Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

The early lilacs became part of this child,

And grass, and white and red morning-glories, and white and red clover, and the song of the phoebe-bird.

And the fish suspending themselves so curiously below there, and the beautiful curious liquid,

And the water-plants with their graceful flat heads-all became part of him."

But your nature study must be correlated with something even higher than all this. It must reach the highest spiritual faculties, reaching out, aye, taking hold of the Great Infinity. Your nature study must be correlated with a religious life. If you are doing that, you are doing the best correlating. You are realizing what nature study means! You are agreeing with Emerson:

"Every earnest glance we give to the realities around us, with intent to learn, proceeds from a holy impulse, and is really a song of praise. What difference can it make whether it take the shape of exhortation, or of passionate exclamation, or of scientific statement? These are forms merely. Through them we express, at last, the fact that God has done thus or thus."

"To lead a little child into this beautiful world and open his eyes to the marvels which await him, is a most precious privilege. He could stumble along without leadership, and he would see many things. But how much a guide is worth! Parents may well put themselves to great pains for the sake of introducing their children to Nature. No effort will bring any greater reward. They may open these young eyes to the color of the birds, to the varieties of the trees, to the delicate beauty of the commonest way. side flower, to the intricate traceries of a butterfly's wing, or the grace of a clinging vine, to the glory of the sunset and the grandeur of the lightning. Children may be taught to distinguish bird notes and name the common birds. Their eyes may be trained to the harmonies of color and the marvellous detail in the frost and the snowflake. child will be cruel to birds or insects or animals of any sort, if he is properly introduced to them and learns their true place in God's marvellous universe. A sensitiveness to the beauty of the world and the infinite love manifested in its wonderful resources, means much to develop the mature character. This is wanting in many a man and woman because there was no one to guide their early years."-REV. EDWARD HERRICK CHANDLER.

No

CHAPTER V

66
"KEEPING THEM DOWN"

"Well, I suppose that is all right, but please tell me how I am going to get them down again?" she said in a low tone to the superintendent, as I went out of the room. The words were not intended for my ears, but I caught them, and they touched me, every bit of me.

She was a teacher who thoroughly believed in discipline. Every action in the school favored of militarism. She was famous throughout the town for her good government. When the superintendent and I entered the room she came forward very primly, and I thought grimly, but perhaps that was imagination, the result of the superintendent's casual remark, "You will have to be a little careful with this teacher. She is great on discipline and routine, and says that she doesn't believe in modern fads." The good old methods of the days when Webster's blue-covered spellin' book was paramount, were good enough for her. After acknowledging the introduction, she turned and said:

"Now, children, this is Mr. Bigelow. He knows everything about the trees, and flowers, and birds, and bugs, and such things, and he has come here to tell you all about them. [A large contract, I thought.] Lay aside your books and papers; now sit up and fold your arms and pay strict attention. You must be very still. He is going to talk for three-quarters of an hour, and he will tell us a great many interesting things, I am sure."

After a minute or two made noisy by the putting of books into desks, one could almost painfully hear the tick-tock of the clock. The teacher turned to me, and, as she nodded her head, said: "Now, Mr. Bigelow."

Then she went to the opposite corner and stood there, with eagle eye wide expanded to detect the earliest sign of disorder. In the meantime she had sent an assistant to the rear of the room. I paused for a moment to enjoy the air of expectancy and the almost breathless stillness I noted the glistening eyes of a few, and the soldierlike indifference of most of the pupils. Three or four big boys in the rear seats had especially attracted my attention, by the look, half of disgust, half of protest, with which they had swung books out of sight, and stuffed their hands into

their pockets. I had seen that look before! I knew how to translate it into, "Oh, this is going to be a goody-goody talk to tell us how we ought to enjoy this beautiful world and be very grateful to the One that has given it all to us." With an air of resignation they leaned back, and I remembered the factory that we had just passed, and what the superintendent had told me of the dull work, the long hours and the low pay of the operatives.

Then I said:

"I am trying to find out how young folks feed their pet animals. Will some one please tell me what he thinks is the best for his special pets? A friend of animals has written to me that bread and milk should not be fed to any pet animal, and I am trying to learn about the experience of others. Will some one please speak and tell me?"

Simple as this inquiry was, it had the effect of a bomb-shell. The mental attitude was completely upset and I had to wait a minute for it to settle. Here was every one, other than myself, expecting a sermon on the wonders and beauties of nature about which the young folks had from earliest childhood been told and told again. And I felt

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »