Rural School Leaflet. B6i 



fiiucfi effective work can be done in Forestry in connection with lessons 

 in Nature Study and Geography. We hope our teachers will read over 

 the articles in this Leaflet since it may open some new lines of thought. 



General outdoor study. — In addition to the practical lessons in agri- 

 culture given this month, we hope the teachers will encourage the chil- 

 dren in general out-of-door study. One of the chief factors in the happi- 

 ness of men and women on the farm is pleasure in the outdoor world. 

 Let us help the children, therefore, to become familiar with the trees, 

 wayside plants, and animal life about them. Let us teach them to take 

 an interest in the weather; in the sky by day and night; in the coloring 

 of fields and hills. This knowledge has a twofold value. It gives pleas- 

 ure and leads also to much practical knowledge useful on the farm. 



In every school building having more than one class, the teachers of 

 Nature Study should have a conference and make out a list of outdoor 

 subjects that will be taught in the dififerent grades. This will prevent 

 too much repetition in subject matter and have a tendency to progression 

 from year to year. There is no reason why every boy and girl should 

 not be familiar with forty or fifty trees, fifty wayside plants, and fifty 

 birds, and have a general knowledge of animal life in the country 

 near before he enters high school. He should also know something 

 about the weather, the soils, and the physical features of the countr}^ 

 about him. 



A child's knowledge of trees may lead to elementary knowledge of 

 forestry; his knowledge of wayside plants to an interest in weeds and 

 ways to control them; his knowledge of birds to their relation to agricul- 

 ture, and to become familiar with wind and weather while he is young 

 will help him to become weatherwise. as he grows older. The child 

 lives with all these things and each ye"ar should add to his knowledge 

 of them and his joy in them. 



In the Children's Leaflet we shall give simple lessons each month 

 in general outdoor study that the pupils may begin to think along 

 this line, even without much instruction. We hope, however, that 

 teachers will help them to go further in their observation and study if 

 possible. 



Quotations. — On page 45 we have given several quotations. It is a 

 good thing for children to learn some poetry even if it is beyond their 

 understanding. They get some interest from the very music of the 

 verses. If these are learned and recited they will often increase the 

 child's vocabular}^, and unconsciously he will acquire expressions that 

 will be helpful to him in speaking and writing. One good quotation 

 le^-rned each month is worth the while. 



