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element in nature study must at least limit herself
to a small amount of absolutely unquestioned
material； or else subject every new story to the
judgment of an authority in the line dealt with。
This is not easy for the teacher at a distance
from the great libraries； and for those who have
access to well…equipped libraries it is a matter
of time and thought。
It does not so greatly trouble the teacher who
uses the nature story as a story； rather than as
a test…book； for she will not be so keenly attracted
toward the books prepared with a didactic purpose。
She will find a good gift for the child in
nature stories which ARE stories； over and above
any stimulus to his curiosity about fact。 That
good gift is a certain possession of all good fiction。
One of the best things good fiction does for
any of us is to broaden our comprehension of
other lots than our own。 The average man or
woman has little opportunity actually to live
more than one kind of life。 The chances of
birth； occupation； family ties； determine for
most of us a line of experience not very
inclusive and but little varied； and this is a natural
barrier to our complete understanding of others；
whose life…line is set at a different angle。 It is
not possible wholly to sympathise with emotions
engendered by experience which one has never
had。 Yet we all long to be broad in sympathy
and inclusive in appreciation； we long； greatly；
to know the experience of others。 This yearning
is probably one of the good but misconceived
appetites so injudiciously fed by the gossip of
the daily press。 There is a hope； in the reader；
of getting for the moment into the lives of people
who move in wholly different sets of circumstances。
But the relation of dry facts in newspapers；
however tinged with journalistic colour；
helps very little to enter such other life。 The
entrance has to be by the door of the imagination；
and the journalist is rarely able to open it
for us。 But there is a genius who can open it。
The author who can write fiction of the right
sort can do it； his is the gift of seeing inner
realities； and of showing them to those who
cannot see them for themselves。 Sharing the
imaginative vision of the story…writer； we can
truly follow out many other roads of life than
our own。 The girl on a lone country farm is
made to understand how a girl in a city sweating…
den feels and lives； the London exquisite realises
the life of a Californian ranchman； royalty and
tenement dwellers become acquainted； through
the power of the imagination working on
experience shown in the light of a human basis
common to both。 Fiction supplies an element
of culture；that of the sympathies； which is
invaluable。 And the beginnings of this culture；
this widening and clearing of the avenues of
human sympathy； are especially easily made
with children in the nature story。
When you begin； 〃There was once a little
furry rabbit；〃＇1＇ the child's curiosity is awakened
by the very fact that the rabbit is not a child；
but something of a different species altogether。
〃Now for something new and adventuresome；〃
says his expectation； 〃we are starting off into a
foreign world。〃 He listens wide…eyed； while
you say； 〃and he lived in a warm； cosy nest；
down under the long grass with his mother〃
how delightful； to live in a place like that； so
different from little boys' homes！〃his name
was Raggylug； and his mother's name was Molly
Cottontail。 And every morning； when Molly
Cottontail went out to get their food； she said
to Raggylug； ‘Now； Raggylug； remember you
are only a baby rabbit； and don't move from the
nest。 No matter what you hear； no matter what
you see； don't you move！'〃all this is different
still； yet it is familiar； too； it appears that rabbits
are rather like folks。 So the tale proceeds； and
the little furry rabbit passes through experiences
strange to little boys； yet very like little boys'
adventures in some respects； he is frightened
by a snake； comforted by his mammy； and taken
to a new house； under the long grass a long way
off。 These are all situations to which the child
has a key。 There is just enough of strangeness
to entice； just enough of the familiar to relieve
any strain。 When the child has lived through
the day's happenings with Raggylug； the latter
has begun to seem veritably a little brother of
the grass to him。 And because he has entered
imaginatively into the feelings and fate of a
creature different from himself； he has taken his
first step out into the wide world of the lives of
others。
＇1＇ See Raggylug。
It may be a recognition of this factor and
its value which has led so many writers of
nature stories into the error of over…humanising
their four…footed or feathered heroes and
heroines。 The exaggeration is unnecessary； for
there is enough community of lot suggested in
the sternest scientific record to constitute a
natural basis for sympathy on the part of the
human animal。 Without any falsity of
presentation whatever； the nature story may be
counted on as a help in the beginnings of culture
of the sympathies。 It is not； of course； a help
confined to the powers of the nature story； all
types of story share in some degree the powers
of each。 But each has some especial virtue in
dominant degree； and the nature story is； on this
ground； identified with the thought given。
The nature story shares its influence especially
with
THE HISTORICAL STORY
As the one widens the circle of connection
with other kinds of life； the other deepens the
sense of relation to past lives； it gives the sense
of background； of the close and endless connection
of generation with generation。 A good
historical story vitalises the conception of past
events and brings their characters into relation
with the present。 This is especially true of
stories of things and persons in the history of
our own race。 They foster race…consciousness；
the feeling of kinship and community of blood。
It is this property which makes the historical
story so good an agent for furthering a proper
national pride in children。 Genuine patriotism；
neither arrogant nor melodramatic； is so generally
recognised as having its roots in early
training that I need not dwell on this possibility；
further than to note its connection with the
instinct of hero…worship which is quick in the
healthy child。 Let us feed that hunger for the
heroic which gnaws at the imagination of every
boy and of more girls than is generally admitted。
There have been heroes in plenty in the world's
records；heroes of action； of endurance； of
decision； of faith。 Biographical history is full
of them。 And the deeds of these heroes are
every one a story。 We tell these stories； both
to bring the great past into its due relation with
the living present； and to arouse that generous
admiration and desire for emulation which is
the source of so much inspiration in childhood。
When these stories are tales of the doings and
happenings of our own heroes； the strong men
and women whose lives are a part of our
own country's history； they serve the double
demands of hero…worship and patriotism。
Stories of wise and honest statesmanship； of
struggle with primitive conditions； of generous
love and sacrifice； andin some measureof
physical courage； form a subtle and powerful
influence for pride in one's people； the intimate
sense of kinship with one's own nation； and the
desire to serve it in one's own time。
It is not particularly useful to tell batches of
unrelated anecdote。 It is much more profitable
to take up the story of a period and connect it
with a group of interesting persons whose lives
affected it or were affected by it； telling the
stories of their lives； or of the events in which
they were concerned； as 〃true stories。〃 These
biog