T H E TORCH OF REASON, SIL V E R T O N , OREGON, S E P T E M B E R 14, 1SVJ.
and thus the world is filled with
ignorance, poverty and crime.
The first im p o rtan t question for
p h ilan th ro p ists to solve is how to be
brave and honest themselves. Then
if they are equal to the task, the
next thing is to introduce into the
world what they th in k is the best
substitute for the old idea of fear,
and fear not to push their ideas to
the front.
True Secularists believe in free
dom or thought, in rig h t living, in
science, in everything th at m akes
men and women better and happier
here and now. We call this the re
ligion of H u m an ity , and we hope
th a t we can become brave enough
and honest enough in our genera
tion to push these ideas a long way
toward the front before the event
th a t m ust happen in common to all
the creatures of earth comes to us.
Yes, Secularists, let us try to be
brave and honest ourselves, and
while we yet have strength, let us
throw our m ental arm s around all
the dear children of earth we can
reach and help them to fear not the
th re a ts of popes, priests and preach
ers, the loss of rew ard nor the scoffs
and ostracism s of society, but to
tru st in the higher pow ers— love,
judgm ent and reason.
N a tu re S tu d ie s.
N a tu re ! g reat p a re n t! whose unceasing
h and
Rolls round th e seasons of the changeful
y ear,
How m ig h ty , how m ajestic are thy
works !
—T110M80 .
Mrs. M innie Preston, our kinder
garten teacher, read the following
excellent paper on “ N ature S tu
dies” at a teachers’ meeting in
Chippewa Falls, W is.:
W hen I was assigned this topic
I th in k I had about the same feel
ing that the pupils have when we
give them a lesson to learn th at is
beyond their com prehension, and I
fear you will feel like the teacher
does when she hears such a lesson
recited. . . .
I have not thought
much about the upper grade work,
although I fully realize, as do all
the first grade teachers, th a t my
work m ust be the foundation upon
which all the higher work is builded.
There is nothing the children love
to talk about or listen to as well as
subjects from nature.
The three great objects in n atu re
study are: interesting the children,
inspiring them with a love of n a
ture, and telling clearly and tr u th
fully w hat they have, learned.
Charles Scott gives us one more ob
ject: To lead the pupils to see the
higher side of nature, and to think
the thoughts of nature.
We are in such a h u rry for them to
know, th a t we are apt to forget th a t
we are only to lead the child to
Dame N ature and leave him there.
We m ust not deprive them of the
joy of discovery there by weakening
the force of the lessons.
Some one has said nature is a
great m utual co-operation society,
each p a rt with its work to do.
Everyw here are lessons of m utual
dependence and m utual helpfulness.
But what have we tau g h t? W hat
shall we teach? and how sh all we
teach it? are the questions th a t are
confronting us.
F irst we m ust remember th at it
is of great im portance th a t the child
gain knowledge in the best way.
That is, in the way th a t train s him
to right habits of study and
thought.
Therefore the objects
studied should be studied by the
child himself.
George Brown, of the Oshkosh
norm al, says: “ All natural objects
studied during the first three years
should be the basis of language
lessons.” This being the case the
work m ust he talks about objects—
little stories told and w ritten, get
ting pupils to use correct language
if it is but simple words and short
sentences.
They can read easy
stories and com m it to memory short
selections.
I wish I knew just w hat the other
teachers have done, hut I do not so
I ’ll try and tell what I have done.
D uring the fall term we gathered
leaves, pressed and m ounted them .
Of these we made a book. Pupils
were very anxious to bring all the
different kinds of leaves. (H ere
Mrs. Preston exhibited a portfolio
of pressed leaves, roots and flowers.)
I did not go into detail and teach
all the technical names. We ex
am ined each leaf, learned the com
mon nam e, noticed the shape, found
if it were a perfect leaf, looked at
its veins, learned the nam e petiole,
stipules, blade, m id-rib, base and
apex.
The pupils wrote short stories
about the leaves. I have two about
the lilac leaf which I will read to
you.
The leaf is drawn in the
upper left hand corner.
A LEAF.
I have draw n a little leaf. The
leaf has a m id-rib and an apex and
a base. T his is a lilac leaf.
^
thf
liberal !
I
I UNIVERSITY
THE
O NLY S C H O O L OF T H E
K IN D
\IZ
F 'a c u l t y - -1 8 9 9 -’0 0 .
SIZ J. E. HOSMER, Ph. I)., B. S. I)., P resident ,
MZ Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Psychology.
A. A. LEONARD, M. D., M. E.,*
SIZ
\IZ Anatomy, Physiology, Hygiene, Electricity,
Microscopy.
\IZ
THADDERS B. WAKEMAN,
MZ
\IZ History, Sociology, Law, Linguistics, Ethics.
MINNIE P. HOSMER, L. S., B. S. D.,
\IZ
\IZ
History, English, Botany, Vocal Music.
\IZ PEARL W. GEER, M. G. IL, S ecretary ,
\IZ Osteology, Religion of Humanity, Lecturer.
MINNIE PRESTON,
MZ
Primary and Kindergarten.
\IZ
SOPHIE WOLF,
SIZ
Piano, Elocution, English Literature.
SIZ
CLARA WAKEMAN,
Art.
MZ
ALICE DAVENPORT,
<IZ
S h o r t h a n d, Ty p e w r i t i n g.
\IZ
LOUIS RAUCH, Assistant
Bookkeeping, Commercial Arithmetic.
MZ
\IZ
LORA AMES, Assistant
Physiology, Hygiene.
KlZ
KATIE MATTESON,
\IZ
Librarian.
\IZ
\IZ
SIZ
\IZ Rail 'Peirn 0pens 0cfc. 2 I899
\IZ
New building is nearing completion, and will give
\IZ us Our
room for increased attendance and much better facili
MZ ties for teaching. For further particulars, address,
%
P e a r l W . G e e r , S e c ’y ,
S u p e rin te n d e n t D e p artm en t of Biology,
S u p e rin te n d en t D e p artm en t of Sociology and Law,
S u p erin te n d en t P rep arato ry D ep artm en t,
*
♦Dr. L eonard has consented to tak e th is ch air u n til som e one
can be found to fill it p e rm a n en tly .
MZ
\IZ
SIZ
\IZ
SIZ
\IZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
SIZ
J SIZ
SILVERTON. OREGON.
O tto H anson ,
a leaf .
This is a lilac leaf. This little
leaf has a mid rib through it. The
leaves come off the tree in the win
ter, and in the sum m er the nice
flmvers come on the lilac hush. I
like the flowers of the lilac hush. < 7
T his little leaf has feather veins
and it has a base and apex. The
lilac leaf is an o v tte leaf. It is a
pretty little leaf too.
11W1 W ffi
ir '—
How to Make
Good T im es for a I1 T im e
T he G o v ern m en t n ationalized th e Postal S ystem , w hy not also
th e Money System ? A plan is told by C. ELTO N B L A N C H A R D
in h is book e n t i t l e d .................................
If we lead them to see the b eau ti
C lara C oyle .
ful in the most common things
W e talked about the seeds, roots,
about them , in water, sky, in field tru n k s, branches, and uses of the
and forest, will not the beautiful in different trees and shrubs from
their n atu re be developed?
which we had gathered the leaves.
Postpaid for 25 Cents.
There is one thing we m ust guard
We noted the different plants
All profits on th is Ixx>k will l»e given to th e Liljeral U n iv ersity .
against in this work, th a t is we which we use for food. The c h ild -, It should I jc in th e h a n d s of ev ery th in k in g person. A ddress all o rd ers to
The TORCH OF REASON, S ilverton, Oregon.
m ust not tell the pupils too m u c h .1
Continued on 6th page.
U N C LE S A M ’S
H O M IL IE S ON F IN A N C E