iog2 Rural School Leaflet 



Editors' note. — One of Blenford's schoolmates wrote us that he was 

 especially interested in rabbits, and so we asked him to tell us about his 

 experiences. His letter makes interesting reading and is full of observa- 

 tions that show his careful study of his pets. We are always glad when 

 a boy or girl does a piece of work well. It makes little difference what the 

 work is, so long as it helps the boy or the girl to grow in character and in 

 the capacity to take responsibility. 



We have had Dr. Allen read Blenford's letter and thought that some of 

 his comments might interest the boys and girls. He said that the hair 

 on a rabbit's feet is for protection and is a special provision made in the 

 case of some of our smaller animals that live wholly on the surface of the 

 ground. He said, also, that in addition to the drumming that rabbits 

 make when nervous, they will give a single sharp stamp with one hind 

 foot before starting to run after being frightened. Dr. Allen mentioned 

 the difference between the true rabbits and the hares, or cottontails. 

 The domestic rabbits, such as Blenford has, belong to the true rabbits and 

 probably came originally from the Old World. They differ from the hares, 

 which include our wild " rabbits," or cottontails, in that they dig a shallow 

 hole to make a nest. Hares make a nest on the surface of the grovmd. 



A LETTER AND TWO SUGGESTIONS 



District I, Town of Kirkwood, Broome County 



Great Bend, Pennsylvania, December 7, 1914 



Dear Miss McCloskey and Mr. Tuttle: 



We, the pupils of District i. Town of Kirkwood, County of Broome, 

 would like you to know what pleasure wc took in the ear of corn that our 

 superintendent, Mr. Hurlburt, brought us from Cornell. Tlie ear of 

 com came from Honeoye Falls, Monroe County. We shelled the com 

 and gave the resident farmers each a tablcspoonful in little boxes which 

 we made for drawing. One of the famicrs took interest enough to \Aiu\t 

 the corn and keep it separate, and found that he had forty-Lwo cars of 

 com. After we had distributed the com we wrote letters to the pupils 

 of that school, and what interesting letters we did receive in reply ! They 

 told us what fami products and different fruits they raised and how to 

 play some of their games. Friday we observed Corn Day. The ear 

 of com that I had came from the seed taken from the ear from Honeoye 

 Falls. My ear took the prize. 



Very truly, 



MILDRED CONKLIN 



Editors' note. — We like the letter Mildred writes in behalf of her school. 

 It contains two definite ideas. 



The first idea is that something worth while was done with the ear 

 of com that the pupils of another school selected. Their efforts were 



