New-York tribune., 1906-12-28
NATURE STUDY VAGUE.
A Revolution in Its Application Prophesied
BY Science Teachers.

A plea for the closer correlation Of school gar
dens with the industries and commerce Of the
country was made at the New York State Sci
ence Teachers Association meeting at Teachers
College yesterday by A. W. Farnham. OF the Os-
wego Normal School. who In the course OF a
paper on this subject recommended the substitu-
tion Of alfalfa. sorghum, sugar beets and corn
for the flowers and vegetables usually raised.
Would not the cereals and crops of COM
merce develop the powers Of observation and the
aesthetic faculties as we'll as flowers. which have
reason for being except beauty?" asked Mr..
Farnham "It has been said that as at present
run school gardens are as vague and underlined
as nature study and that nature study itself
begins nowhere and ends in about the same
place. By substituting fax, hemp. wheat and
other plants whose crops are OF immense value
10 the country for the things usually grown we
correlate nature study and the school garden
with industrial and commercial geography. be-
sides making direct appeal 10 the emotions on
the score Of patriotism
Other crops suggested for the amateur farm
ers Of city schools were tobacco. hops. sweet
potatoes. peanuts and the household herbs. "A
handful of sage and majoram might be as
pleasant in child's home" he said. ''as a bunch
Of saliva
Nature study and science teaching in the ele-
mentary schools may undergo marked changes
within the next few years, if some Of the recon-
Elendations and suggestions made by the teach
ers are adopted. At the opening session Of the
association, DR.. Henry A Kelly. Of the Ethical
Culture Schools, in discussing science in its
lation to the needs of adolescents. said he had
been impressed when teaching kindergarten
training and normal classes with the ignorance
Of the simplest forms Of nature displayed by the
girls.
80 much was I struck with their ignorance
he said. that I thought I would test them by
set of questions. was considerably surprised
that a majority answered that they had been
interested in their science studies in the high
school, while most replied that they had re-
1nained interested. Not satisfied I asked them
to write papers on some subject which had vi
tally interested them. The papers showed very
slight scientific information even. and hardly any
impulse toward individual observation or ex-
pertinent"
DR.. Kelly added that the episode had convinced
him that science should be taught emotionaly as
well intellectually.
Mature study Will change in the next two or
three decades was the prophecy Of Dr. Gilbert
II. Trafton. Of the Passaic High School "A
good deal of that which is being done in the
country is discouraging. II nature study is to
be permanent it must change"
DR.. Trafton recommended that nature study,
which IS the foundation of biology, be unified
with IL, so to bridge the chasm which exists
school
At the annual election yesterday afternoon
Professor J. T. Shearer, of Cornell University,
was elected president: Professor f. B. Roe, of
fessor J. f. Stannard. of Greenwich High School,
Greenwich, Conn, secretary and treasurer. The
association accepted Professor SchurmanS invi-
tation to meet at Cornell University next De-