Rural Schcxjl Lkaflet. 985 



I care for my personal copies of books in proportion to the number of 

 persons they have helped. 



And speaking of books, I am wondering how many teachers have a 

 few always on their desks that help when things go wrong? I keep some 

 in sight and so familiar have the contents become that a glance at the 

 covers often helps through the day. Four inexpensive books I should 

 like to recommend to teachers are as follows: Stevenson's Attitude 

 to Life by John Genung; Imitation of Christ, Thomas d Kempis; The Art 

 of Optimism as Taught by Robert Browning, William DeWitt Hyde, pub- 

 lished by Thomas Y. Crowell Publishing Company; Christ's Secret of 

 Happiness by Lyman Abbott, published by Thomas Y. Crowell Pub- 

 lishing Comx)any. 



It may have escaped the notice of the teacher that in addition to our 

 regular work with the schools we have organized Boys' and Girls' Clubs 

 for the purpose of giving an added interest to country life study. Have 

 your boys and girls sent their names to Mr, M. P. Jones so that they may 

 become club members? If not, will you write to Mr. Jones and ask for 

 particulars concerning the clubs? We want to keep the young persons 

 on the farm as near to us as possible. Write concerning this matter. 

 Very real things can be done by means of correspondence if we can keep 

 the children interested. 



5m75.— Often to teachers who have had no experience along agri- 

 cultural lines such lessons as we are publishing on soils may seem unin- 

 teresting. Any teacher, however, who gives some thought to the matter 

 will realize that a lesson on soils can be made to have a good deal of 

 life. Each le,sson that we have given has required actual experimental 

 work. The handling of the simple apparatus suggested will have an 

 interest for the children and this kind of education is always valuable. 

 If you did not collect soils as we suggested in the fall, perhaps at this 

 time of year in the cities or villages you will be able to obtain specimens 

 from florists and in the country the children may be able to get some 

 soil from the cellars. The experimental work with soils is valuable 

 as a preparation for work in the garden and on the farm. 



The Babcock Test Machine. — This month a lesson is given for testing 

 buttermilk and skimmed milk. A Babcock test machine is needed 

 for the lesson and we hope that the teachers who would like to use 

 one of these machines will make a request for one. It might be a good 

 plan for the rural school teacher to read this lesson before the farmers 

 at some meeting and ask for a Babcock test machine for the school. 

 It will not cost more than five dollars and it will give opportunity for 

 some valuable and practical lessons from year to year. 



