io66 Rural School Leaflet 



I want to tell you about the house on this farm ; it is so good to look at 

 and to live in. It is built of native limestone and some boulders. Wise 

 men tell us that the boulders reveal a story of a time long, long ago when 

 this part of the country was covered by glaciers. Have you ever thought 

 that you would like to study about land forms and know something of 

 the hills and the valleys and the strange rocks on your farm? 



But to go back to the house that I am telling you about. If you look 

 closely at the gray rocks that form the main outside walls, you can find 

 in them many interesting fossil forms of animals that once lived in and 

 by the sea. How do you suppose these forms came to be in this part of 

 New York State? Some of you have heard of fossils. What can you 

 find out in some good reference book about them? Did you ever find 

 one on your own farm and would you like to know something about it? 

 If so, send it to us and we will share with you the interesting story that 

 it may be able to tell. 



Inside the gray stone house there is a large fireplace. Isn't a fireplace 

 one of the best things in the world? You and Fido and the gray kitten 

 all like one. If you ever build a house, remember to have a fireplace. 

 You will then be glad if some one has taken care of the woodlot so that 

 there will be a splendid yule log to burn every Christmas. By the way, 

 look at the woodlots in your neighborhood. Do you think there will be 

 tall trees in them when you grow up ? 



I wish I had time to tell you about the creeks and all the brooks and 

 rills on the farm that I love. They make such good comrades for 

 boys and girls and, indeed, for older folk. There are many of them on 

 this farm, which go merrily on to a lake that is sometimes peaceful, 

 sometimes playful, sometimes rough, sometimes dangerous. The brooks 

 run on day by day, and once in a while restless little feet wade in them, 

 the while curious young minds find out some mysterious things that the 

 busy world knows nothing about. Who is willing to live where there is 

 not a brook to ripple gaily along in the sweet spring weather? 



And I nearly forgot to tell you about the great rocky cliff within a 

 stone's throw of the gray house. This is the most wonderful place of all. 

 Trees grow on it and about it, and as you sit on the upper edge of it you 

 are among tree-tops and many a shy bird comes close to you, in no way 

 suspicious of your very quiet self. Four or five feet below you on the 

 side of the cliff a phcebe's nest can be seen. What a safe place some 

 little birds choose! Neither you nor I would dare to climb up to it and 

 no one could climb down to it, so there the small home stands in safety 

 on a ledge of the rock-bound height. No wonder that phcebe call in 

 early morning is full of energy and confidence — his home is all right 

 and the rest will come. You must hear a phcebe this spring. Do not 

 mistake the chickadee's plaintive, high " phcebe " call for that of the real 



