The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1907-11-23
Nature Study.

IL
Commissioner of Education of the United States
that there is very unusual movement in progress
looking to the wide extension of agricultural edu
cation among the elementary schools and high
schools of the various States. "This movement has
undoubtedly been stimulated" said the commissioner
'bv the growth of the agricultural and mechanical
colleges endowed by the National Government under
the Morrill, Acts of 1862 and 1890, together with
the recent activity of the Department of Agriculture
at Washington, in the encouragement OF all move
ments looking to the development of such instruction
| believe that this movement has in it the promise
of great benefit to both the economic and the edu-
cational interests of the country at large In order
that such benefit may be realized to the full however,
it is important that information regarding expert
ments in agricultural education which have already
been made in this country and In foreign lands
should be rendered available to those who are
charged with the direction Of the new schools and
courses of study"
It was with view to furnishing such information
that the Bureau of Education has made public as
one of its documents paper by Mr.. James Ralph
Jewell of Louisiana on Agricultural Education, In
Guiding Nature Study and School Gardens" which
was prepared as thesis for the degree of doctor of
philosophy at Clark University. This monograph
presents a very comprehensive survey of the pro-
ton in closely related lines in various parts of the
world 1t is a subject in which the President takes
a very deep interest and may make some reference
to in his next annual message.
The definition of Mature Study" which most ap-
pea1s to Mr.. Jewell is that given by Professor I. f.
Hodge: Mature study is learning those things IN
nature which are best worth knowing to the end
of doing those things that make life most worth
living" He points out that nature study came into
our schools after efforts to teach agriculture had
failed owing to lack of demand for it and want of
preparation among the teachers; after the object
lesson" fad had begun to die away and when the
so-ca1led elementary science" proved too dull to
awaken thoroughly the interest of the child Subse-
quenty nature study took agricultural trend to
some extent in the cities and to larger extent in
the country where the common things are needed to
round out the knowledge of the city "penned-1n
child" as Mr. Jewell described him. He believes
nature study will go far toward leading the city child
away from the city and its necessary evils while to
the country child it will give "a sympathy with their
life work and surroundings-the very essence OF
nature study" which he believes is more necessary
among the children of country homes than any
thing else He says experience has shown that the
innate curiosity of the child may be directed toward
nature in a way which will make him a keen OBJ
server and during his comparatively few years OF
formal school life the acquisition of facts alone OF
less Importance than are correct habits of observa-
ton and inquiry His discussion of nature study
as applied to the schools is full OF helpful sugges
ons to teachers and others interested in the subject