the resources of his neighborhood alone. There is
need of looking elsewhere in order to find experiences that are
sufficiently related to his spontaneous activities to enlist his
attention, and sufficiently related to what is best in the society in
which he lives to form legitimate subject-matter for this period of
development. The materials which constitute the subject-matter of this
book have been selected and arranged with reference to the needs of the
child at such a time. It is the child of six and a half or seven years
for whom this book is intended.

Were it not true that so many books that are written for children have
little regard for real facts, it would seem unnecessary to state that in
no case has material been introduced into this book which cannot be
justified by reference to a recognized authority in anthropology,
paleontology, or geology. The story-form by means of which these facts
are conveyed is merely a literary device for bringing home to the child
the truth that has thus far been ascertained regarding the fundamental
steps in the development of our industrial and social institutions.

The portrayal of the situation which caused our early forefathers to rob
birds' nests and kill young animals will no doubt shock the
sentimentalist who orders eggs or veal as a matter of course. There
might be good ground for his feeling were there not present in the child
the instinct to do similar deeds even though living under social
conditions that do not justify such acts. Any one who will take the
trouble to recall his own childhood, or to make the acquaintance of
children of six and a half or seven years, will realize that such
instincts are present, and that they must find expression in one form or
another. Is it wise to ignore the facts of the case and allow the child
to form the habit of gratifying his blind instincts, or shall we
recognize the situation and meet it with all the wisdom at our command?
Is it not the better plan to tell the child frankly of the way in which
people lived at the time when they did what he would like to do now, and
lead him to discover the changes that have taken place that lead us to
disapprove of actions which, under different conditions, were considered
good?

The teacher who knows that she has good ground for her convictions is
not afraid to look upon a question from all sides. The fact that the
teacher is willing to look at a question from the child's point of view
is a