Report of the Director. xi 



time many educators have seen that there is a great gap in the 

 courses of study offered in the schools above the primary grade. 

 By common consent it is agreed that no more courses can be 

 added and it is not clear what studies, if any, can be omitted, but 

 all agree that the youths of the land should become interested 

 in the plants and animals and other natural objects by which 

 they are surrounded and with which they will have to do in 

 after life. It was found that by conducting the work, not as a 

 study but as a rest exercise for a few minutes each day, great 

 interest was aroused and that instead of adding to the pupil's 

 work, it lightened it and created a desire to become better ac- 

 quainted with Nature in garden, field and wood. To start this 

 work, leaflets have been prepared by persons especially fitted 

 for the work, these have been printed and distributed, usually 

 to teachers, though in a few cases to the pupils. 



Leaflets I., " How a Squash Plant gets out of the Seed ; " II., 

 " How a Candle Burns ; " III., " Four Apple Twigs ; " and V., 

 " Some Tent Makers," have gone to a third edition ; Leaflet IV., 

 " A Children's Garden," for pupils and teachers, to a fifth edi- 

 tion ; Leaflet VI., " What is Nature Study," to a second edition, 

 and twenty thousand copies of Leaflet VII., " Hints on Making 

 Collection of Insects," were issued June i, 1897.* 



Mr. John W. Spencer and Mr. John L. Stone, have con- 

 ducted the Extension work and some of the experiments in the 

 western half of the State. Mr. George T. Powell and Miss Mary 

 Rogers have conducted like work in the eastern half of the 

 State. Mr. George A. Smith and Mr. W. W. Hall have con- 

 ducted the instruction in dairy husbandry throughout the State. 



These three groups of experimenters and instructors have 

 been assisted from time to time by the professors and instruct- 

 ors of the College and Station and by a few special helpers 

 not connected with the University. Honorable Charles R. 

 Skinner, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Honorable 

 Charles A. Wieting, Commissioner of Agriculture, have given 

 us hearty and efficient support. 



* For a sketch of the origin and progress of the Agricultural Extension 

 Work see Cornell Bulletin 137, May, 1897. 



