Department of Rural School Education clxxvii 



p 4. The September, 1912, leaflet. Prior to October 1, 191 2, the new 

 teachers' leaflet for 1912-1913 had already been compiled and in large 

 part distributed. It covers the nature-study and elementary-agriculture 

 topics for study in rural schools during the coming year, as outlined by 

 the State Syllabus. They are as follows : ( 1 j For special bird study, the 

 nuthatch and the hen ; to be recognized, any two kinds of winter birds 

 and any five of the following: oriole, goldfinch, phcebe, grackle, brown 

 thrasher, meadow lark, clift' swallow, black-and-white warbler, peacock, 

 eagle. (2) For special animal study, the cow and the cat; to be 

 recognized, goat, fox, skunk, muskrat, frog. (3) For special plant study, 

 the potato ; to be recognized, one of the clovers, one of the grasses, one of 

 the grains, and any six of the following : willow, cherry, daisy, marsh 

 marigold, anemone, trillium, partridge berry, black medick, squash, turnip, 

 pitcher plant. (4) For special insect study, the potato beetle and the lady 

 beetle ; to be recognized, tent caterpillar, honeybee, ant, hornet, spider. 

 (5) For special tree study, the locust ; to be recognized, two kinds of fruit 

 trees, one conifer, and any four of the following: hemlock, spruce, cherry, 

 quince, horse-chestnut, alder, elm, poplar, tamarack (larch). 



The subjects given in the September Leaflet are as follows: The 

 Point of View ; Pedagogical Notes ; Birdy Study ; The White-breasted 

 Nuthakch ; The Economic Importance of the White-breasted Nuthatch ; 

 Birds to be Recognized ; The Hen ; eleven Poultry Lessons : Animal 

 Study ; four Lessons on Cows ; Food ; Animals to be Recognized ; Insect 

 Study ; The Colorado Potato Beetle : The Lady Beetles ; The Apple-tree 

 Tent-caterpillar ; Spiders ; The Imported Cabbage Butterfly ; The Cabbage 

 Louse and Other Aphids ; The Potato ; How to Grow Potatoes ; Potato- 

 growing ; Two Diseases of the Potato Plant and Their Control ; When 

 to Sell Potatoes ; Growing Potatoes in the School Garden ; Plant Study ; 

 Plants to be Recognized ; Weeds : Some Common Weeds ; Identification 

 of One Grain, One Grass, One Clover; Tree Study (in four lessons) ; 

 Two Fruit Trees; I Plow (poem); John Burroughs; Improvement of 

 Rural School Buildings and Grounds ; Suggestions for Teachers. 



The leaflet comprises 186 pages, together with a colored frontispiece 

 and an index, the whole bound in a heavy cover. 



L^p to October i, 1912, 28,993 copies of this leaflet had been sent out, 

 almost equaling the total distribution of the September, 191 1, leaflet. 

 The edition is 40,000, and before November i it is expected that every 

 rural teacher and every city grade teacher in the State will possess a copy. 



Correspondence 



The correspondence connected with the extension work in Rural School 

 Education is very heavy. For the year 1911-1912 more than 15,000 



7 



