The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-02-01

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III education than training shn chiIdtNn
10 hecplna lnlelliwvnslg familiar with
enc common shlnRa III llfe-atha thin9m
with which thay will have 10 40 OH
their lives loBg This practical knowls
esige about common things N wlthai
one thing III which al children are sure
10 manifest 4 deep interest The child
must be taught, but lnssead oe doing n
wholly with books and oral lessons why
not yet closer 20 natures hidden treas.
urea aud mysteries aud iet them learn
from herr 40 illustrate. take a pri.
mary school OF thirty scholars ranging
from six 20 twelve years of age. Let
the teacher select days when the wealth.
or IA suitable. say ono afternoon e8ch
week, and Ice these be devoted to out.
door object lesson. Say the FIRST aft.
ernccn out IL ia April. These ARE rcsur.
Kection days, Let the lessons these
days ba on the Increasing power Of the
sun, the melting SHOWS, tho rushing
rivers and where they go, tho mlgra.
tory wild fowl. their kind, where they
winter and where they nest In summer;
the south wind, the fieecy cloud pic.
lures, how they come and where they
60: the birds, FIRST harbingers or spring
and their kind. Later the piowed field,
the sowing Of seed. where, how ard OF
what kind; the budding trees. FIRST fiow-
ers, rain and why II falls. show them
a pillow and the farmer blowing; differ
emit soils--clay, sand, loan; the harrow.
the seeder. Let the plowman take your
place as teacher and explain It all TO
them. Another day take them to the
river. Take the fishes, the aquatic
plants and the insect life, the way wa
ter runs. Tell them about eddies. cur
rents, overHows, waterfalls and water
power. Tell them how the water pow
or ia used and go into the mill. The
miller Will explain how he makes the
water grind the wheat into -four. Lat
err, when summer has arrived. take
them into the cool, shady woods. The
insect life, the leaves. the grasses, the
flowers, the birds. the cool spring guah-
ing from the rocks, the thunderstorms.
the electricity, the hail, the summer
winds and the birds and their nests
all around you Is an endless variety Of
practical themes. Take them 10
creamery and let the creameryman
tell them how butter II made. Take
them TO the depot and let the engineer
tell them Of the locomotive, tender.
freight train, switches, whistles, signal
lights and power Of steam. The OPP
orator will tell them OF the telegraph.
wires, battery, the mysterious clicking
and how messages are sent. Take
them 10 the brickyard and let them
SEQ clay turn into bricks and how the
tile is made. Follow up, az the sea-
son passes, the ripening grain, the
reaper, the harvest, the thrasher. Now
are ripened fruits and nuts, an endless
variety OF interesting and useful oh.
ject lessons. Arithmetic, geography
and philosophy as studies may all be
interviewer In these outdoor lessons
By the apt teacher. This half day
would be very beneficial. q welcome
change 10 both those who teach and
those who are taught, and the amount
OF practical information thus 20 pleas
antly obtained would be worth as much
as ali the other lessons OF the week put
together Give the child an outdoor
education for one-nfth OF his school life.
and we believe that II would show far
better results than the same amount of
time devoted 10 the afiidv Of hnnka