OTAGO INSTITUTE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2330, 27 October 1898, Page 9

OTAGO INSTITUTE.

A meeting of the Otago Institute was held m the Museum on the 18th, Dr Hocken being in the chair. - The Chairman intimated that the council had elected Dr Fulton as a member of the institute. He also stated that Mr G. M. Thomson, who was unable to be present that night, had sent a very valuable suggestion to the council, which he would ask the secretary to read. 9 THE STUDY OP NATURAL HISTORY. Mr A. Hamilton then read the following communication from Mr Thomson: — - One of the objects for which this institute exists is to promote the stiidy of natural history, by which I take it is meant, not the imerely. biological side of the question, but the ■wider aspect, which, includes all natural phenomena. How best to accomplish this object is a matter worthy of consideration, and your council has this evening adopted a small scheme which aims in this direction. It is proposed to offer prizes m our primary schools ior the best set of natural history observations kept for a consecutive period by the pupils. These observations, recorded in the form of a note book or diary, would deal with such phenomena as came under the direct observation of the young people. Daily notes of the ; weather, the direction and amount of the wind, • dates of leafing, flowering, - and fruiting of "plants; appearance of birds, with notos on their song, their nests and eggs and habits; observations on the insects and other animals met with — these would form the staple subject for ' such a record. In. the case of those whose parents were in a position to keep such instruments, daily readings of the barometer and thermometer might be added. The object of sucli ft:cords is not to be able to show merely a well*written exercise book on any stereotyped model, but to induce young people to observe and to take the trouble to record the phenomena which are noticeable round about them. X am not sanguine enough to imagine that the attempt to encourage observation among our school children will work any great revolution among them or in our method of teaching them, but it is an effort in the right direction, and if it only led half a" dozen young • people to keep a record of what they saw, it would have justified itself. The lack of observation among even those whose occupation brings them every day into close contact with the things of nature, is to me one of the marvels which I meet with. I have employed and met with many working gardeners, but 1 do not know one among them who can give a correct name — I mean a trivial, not a botanical name, — to the weeds which are met with in every garden. They know duckweed, groundsel, decks, sorrel, and couch grass, — perhaps altogether as many, as they could count on the fingers of both hands, but there their knowledge stops. They turn up larvas and come across caterpillars, but can't connect them ■with the beetles and moths which fly around them. And what is true of gardeners is equally true of farmers and others engaged in outdoor pursuits. "When a Thomas Edwards or a Itobert Dick appears among the so-called working classes, he is looked upon as a remarkable phenomenon, whereas he ought to be looked rather as a more than ordinarily enthusiastic -observer. Of course in one sense a mail may mt be much the better of Imoiving anything about the things that lie under his nose, as long as he is a faithful worker and can earn bread without such knowledge. Yet the " marvel is that being blessed with eyes and a brain, lie sliould not develop some curiosity in them, especially as he has the means largely in "himself of satisfying that curiosity. The .faculty of observing is usually well developed, relatively to other mental faculties, in children, and it should be part of every child's subsequent training to continue this development. We talk a great deal about doing this in our educational work, and a distinct move towards it has been made in the growing use of kindergarten methods in oixr infant schools, but the xeal thing is a great way off. The examination curse dominates everything. Departments and boards want everything in the shape of a . written report and a tabulated form. Cut-and- ' dried schemes of examination are so much more easy to work with and to report abotit than any individuality of teaching power in a ma\i that originality tends to be stamped out unless it is very conspicuoiis and assertive. In our own primary schools apparent provision is made for the teaching of natural science, but to attempt to examine the subjects on the lines of text-books, as is so liable to be done, is almost fatal to the work. It reduces the thing to memory work, of which the tendency is to make too ranch already. What is wanted is to a great extent to banish text-books, and to work from the objects themselves, and anything that will tend to foster observation and record of observation at first hand is to be commended. Now, a proposal such as we make is a move towards the encouragement of firsthand observation. It is one ■which wants the co-operation of teachers in order to direct the minds of pupils, and to show them how to keep proper records. At the same time the records to be of any real value must be the result of individual attention. If any one, for instance, who works in a garden, takes the trouble even for one year to kepp a simple calendar of dates both of work done and of - results gained, it is wonderful how interesting - the record becomes as the recurring season . brings round the same chain of events. There is probably no subject that can supply such a peiennial source of interest as the study of Nature. The desire for more knowledge grows •with what it feeds on, but there is no possibility of satiating the desire with over-indul-gence, or of exhausting the supply of material. The cultivation of an observational habit may piove in after days a source of joy and a means of stimulation when many other springs of action fail. A hobby is, as a rule, and when indulged iv in moderation, an excellent thing for a man. Nothing is more sad than to see a ma-i retired or superannuated from some occupation to which he has devoted all his thought and energy for the best years of his life, wasting for lack of occupation. Many such men die off after a few years, simply because their faculty of being interested has become atrophied, at least of being interested in things which are within their means and power of attainment. Now it .may seem a far cry between the observation of a youngster at school and the occupation of a man who has worked out the great part of his career. But the habits of life must be moulded in the most plastic tiina of both mind and body, hence anything that tends to develop the free use of the mind in a healthy direction should be taken advantage of. There is nothing easier than to fall into purely mechanical methods of teaching, there is nothing more difficult to avoid when results are measured by the ability to pass a set examination, and teachers and parents . alike should welcome anything that will bring to the juvenile mind freshness and originality. • }% i n this s P irifc that the council of this institute wishes to make a simple experiment, and asks the co-operation of all true educationists in its eSorts. Having read the above communication, Mr .Hamilton said the lines upon which observations weie asked were indicated in the following draft of a circular which it was proposed to send to the Education Board for printing and distribution in the schools : "With the object of promoting an interest in toatural phenomena and of fostomig the habit of placing on record huch facts of observation as daily come under notice, the Otago institute oiTptH for competition next year 10 prizes fco the scholars of any public school in Otafio •jmdflx tho. follarauia i-cnitiiUoiiß;—^

The prizes will be awarded for the best-kept note-books in which are recorded any facts of observation, such as the occurrence of birds, insects, plants, etc., met with in the neighbourhood or during walks; the date at which birds' eggs were found, with observations on their nests, habits, etc.; the date of leafing, flowering, and fruiting of wild and cultivated plants, the weather of each day, etc., etc. Most value will necessarily be attached to accuracy and closeness of observation, but neatness of tho work and consecutiveness of the notes will also be considered. There should be no attempt at fine writing, but a plain record of fac*s. For the purposes of this competition the notes should close on 30th November, 1899, though it is hoped that once the habit of keeping such a record is started it will be continued. The competition is open to all pupils who on 30th November, 1899, are in the sixth or any lower standard. While it is hoped tha,t teachers will interest themselves in thus fostering observation, and will, during the remainder of this year, give their pupils hints and suggestions as to how to go to work, it must be understood that the notes must be bona fide the work of the pupils themselves. Appended is a sample of an actual record which may serve as a sort of rough guide. The Chairman said ho was sure the members of the institute would endorse every word contained in the suggestions. The council had unanimously agreed upon sending the circular read to the Education Board, and he hoped that that would receive the endorsement of members also. | Mr W. Brown thought the proposal was an admirable one, and that the institute should give it its full support. He did not know of anything that would tend to cultivate habits of observation more than what Mr Thomson had suggested. He had much pleasure in moving that the suggestions be given effect to. The motion v/as agreed to. NEW ZEALAND EAETHWOBMS, ETC. Dr Benham made a communication on "The types of Captain Hutton's species of New Zealand earthworms." He stated since he had come to the colony he had been able to satisfy himself that Captain Hutton's identification of the New Zealand earthworms had bc-en wrong in every instance. Dr Benham also exhibited a now species of Nudibranchiata. A MAOBI CHEET QTJAEBY. Mr Hamilton exhibited a chert knife which he had obtained from a Maori chert quarry near Roxburgh. He explained that the knives were used by tho Maoris for ordinary cutting purposes, and also stated that some years ago the president of the institute had described a chert quarry which existed in the Mackenzie country. He (Mr Hamilton) had no doubt that many more would yet be discovered. I NATIVE FLOWEES. _ ! Some nice specimens of native spring flowers' were also shown by Mr Hamilton.. / THE NOTOBNIS. Mi- Hamilton stated that he had received a letter from Dr Young, of Invercargill, in regard to the bird which was exhibited at the last meeting ot the institute— -viz., the celebrated Notomis. The doctor informed him that the owner of the bird, Mr Ross, had very kindly consented to make a considerable sacrifice from his point of view, so that the bird should be retained in the colony. Mr Ross'a patriotism, was such that he said that if the institute could succeed in raising £250 he was prepared to accexjt that amount, so that tha bird should remain in the colony, and he would not seek for a better offer outside. He had already received an offer of a greater amount than that from another country, and he (Mr Hamilton) had no doubt that he could obtain a higher price if he put it in the open market. He (the speaker) might be permitted to say that much as he should like to see the bird added to our Museum treasures, he must still adhere to the views which he partly expressed at last meeting — viz., that the capture of another bird — a young female — pointed to the fact that there must be other specimens of the bird still existing, and he thought that if the members of the institute felt inclined to raise aiyr money that money would be better expended in undertaking a private search for living specimens, which should be preserved on Resolution Island. The Chairman said no doubt, Mr Ross's offer was a most public-spirited one ; but still it was entirely beyond the means of the institute to spend po xmich money in the purchase of the bird. It would be a thousand, pities if the bird left New Zealand, and it might be possible to make some public appeal to raise the necessary .-6250 for the purchase of the bird. Mr Hamilton did not for a moment contemplate that the institute would spend £250, but it could head a public subscription with a substantial amount. However, even if a public subscription were raised, and the Government contributed a certain amount, he still adhered to the views he had expressed on the subject. The Chairman said they could not do less than send a grateful note of thanks to Mr Ross and Dr Young, and lie would propose that. Mr Melland suggested that the Government should be asked to buy the bird from Mr Ross, and that Mr Henry should accompany Mr Ross on an expedition with the view of seeing if they could catch some live "specimens of the bird. Dr Benham was quite in agreement with previous speakers in saying that they should not spend so much money on the purchase of the bird. The institute ought, however, to thank Mr Ross and Dr Young for allowing them to have the bird on exhibition for so long a period. It had been a source of great pleasure to themselves and a good many people who had come to the museum to see it. Mr Smith moved that the Government be asked to purchase the bird. Mr Melland seconded the motion, which was carried. It was also decided to write to Mr Ross and Dr Young thanking them for the offer they had made in connection with the bird.