Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-09-11
scnools 700 nooKIsu


schools iu making objective souse-pcr-
ccptlon TO some oytout the basis and
IN All cases the companion work Of
book studies.
II IS an accepted maxim among cdu-
Gators that the common schools are
too booklsh. The students are study
ing. not what they themselves have
seen. experienced, thought. OF accom-
pllshed but always what some one
else, often a remote person who lived
IN foreign lands on distant times Is
supposed TO have thought said. or
done
We say supposed" because m many
cases the feats. or sayings. attributed
20 ancient or foreign men and women
are largely fabulous and these reading
lessons nearly always bear the air OF
action and unreauty and not infrc-
quenty that of unuaturaIncas or lm-
possibility Reading from books BE-.
20 an children and To- some adults. "a
mere seeing through other peoples
eyes. instead of using their own. think
ing other peoples thoughts instead Of
experimenting for themselves. and at
best imitatue others rather than ac-
quiring command Of their own uctivi-
ties By systematic trial OF them.
what the child really needs most.
what he truly likes best. is 20 explore
tho world for himself what IS needed
is not the mere facts about birds, how-
crs. and animals. for example, but b.
means OF studying them 20 add 60 the
resources and enjoyment OF active child
life Nature study as % appeals 20
the child from books-from words.
talks charts and pictures-falls Of its
chief end IL lt does not send the child
10 nature itself And 10 make sure
that the whole thing Is not more "a
or less OF O. failIre we entirely coin
eide with the teaching that the child
would best begin with the Obicct-with
the rock. the plant the bird. the but
terly-wlth whatever ln fact IS the
subject OF study And then. after the
child has made his own observations
and deductions under the questioning
and direction OF the teacher let him
read what others have seen and proved
about these or similar objects. This
method alone is literature n its true
sense. for short of this basis Boz ones
own experience. De has nothing with
which to compare what others have
written The teacher simply deceives
himself IN supposing that the child
understands what he reads or even
what he spells, writes, memories or
recites. That viii depend upon what
the child has already seen, done or
thought for himself
The child can read, spell, write. and
recite. and yet have only q vague. OF,
If vivid a positively false idea OF what
he is reading spelling rociting, draw
ing But give him a basis Tor COM
parison, and he will construe more or
loss correctly the words Of others, and
viii read well because he reads intelli-
gently.
There are various ways OF giving the
child this basis. but our best educators
have long been practically unanimous
IN saying that there Is no better way
than by the study az nature at FIRST
hand.
The interest OF tho healthy child an
the great world about him is "a Won
dering. curious. loving and even sci
ontihc interest 10 is science 0u the
one hand. and an appreciation OF the
mystery, the beauty, and the bounty
OF life upon the other. when rs
John Burroughs remarks. "thc school
girls come TO school with their hands
full OF wild flowers. or the boys make
excursions 90 the woods in May FOR
wintergreens. or black birch. OF criukle
root. they are an moved by an interest
that is Old and deep seated as the
race
Now, the schools can add 20 This ln-
torest and curiosity 8 little science
and touch Of practical knowledge jus,
enough TO guide the boys and girls to
see the great ends toward which am
animate nature is tending aud just
how man can make use of these ten-
denotes IN field forest factory, and
home ufc. These natural feelings aro
lifted by these means 90 "a higher plane.
what boy VIII rob birds nests aftar
the savage in him BIAS beu human
ICED by study of tuo homes and
habits. the songs and usefulness of the
blue bird and meadou-Irkt
We could heartily wish wen to Jhls
truer standpoint of education 10 ls
"a nobler aud saner motive and. basis
from which the child can better learn
% read grltc. SPELL and cipher what
cannot the child Iourr better and last.
cr while dolling with facts which hJ
himself has discovered. With sentiment.
OF love and beauty of kindred com-
partnership that ARE truly hIs own
spontaneous creations. and due pri.
marly 90 his own understanding
We hope 90 see some day Don every
school the time when aoh0oI facts and
drills win have become. instead of lr.
bitrary discipline and routine drudge.
ry. the basis of hcalthtu living lu adult
me- and "a ught and I0r MOI thr m'ut
during the years Df childhood au.
adolescence.