trafton] CHILDREN'S interest in nature materials 155 



interesting 



thing you know about any 

 Because his fur is so nice and he squeels 



4-th 



GRADES 

 5-th.. 



<oth 



7th.. 



'^(^7o 



3. Write the most 

 animal. 



"I like the cat best, 

 if you pull his tail." 



"There are some animals in Passaic which I hate. They are 

 the cats, rats, mice and snakes. I dislike the cats because on some 

 winter nights when they are outside they mew so that you can't 

 sleep. I dislike the rats and mice because they are troublesome. 

 And snakes when they bit you their bites are poisonous." 



"I like the sheep because it has wool. Yes I do not like the pigs 

 because they have such a big mouth." 



"I dislike a masheytoe (mosquito) because he is always biting, 

 and when he bites it tikles so." 



"There are ani- 

 mals in Passaic which 

 I do not certainly 

 like at all. They are 

 the hogs and pigs, 

 rats and mice . They 

 are very annoying, 

 and I do not like 

 hogs and pigs be- 

 cause they are so 

 hoggy and dirty." 



The favorite ani- 

 mals were the fol- 

 lowing in the order 

 named: Dog, horse, 

 cat, wild birds, rab- 

 bit. Birds and cats 

 were greater favor- 

 ites with the girls 

 than with the boys. The greater preference for birds is doubt- 

 less explained by the fact that songs appeal more to the girls, the 

 greater preference for cats by the fact that these animals are 

 house pets. There was only one pupil, a girl who did not like 

 any animal. 



Following are the reasons given for the preferences in the 

 order named: usefulness, gentleness, faithftdness, intelligence, 

 caring for people and saving life, pleasing appearance. 



20% 



107c 



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s 



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Fig. III. Showing how a pleasing appearance 



appeals to the children. 



Bovs Girls 



