Modern Development.— Nature study made its appearance as such in the latter quarter of the 19th century; and it was due, as has al ready been said, to the introduction of the teaching of science and vocational studies into the public schools. The common school teacher, finding it difficult to teach pupils science in the orthodox college manner, had recourse to the practice of using concrete examples and of making use of nature herself for the explana tion of hen moods and phases. This practice gradually grew until, in 1889, considerable at tention became fixed upon it owing to the fight made by numerous teachers of elementary science in behalf of more interesting methods of presenting it' to younger pupils. In this latter year W. S. Jackman planned a general course in nature study for the ward schools of Pittsburgh, which he was destined to carry out in Cook County Normal School, to which he went in the fall of the same year. Two years later his notes were published for the use of teachers and schools under the name of "Nature Studies for Common Schools." They were much along the lines laid down several years before by Sheldon in the State Normal School at Oswego, N. Y. This movement in 1889 was noticeable in various educational centres in the Eastern States, notably in Massachusetts. In the latter State A. C. Boyden took the lead and for 10 years lectured and gave model lessons in educational institutions all over the State on nature study. He succeeded in creating a great deal of interest in the subject and in establish ing centres of nature study with committees or societies, which met frequently. His methods of using printed outlines and illustrating les sons was pretty generally followed; and it was not long before it was improved upon. A special committee on nature study, meeting monthly in Boston, helped to direct the work by arranging courses of study and doing other im portant services for the cause. These pre pared courses were distributed all over the State, and they helped to greatly increase the interest in nature study and to extend its field of influence.
Materials of Study and In the early stages of nature study there was little attempt at the scientific organization of the materials used in teaching. As we have seen, outlines of study were formed for the guidance of teachers in their work; but they were largely suggestive and had little of the scientific about them. But gradually, as the practice of nature spread, extending to the high schools and colleges, trained teachers of science applied their methods of organization to it; and nature study gradually took form and shape as a scientific study, in which the proper relationship between the pupil, the teacher and the materials and objects used in teaching were specified and defined. This called into being large and well-appointed nature study labora tones and took possession of vacant or avail able used pieces of land for experimental pur poses in the growing and observation of plants of many kinds by the pupils under the direction of teachers. It made use of excursions into the woods, fishing, hunting and boating trips and camping out parties. Soon a corps of
trained nature study teachers sprang into being; and these, in their turn, as a result of experi ence gained in their work, proceeded to further organize the subjects, activities and province of nature study. The laboratory teacher, from his inside experiments, helped the work of the nature study teacher doing his work on the out side. Now there is scarcely a summer camping school that does not have its nature study director. The pupils are encouraged to form laboratories or museums of their own made during their nature studies. The school labora tories for nature study contain mounted insects, birds, animals, preserved plants, pat ts of trees, shrubs, plants, in fact samples of everything pertaining to nature in which the child may be made to take a natural interest. These are supplemented by geological and other speci mens, models of a large number of objects of different kinds, drawings, photos, pictures, paintings, plans, designs and castings. These arc again supplemented, in the larger towns and cities, by visits to art and other museums, great libraries, factories and other industrial plants, zoological gardens, parks, agricultural farms, truck gardens, hot houses, and in fact any and all places of human activities in which the pupils might be interested.
These and numerous other means of direct contact with nature and human activities and their results in manufactured forms are corre lated with art study. The pupils are taught to draw, paint or color, photograph, model and represent in various ways the objects with which they come into contact during their nature study classes. Many schools make a permanent exhibition of this work; and some of these exhibits show very encouraging re sults, with some really beautiful and talented work. This correlated art work can, and often is made very extensive, including, for instance, the artistic arrangement of flowers, flower beds, borders, etc., the selecting of flowers and their arrangement in gardens so as to secure the blending of colors, observation of the habits of wild and domestic animals and the study of the lives of reptiles, fishes, and, in fact of all kinds of animal 'life. In other words, nature study is made to lead up directly to the scientific studies of the class-room. See KINDERGARTEN; FROE BEL ; ROUSSEAU ; PESTALOZZI.
Bailey, L. H., 'The Nature Study Idea' (New York 1903); 'Garden Mak ing' (New York 1909) ; Comstock, A. B.
Jon rt HUBERT CORNYN, Birmingham Southern College.