On the Education of Young...Nature Studies

I recently read a chapter from an old book, School of the Woods by naturalist, William J. Long.  The book, written in 1902, was at one time used in public schools under the title of the Wood Folk Series.
Intrigued by what I read, I post you this small portion for your educational reading:

'That interesting little comedy by the quiet river, one of the thousands that pass every day unnoticed in the summer woods, first opened my eyes to the fact that all wild creatures must learn most of what they know as we do; and to learn they must be taught. I have had that fact in mind in gathering together from my old notebooks and summer journals these sketches of animal life, which group themselves naturally about one central idea, namely, the large place which early education holds in the life of every creature.

That animal education is like our own, and so depends chiefly upon teaching, may possibly be a new suggestion in the field of natural history. Most people think that the life of a wild animal is governed wholly by instinct. They are of the same class who hold that the character of a child is largely predetermined by heredity.

Personally, after many years of watching animals in their native haunts, I am convinced that instinct plays a much smaller [6] part than we have supposed; that an animal's success or failure in the ceaseless struggle for life depends, not upon instinct, but upon the kind of training which the animal receives from its mother. And the more I see of children, the more sure am I that heredity (only another name for accumulated and developed instincts) plays but a small part in the child's history and destiny; that, instead, training—early training—is the chief factor; that Loyola, with a profound wisdom in matters childlike, such as the world has rarely seen, was right when he said, in substance: "Give me a child till he is seven years old, and it matters not much who has him afterwards. He is mine for time and eternity." Substitute seven weeks for seven years, and you have an inkling of the unconscious thought which governs every little mother in the wilderness.school."

School of the Woods by William Long 1902

You can read in it's entirety, here, (thanks to the Gutenberg Project.)

I think Long made some excellent points and observations.  As I reflected upon the importance of education given to an animal's young by it's mother (and father) I would think of my own observations of both kittens and a hawk that lives nearby.  If it is like this for animals, what is it like in the human experience?  Without a doubt, the teaching and training of children in the early years of their life is phenomenally important, and they absorb so much, making them truly incredible and intelligent beings at even an early age.  This is why, as parents, and especially as mother's, we should be attentive to our children.  It is us parents who first love them, and teach them many other valuable life lessons, including and example of how to live and work and communicate.

The book piqued my curiously.  I found out that in it's day, it was being used in many schools to teach children about animal behavior.... "scientifically," (observational) until the author drew controversy.  I learned too, that some people, even the President at the time, didn't like Long's sentiments of fondness for the animal life he observed and studied and wrote about.  They called him a "nature faker."

The main reason for the dislike, I believe, is that the evolutionary theory of Darwin was pervasive and persuasive at the time. People wanted to think ("wisely" according to the wisdom of the age) that animals were solely dependant on their inborn instinct to do what they do, not any form of particular reason or intelligence.  Many therefore simply concluded that Mr. Long was a "nut." They didn't like the suggestion that animals actually used "reason" and even had to "learn" things from their parents in order to survive.

 (If you skipped the links above, you can read a little about the very popular

 and public controversy regarding these books on your own.  

Start with wikipedia if you like and then perhaps read one 

Long's other book's description here.)

Was Long a "nut?"

Well, that controversy was way back in 1902.   It's 2014... over a hundred years later, and do you know what?  People, like Long, observe animals like tigers... or penguins or otters up close and personal to report their findings that these animal babies must learn certain things from their own moms and dads.  Some creature even learn their names from their parents... like parrots.

 I am not surprised... are you?

Here is an article touting some of the BEST animal mom's.