34 THE NATURE-STUDY IDEA 



The results have been gratifying. Not only have 

 farmers learned more, but there has been a general 

 uplift in the tone of many rural communities. 

 But the discouraging fact is, that the young people 

 do not often come to the farmers' meetings in 

 any numbers. There will be a constantly recurring 

 crop of ignorance and prejudice. Each crop, to 

 be sure, must be above its predecessor, but yet not 

 living up to the full stature of its opportunities. 

 It is therefore necessary to begin with the new 

 generation — to begin our chimney at the bottom, 

 rather than at the top. People crowd into the 

 cities largely because of the intellectual entertain- 

 ment that they find there. If their own 

 intellectual horizon is enlarged, they may find 

 entertainment in the country. 



The teacher, the clergyman, the progressive 

 merchant or farmer here and there, are the persons 

 that are willing to help along the work of uplifting 

 the rural communities. Education is the only 

 salvation for the farmer — not the development of 

 facts merely, but the development of power 

 through the enlargement of capability. The 

 results will come slowly. We must not be 

 impatient. There are centuries of inertia to be 

 overcome. The best and most permanent things 

 are of slow growth. 



Nature-study teaching may seem to be an in- 

 direct way of reaching the farmer ; but it is not. 

 It is direct because it strikes at the very root of 

 the difficulty. One of the pleasantest comments 

 which we have had on our nature-study work 



