each sentence
means a complete thought and not a Sc
ries of disconnected words strung out or
grouped together. One is not likely to
hear the choppy reading which is GER
tainly very distressing to both teacher
and pupil. I have heard many teachers
say read this story when they mean
read this sentence. Let me ask. is
every sentence not story?',
1t lies within the teachers power to
create within the child a desire for good
literature. AS rule, the child has
great respect for the opinions of his
teacher, and her sentiments influence him
IN greater or less degree She should
be careful not to put forward her own
personal likes or dislikes too strongly.
She must present the various phases of
life and let the future decide what his
special taste will be-
Encourage the child to read by him
self and provide him with the means to
DO this. If you have no library in your
school. here is little scheme that
might be well to try. Say to YOUR pu-
plls that you are going to permit them
TO read whenever they have spare time.
There are always some children who
work more rapidly than others. Odd you
ever sigh over the boy who finishes his
work long before others are half
through? Isn't he the one who usually
gets INTO mischiefo Tell them you are
going to start borrowers library and
ask any who have books they care to
lend to bring them to class. You will
find quite number appear the next
day. The teacher can add a few of her
own. Look over the collection carefully
and slip out any you do not think fit for
your pupils. Give each child a book to