THE AGRICULTURAL PHASE 73 



I. By reaching the rising generation. The 

 school children in the grades are organized into 

 Junior Naturalist Clubs to the end that they may 

 love the country better and be content to live 

 therein. Each club receives an embellished 

 charter. Many thousand children are organized 

 each year. For these children a " Junior 

 Naturalist Monthly '' is published suggesting 

 topics for observation and study. Each child pays 

 monthly " dues " by v^riting a letter or essay 

 on some object that it has observed. The dues 

 may be the composition required by the teacher, 

 and it is sent to the nature-study office as it was 

 v^ritten, without correction. Having paid its 

 dues, the child receives a badge-button. The 

 Junior Naturalist Club is organized under the 

 general supervision of the teacher, but the detail of 

 the work is carried by the Nature-study Bureau, 

 thereby relieving the teacher of extra responsibil- 

 ities. In fact, the enthusiasm and centralized 

 interest which the Club introduces into the school 

 lighten the burdens of the teacher. 



Connected with the Junior Naturalist enterprise 

 is a Junior Gardener movement, to encourage 

 specifically the growing of plants and the making 

 of gardens. This movement is also promulgated 

 through the schools. It now has attained great 

 headway. 



Not only is it educational wisdom to begin 

 work with the children, but it is also one of the 

 most efficient means of getting work done. If the 

 children are once thoroughly interested in any 



