RiRAL School Leaflet 1425 



observations, as they often did, it was amusing to see how anxious they were 

 to make the second observation, as I never put them right when they 

 might find out for themselves, as the fact was more firmly fixed in their 

 minds when placed there through their own efforts. 



For those things that we are unable to learn from observation, we use 

 the Cornell Rural vSchool Leaflet, and books from a very fine library which 

 we have. 



Each year we take the plant that is given for special study, and start 

 it from the seed, watching it in its difterent stages of growth, the older 

 pupils keeping notes on it. One year we got some frog's eggs, placed them 

 in a glass fruit can, and watched them hatch and develop. We have tamed 

 several squirrels so they will come and eat on the doorstep, giving the 

 children an excellent chance to watch them. Many birds, such as winter 

 birds and birds of early spring, have become very friendly by being fed 

 and treated kindly by us, giving us opportunity to study them closely. 

 And with the books on birds that I have with colored cuts and descrip- 

 tions, it is remarkable how many of these little creatures we have become 

 acquainted with in so short a time. The boys have made a very^ nice 

 bird house, which they hope will be used this summer. 



In studying plants and weeds I connect this work with drawing, thus 

 fixing more clearly in the children's minds the joining of leaf to stem, 

 leaf forms, seed pods, and the like. I also bring specimens of different 

 grasses, grains, and weeds to the school. ***** 



In poultry interest is shown also. The henhouses have been cleaned, 

 nests improved, fowls fed regularly with proper kind of food and water 

 for each meal according to season. Good results have already been 

 obtained, which, of course, are very gratifying to all of us. 



Binghamton, New York, April 8, 1914 



On the east side of our schoolhouse there is a lot in which young fruit 

 trees, apple and pear, are growing. The owner of the lot, a florist and 

 gardener of Binghamton, New York, sent liis son down to spray the trees 

 last Arbor Day. I immediately went out into the lot and asked him if he 

 had any objections to my bringing my pupils over there to watch him 

 spray the trees. He said, " No," and then he stopped and showed us 

 how the hand pmnp worked, told us what solution he was using — the 

 bordeaux mixture — how it was made, how many times he used it, and 

 what for. He told me he was a graduate of the Cornell College of Agricul- 

 ture, so feeling sure that his information was correct, I had the sixth 

 and seventh grades write it down in their notebooks when we returned 

 to the schoolroom. 



On the west side of the schoolhouse there is a large field which was 

 planted to com last year. Ever}^ morning recess and noon we watched 

 the plowing, harrowing and planting, noticed how long it was after the 

 seed was planted before the com peeped above the ground, its growth 

 during the summer, and its han^esting for ensilage in the fall. 



I didn't tell the children that they must watch that comfield. Not 



at all. I simply said that I enjoyed seeing the work and was going to 



watch it. Of course, the children wanted to do just as their teacher did, 



so we all watched it. I asked the older bovs a good many questions, and 



90 



