92 Rural School Education and School-Gardening. 



senting it. During the four weeks about forty New York State teachers 

 were taught. The Institution has provided all equipment for this work, 

 so that the opportunity is good to help teachers to appreciate the value 

 of knowledge based on scientific facts. 



In the spring, the writer spent a few days in Chautauqua in order to 

 get a school-garden started. The purpose of this garden was to demon- 

 strate ideas in school-gardening in villages, as well as in rural com- 

 munities. There were about 350 feet of border, 8 feet wide, which 

 surrounded central plats planted with vegetables and flowers by school 

 children in the neighborhood. Another piece of ground was planted under 

 the direction of Professor Tuck. The garden was used also for the in- 

 struction of teachers at the Institution held at Chautauqua in September. 



The writer feels that the foundation has been laid for effective agri- 

 cultural work in the large summer school on the Chautauqua assembly 

 grounds. The administration realizes the educational value of this work 

 and is willing to further it in every way. Next year, it is planned to 

 demonstrate in the garden the cultivation of garden products, annual and 

 perennial flowers, and as many vines as will grow in that climate. Ex- 

 periments in farm crops will also be given, that teachers and farmers in 

 Western New York may be instructed during the summer school session. 



Course at Chautauqua: Nature-Study and Agriculture. 



I. Lecture course in nature-study for teachers and parents. — This course 

 is designed to give teachers and parents a comprehensive outlook to the 

 teaching of nature-study. Suggestive lessons will be given for instruction 

 in school and home. Persons taking this course \vill be prepared to carry 

 on lines of out-of-door study intelligently. Representative lessons will 

 be given on birds, trees, wild flowers, garden plants, earth-science sub- 

 jects, and the like. Literature along outdoor lines will be discussed so 

 that persons will be able to continue study after completing the course. 

 Nature-study will be discussed from the standpoint of its educational, 

 practical, aesthetic, and ethical value. Enough subject-matter will be 

 presented to give teachers a starting place for future work. 



Miss Alice G. McCloskey. 



II. Fiehi zvork. — The time in this course will 1)C given to field and 

 laboratory work. Birds, trees, wood plants, and wayside plants will be 

 studied afield. Some work will be given on insect life, and teachers will 

 be instructed in methods of making a collection of insects. Wild life of 

 field and forest will be discussed. The making and stocking of terraria 



