94° Rural School Leaflet 



And have you ever watched the way in which the plants reach out 

 for light ? Note every goldenrod stem, all the leaves of the trees, all the 

 little plants close to the ground — the way in which each leaf tries to find 

 the place that will give it the most sunlight. We do not find the leaves 

 of the common plants hiding one another from the light, but instead each 

 leaf finds the place that will give it the benefit of the greatest number of 

 sunbeams. Take to school four or five wayside plants some day this 

 fall and show the teacher how the leaves are arranged so as to get the 

 light. 



But we do not always have sunshine. Many times clouds cover the 

 sky and we have our wonderful gray days. Then the trees look different 

 and the fields look different and stillness is in the air. I am wonder- 

 ing what kind of clouds you all like to watch best. Sometimes I think 

 I like the great dark clouds of late autumn, filled with the promise 

 of winter. How low they seem to lie over the hills! But when I think 

 of all the other clouds I am not sure. For are not the heavy white 

 clouds that we see in spring and summer most wonderful of all? And 

 can one ever forget the clouds at sunset that have helped the young 

 May moon to play hide-and-seek with us? 



I hope you will care to learn the poem called "The Cloud," written 

 by Shelley. At least learn this stanza: 



"I bring fresh showers for the thirsting flowers 



From the seas and the streams ; 

 I hear light shade for the leaves when laid 



In their noonday dreams. 

 From my wings are shaken the dews that waken 



The sweet buds every one, 

 When rocked to rest on their mother's breast 



As she dances about the sun. 

 I wield the flail of the lashing hail, 



And whiten the green plains under; 

 And then again I dissolve in rain, 



And laugh as I pass in thunder." 



And one thing more. Besides enjoying the sunlight and the clouds, 

 we must learn to love the rain. Boys and girls do love the rain, I 

 think, and often want to be out in it. One difficulty is that they are 

 not always comfortably dressed for rainy days. What joy it is when 

 we have rubber boots and rubber coats and a good old sou'wester hat 

 and can go forth in teeming rain and care not how hard it comes down 

 nor how wet are the fields or the woods! We love to trudge along the 

 great highways and let our well-clad feet sink into the deep, soft mud. 

 How fresh one feels out in the storm of the wind and the rain ! Follow- 

 ing is a poem that we should like to have you learn during the month. 

 Through this you will find new joys in rainy days. 



