N. S. ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



IT GIVES ME the greatest pleasure to see at this meeting such a large and repre- 

 sentative body of the teaching profession of the province, and as a member of that 



profession I ask the liberty of addressing my few remarks principally to the 

 teachers present. 



Since this is but the first anniversary of the founding of the society, I wish to take 

 the opportunity to explain something of its aims and purposes. 



The society was formed a year ago for the double purpose of stimulating interest 

 in the general study of entomology, and for the dissemination of knowledge concerning 

 our insect enemies and friends; and since these purposes can best be accomplished by 

 working through the rising generation it has been wisely chosen, I believe, to hold our 

 annual meetings at a time when such a large body of teachers can be present. 



The dignity and importance of insect study needs no vindication There are still, 

 but only among the uninformed, traces of the old notion that the study of "bugs" is 

 a somewhat silly pastime, but the last remnant of this idea is fast disappearing before 

 the march of modern scientific thought. 



It has been wisely said that the next great war will not be a war between nation 

 and nation, but a conflict between the human race and the insect world for the possess- 

 ion of our globe. Every farmer and fruit grower in the country is ready to testify to 

 the fact that, owing to the increase of insect enemies, it is becoming more and more dif- 

 ficult to raise his crops; and every year the market in certain food products is more or 

 less affected by the ravages of insect pests. 



We do not need to be reminded that the thorough knowledge of the habits of any 

 enemy is a mosl necessary factor in successfully combating that enemy. Hence the in- 

 creasing importance of insect study. 



It is to the teachers of the province that we must look for assistance in this work. 



No intelligent teacher will ever experience any difficulty in interesting children in 

 the study of insects. Children are naturalists by nature, and it is only from lack of en- 

 couragement, or in many cases the presence of positive discouragement, that in so vast 

 a majority of men and women this love for nature and interest in natural objects died 

 in childhood. 



Nor should any teacher be dissuaded from assisting her pupils in their observations 

 of insect life by the fact that she herself is lacking in entomological knowledge. Rather 

 let her and her pupils be seekers together for knowledge, and the very fact that the 

 teacher herself is in quest will serve as an inspiration to her pupils. It is not the teacher 

 who does not know all that is asked her who is the depressing agency in a school, but the 

 teacher who is satisfied not to know, or worse still, the teacher who, not knowing, at- 

 tempts to conceal her ignorance. 



Not long since, it was my privilege to have from the mouth of one of the oldest 

 entomologists in America an account of that famous school in nature study conducted 

 by Agassiz. To that great class, many of whom have since become famous in the an- 

 nals of science, the greatest inspiration was the frequency with which their renowned 

 instructor said "I don't know," or broke into delighted exclamations over the marvels 

 of some marine form, new alike to him and to his pupils. 



We wish you, as teachers, and all others at all interested in insect study, to make 

 this society your society, and to feel perfectly free to call upon any officer or member of 

 the society for information, or for assistance in identifying your specimens. We also 

 wish you to help the society by giving us at our meetings or in our publications the re- 

 sults of any interesting observations t hat you may make, and by assisting in building 

 up' the provincial collection of insects toward which Prof. Brittain has already made 

 such an excellent beginning. 



