42 PROMOTING "NATURE STUDY" IN SCHOOLS.
that these efforts had the sympathy of the Education Committee, and he knew
well how generously that Committee had treated the Museum, and so rendered
the work possible. The educational side of the Museum had always been kept in
view, and, in addition to that phase, the collections were intended as permanent
material for students of the natural history of Essex; it was hoped that the
Epping Forest Museum at Chingford, when fully equipped, would be a most
valuable adjunct in providing suitable "seasonal" as well as permanent
collections for the "Nature-Study" side of Museum work, especially in relation
to the Forest. Although situate on the Metropolitan side of the county, the net-
work of railways centering there made their borough the ganglion, as it were, of
lines of communication from all parts of Essex, and the Epping Forest Museum
was only a short and cheap railway ride off. It was to be hoped, therefore, that
students and teachers from all parts of the county would use the Museum
occasionally, as well as those living in the immediate neighbourhood. So far as
he was personally concerned, he would be glad to aid them in any way within
his power.
Mr. G. Jackson (of Barking), speaking as a member of the Essex (County)
Education Committee, also emphasized the fact that Stratford was practically
the central point of the county from a travelling point of view, and teachers
could reach it quite easily. He thought the Essex Education Committee should
be approached by the Field Club to see if they could make any arrangements for
children to come to the museums. They should do something to make the
existence of these museums known throughout the county, for he was sure that
from time to time the rural teachers would be glad to have the opportunity of
visiting. He was a great believer in Nature-study, for he thought that if young
people took an interest in the matter they would not be so anxious to come to
the towns. If they were only taught some of the joys of the contemplation of
Nature they would find it a little more profitable and entertaining than coming
to London to watch the antics of a music-hall buffoon.
Mr. H. E. Turner (Secretary of the School Nature-study Union) said that
one great practical difficulty in the working out of these methods in schools was
the provision of suitable material for the children to observe. He thought that
specimens for Nature-study should be supplied to schools in the same way as
material is provided for the classes for chemistry, physics, etc. And the great
need was the provision of "Field-days" in the country to enable teachers to see
and study plants and insects, etc., in the open, and in their proper environment.
The great use of the museums would be in aiding the correct identification of
specimens and in indicating what was to be looked for in the field. He thought
that the museums should have groups showing the habits of animals and their
environment and the associations of plants in the open.
Prof. R. Meldola, F.R.S., said that he was extremely glad to find that so
many of the representatives of the Education Committee had advocated views
concerning Nature-Study which were so completely in harmony with those which
he had long held, and which he had frequently proclaimed. He quite agreed
that the word "teaching" was objectionable in connection with this subject; it
was in reality a training or developing of those natural faculties of observation
and curiosity concerning causes which were innate in every child. Children, if
given free scope, were born naturalists, but all our artificial educational methods
had been devised so as to crush out those very faculties which were of the greatest
importance in after life. He strongly recommended a reperusal of the opening