Inductive Elementary Science With Inexpensive Apparatus, And Without Laboratory Equipment

INDUCTIVE elementary science with inexpensive apparatus, and without laboratory equipment - PREFACE. THE course in Elementary lllysical Science, of which these 1 tges fonn the first instal nent, is the outgrowth of various experi ilents made first ill the p d lic scllools of hlichigan, later in Dr. Pelix Arllers IVo kingmens Scliool in New Yo1. k City, nncl finitlly, during the past four years, in the private school of Jl1-S. Quincy A. Shaw ill lSoston, - a, scliool foulirlecl l y A ils. Sliaw, tlie claugllter of the great naturalist, 1 i. ofessor 1, ouis Agassiz, for tlie pr1rl ose of developillg liletliorls of nature study that will secure to tlie young student tlie best prepal-ation for holtliag through life intimate convei-se wit11 nature. The clldless source of happiness which tl isg ives is a heritage that AIxs. Shaw Iias believed will collie always to all stuclents who are introcluceci to the st irlyo f the earth by the natural netliod. The authors educationttl views were so fully in accord with her own, that she gnve him perfect liberty in laying out the work in tlie Physical Science branches of nature study for pupils f1 o11t1w elve to eighteen years of age. The results i. eached have been such that many of the best erlucators of Roston and vicinity have recommended and urged that the course be given a wider field of usefulness. IVhile this work has been largely tlie result of classroom experiment, indebtedness is freely acknowledged to TO T H E T E A C H E R . No p. eviolis kno rletlge of plrj-sics is hqol itelnye cessary I ut a clear co cel tiofi t he ohject aimed at is im perative, in order tlii t ti le inay be clone in a, scieiltific manner, and the Iligliest success attained. That object is not primarily to give the plil il a few l ysic f a i l le ts out of the great al ui cla o fe et r l t l ft , f ew esse11ti ils of wllicli is all that is possi1 le in ally coliise, 1 ut to cilltivate his paw eis of 01 serv ttion ant1 il tlepei clentlti ol gl t. E very young cllilcl possesses these powers, and is eager to use tl en i 1111 t a sys tell excllisi vely of l ooli-edncatio tel iids to cle stray then. Solne o 1 1 e t . iitl fulslyai d, No illjustice wollld bc done to a tencllcr if his skill ancl the edneative vallle of his lessolis -ere 111easlll. ecl 1 y his success in making eliilclreii reason out coiiclllsio fls-o on1 served or statecl facts i n t w l e n ay tltl t l l i t f or the 1 est tlisciplii et hose fitcts sl olilclb e ohervetl, not stiatccl. That eclucatioli is of the incjst value in every walk of life vlficli not otily enables its possessor to reasoll correctly upon filets possessecl, but vhiehg ives him the power of keen aiitl accn-ateo bservntion by means of which to collect the facts for hiinself. Seeing is not so simple an act as many snppose. Every scientist knows that it is one tliing to t11m the eyes towarcls an object, bnt quite another thing to see what is there. Every ones ohservat, ional powers need cultivating, and vii viii 1 0 TIIE TEACIIEI...