No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 315 



"With what a glory comes and goes the year 



The birds of spring, those beautiful harbingers 



Of sunny skies and cloudless times, enjoy 



Life's newness, and earth's garniture .spread out; 



And when the silver habit of the clouds 



Comes down upon the autumn sun, and with 



A sober gladness the old year takes up" 



His bright inheritance of golden fruits, 



A pomp and pageant till the splendid scene. 



O what a glory doth this world put on 



For him who with a fervent heart, goes forth 



Under the bright and glorious sky, and looks 



On duties well performed, and days well' spent! 



For him the wind, uye, and the yellow leaves, 



Shall have a voice, and give him eloquent teachings. 



He shall so hear the solemn hymn that Death 



Has lifted up for all, that he shall go 



To his long resting place without a tear." 



Bryaiil; also beautifully says: 



"Softly breathes the west-wind beside the ruddy forest, 

 Taking leaf by leaf from the branches where he flies. 

 Sweetly streams the sunshine this third day of November, 

 Through the golden haze of the quiet autumn skies." 



In conclusion, let me say tliat nature study is not merely an aid 

 in other school work, but it is a preparation for practical life. 



Our success in life as individuals depends to a very large extent 

 on. our knowledge of and power over our phj^sical environment. 



Our dependence on physical forces and agencies becomes greater 

 as civilization advances, and man learns to better control nature. 

 The child of to-day must know more about steam and electricity than 

 did the wise man of a hundred j^ears ago. 



Our development as a race is very largely due to the fact that we 

 have learned to harness natural forces, and make them do a great 

 part of our work. 



Let us make a sj>ecial etl'ort to develop the power of observation 

 and appreciation in our pupils, that they may not only use and hear 

 but aliSO understand the true, the beautiful and the good in nature. 



THE FARMER BOY, HIS ENVIRONMENT, TRAINING AND 



CHANCES OF SUCCESS. 



BY F. S. DOAK, Frankfort Sjnings, Pa. 



READ AT FRANKFORT SPRINGS INSTITUTE, BEAVER CO., DEC. 19, 1900. 



B}- the farmer boy, I mean the boy who, as the offspring of farmer 

 parents, is born and reared on the farm and who thus spends his 

 boyhood and, perhaps, young manhood amidst the moulding influ- 

 ences of farm life. 



The farmer boy is, in many respects, just like other boys — he would 

 not be a boy if he were not. However, there are some ways in which 



