bishop] nature-study in rural schools 17^ 



morning glories. The cob house was over-run with the same 

 vines. One rock bed was given to the girls of the first, second and 

 third grades, to be their special care. They raised a profusion of 

 tame Johnny-jump-ups and sweet violets. Another rock bed 

 was given to the boys of the same grades, which they planted 

 wholly to chrysanthemums. The children carried water for the 

 shrubs, weeded and cultivated the flower beds, and certain ones 

 were appointed to attend them during the summer months. A 

 profusion of blossoms was the result. 



"When school re-opened in September we were greeted by a 

 profusion of flowers, and the morning glories were peeping in at 

 the windows. The children liked to talk about how the morning 

 glories were peeping in to see what the boys and girls were doing 

 inside. Sometimes the children would gather before the recita- 

 tion for a few moments' talk about the flowers. One n)orning a 

 bee was captured in a morning glory and dissected, to see how it 

 carried its honey, and everybody found out all he could about 

 bees. 



"Some spiders spun their gossamer webs and made their homes 

 among the vines, and we all studied spiders. The children found 

 several tiny brown balloons suspended from the vines; these 

 were filled with little eggs. Soon these eggs were transformed 

 into hundreds of wee dark spiders, and the boys and girls were 

 astonished to learn that these little creatures not only preyed 

 upon each other, but even ate their own mothers. 



"Thus school-gardening opened up an unlimited field for the 

 study of bugs, worms, and all sorts of insects. Birds were 

 studied in the same connection. This gives a few phases of the 

 educational value of the work. 



"Industrial work does much towards improving the moral 

 atmosphere of the school; the child who is interested in some 

 kind of industrial work will have his spare time and attention 

 fully occupied, and occupied in a healthful way, and will have 

 little opportunity for the development of vice or mischief. 

 Many teachers have expressed their gratification over the refining 

 influences resulting from this work. Nor does it stop here. 

 The enthusiasm engendered by this outside work spreads to all 

 the regular school work, makes it a connected series, and arouses 

 an interest not otherwise to be obtained. We are giving them 

 practical education, fitting the boys to be better farmers and 



