Rural vSchuol Leaflet 1417 



Holstein. He has wintered well. He is a little over six months old now 

 and he weighs three hundred and fifty pounds. 



Sincerely, 



GILBERT CUMMINGS 



Editors' note. — Gilbert Cummings lives on a farm. At the time of 

 writing this letter he was sixteen years old, and in his second year in the 

 Milford High School. 



CHILDREN'S LETTERS 



Edward M. Tuttle 



Letter writing is an important part of a child's education. It is easier 

 to encourage children in their efforts when they know that their letters 

 will be sent through the mail to some one who is interested to receive and 

 read what they have written. 



The editors of the Cornell Rural School Leaflet have always felt the 

 desirability of establishing as personal a relationship as possible with the 

 schools. It is of advantage to both sides. The children come to have a 

 better understanding of the State College of Agriculture and an acquaint- 

 ance with the specialists in many of the different branches of natural 

 histor}^ agriculture, and home making. They gain an interest outside of 

 themselves, and an outlet for their thoughts. The coiTespondence has a 

 value, also, to the teacher, which was well expressed in a letter received 

 last spring from a teacher in Highland. She said, " I am glad to have 

 access to my children's letters to you. I do not have them corrected or 

 rewritten, for I fear to spoil their freedom and joy in talking to you. 

 They need no urging to do their original best. I glean from their letters 

 things I wordd never know except that their self-expression gives vent 

 because of their belief in you." The editors, on the other hand, profit 

 greatly by the touch with the children, for it keeps them acquainted with 

 local conditions and the outlook that boys and girls have to the things 

 around them. 



The correspondence must, of necessity, be somewhat one-sided, but it 

 need not lose interest thereby. Each number of the leaflet for boys and 

 girls contains a signed letter addressed to all readers. It is the object in 

 writing these letters to make each child look on them as personal messages. 

 The children are encouraged to reply, addressing their letters to Edward 

 M. Tuttle, College of Agriculture, Ithaca, New York. The letters may be 

 written in school or out of school, they may be long or short, and may 

 treat of anything in which the child is interested. More and more the 

 letters received at the College present an individuality that is gratifying. 

 The ideal toward which to strive is that the letters shall be the spon- 

 taneous expressions of the writers. 



