Rural School Leaflet. 1029 



lars, beetles, rabbits, guinea pigs, and kittens in terraria in different 

 schools. Children have been allowed to watch this animal life during 

 leisure hours. 



Aquaria have not been very successful in most schools, but any 

 teacher can use to advantage battery jars or even Mason fruit cans 

 in which aquatic forms of life may be kept for a limited time. Keep 

 but one or two specimens in the aquarium at one time. 



Although the work for the Syllabus this year has not given for special 

 study anything outside of biological work, we hope the teachers will 

 not lose the opportunity to interest the children in earth-science subjects 

 in connection with their work in geography and in any natural phenomena 

 that may happen to suggest real out-of-door study : the wind, the rain, 

 and the snow; sunshine and shadow; a rainbow; the work of a brook; 

 a mountain. 



Many teachers in country schools will find that the average husky 

 country lad will not be interested in nature-study from the view-point 

 of the naturalist. He should not be forced into this interest, but allowed 

 to turn his mind to the more practical side of the subjects, even if he 

 should be in one of the lower grades. We have found very young 

 children much interested in the commercial side of poultry raising, 

 growing potatoes, and the like. Let us encourage these boys and girls, 

 and if they are taught these subjects properly, the point of view of the 

 naturalist will gradually come to them. 



Corn Day will be observed this year on January 27, 191 1. Encourage 

 the children to make their selection of ears out in the fields in the fall 

 while the corn is still standing. In this way selection may be made 

 from the stalks bearing the greatest number of well-developed ears. 

 We hope that every school in New York State will observe Corn Day. 

 Later in the fall we shall send out suggestions for the celebration of 

 Corn Day. 



This September isstie will be sent free to all grade teachers in New York 

 State whether in city or country. The subsequent issues of the Cornell 

 Rural School Leaflet for the current year will have to be limited, also the 

 Children's Leaflets. We have decided, therefore, to send these limited issues 

 to rural schools and to schools in villages of three thousand inhabitants 

 or less. Children's Leaflets will be issued in December, February, and May. 

 In the Syllabus for 1910-11 a statement is made that a bound 

 volume of Nature-Study Leaflets may be had for the mere cost of postage. 

 This is perhaps misleading, in that the supply is limited and the volumes 

 are intended primarily for teachers in New York State. The postage 

 on each volume is thirty cents. 



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