THE AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION. 



333 



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AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION 



Personal Explanatory Note: — Only the adult interests in nature and the business details of organizing Chap- 

 ters are represented by this department. Original observations and inquiries from young folks (under eighteen years 

 of age) are referred to my department ("Nature and Science") in the "St. Nicholas" magazine, published by The Cen- 

 tury Company, New York City. — Edward F. Bigelow. 



An Agassiz Association Course in Ele- 

 mentary Botany. 



Alex. E. Wright, of Wellesley Hills, 

 Massachusetts, will continue his labora- 

 tory course in botany. His usual fee 

 is ten dollars, but a reduction is made 

 to Chapters and Members of The Agas- 

 siz Association. Write to him for par- 

 ticulars. 



"Common Sense Knowledge." 



The president of one of the largest 

 and most successful banks in Stam- 

 ford — a man who is generally recog- 

 nized in that city as one of the best 

 and most successful of financiers — 

 recently visited Arcadia, and made a 

 careful investigation of the outfit, the 

 work and the financial needs of The 

 xA.gassiz Association. He spoke with 

 encouraging commendation and ren- 

 dered pecuniary aid. 



As he was taken through the vari- 

 ous departments of nature investiga- 

 tion and was shown the salient things 

 of interest, he frequently said : 



"This is common sense knowledge ; 

 the schools should teach this instead 

 of much of the 'stuff' they now pack 

 into the heads of the pupils." 



The substance of this statement was 

 reoeated, in different words, at vari- 

 ous times. He emphasized the fact 

 that the study of nature is common 

 sense and that much of the teachings 

 of the schools is not. 



I quote the bank president espe- 

 cially not only because of his promi- 

 nence and business sagacity but be- 

 cause he is most unprejudiced and im- 

 partial in this oft repeated statement. 

 Many school teachers, especially 

 science teachers, and many parents 

 have expressed the same idea. I have 



not quoted the science teacher lest 

 the reply be, "It is his business to 

 teach that and of course he advocates 

 it ;" nor have I quoted the ordinary 

 parent with children now in school 

 lest some one say, "Oh, he has been 

 inoculated by the modern nature-study 

 fad." 



But our bank president has no chil- 

 dren in school, he is not swayed by 

 fads or hobbies, he is simply a capable 

 long experienced, skillful, efficient busi- 

 ness man who knows how to take 

 care of his own money and that of 

 others to the best possible advantage. 



His verdict is, "Success in business 

 needs common sense knowledge, and 

 a knowledge of nature is common 

 sense." 



Suppose you had come from Mars, 

 eager to learn something of your new 

 environment. Would you not be sur- 

 prised if you should enter a school- 

 room and find so much thought and 

 labor devoted to the distant in time 

 and place, so much investigation of 

 theories remote from the actual experi- 

 ence of the pupils, and so little to the 

 thoughts and objects of the present? 



Yes, it is "common sense knowledge" 

 to know the stars, the trees, the plants, 

 the life forms — all the things near at 

 hand. It's a University of Common 

 Sense Knowledge that we are trying 

 to build up. Do you believe in com- 

 mon sense knowledge for all people? 

 Then do as did the bank president — 

 speak a good word for it and empha- 

 size your words by substantial aid. 

 Come with us. We are going the 

 right way. 



Now is the time for your membership. 

 Begin 1910 aright. You will not live 

 this year again. 



