I04 NATURE STUDY AND LIFE 



I know of no better device for introducing children of 

 all grades to the wild flowers than one quite commonly 

 used by local teachers but not described in manuals of 

 nature study. I refer to the Flower Calendar. Clear a 

 space on the blackboard and write at the top : 



Flower Calendar. 1901 



Date Name of Flower Pupil who first finds it in Bloom 



April 3 Hepatica ........ Alice Smith 



April 9 Bloodroot James Gary 



and so on, and at the end of the week, or when the board 

 is full, have the school copy the list into their nature note- 

 books. It will form an interesting record, may be referred 

 to often, may bring back pleasant school memories, and 

 be a treasure for life. Here again we have the spice of 

 rivalry, the spirit of play, and while some may insist that 

 " work must be work," we never can hire or whip a child 

 to work half as hard as he works when he plays. It will 

 send the children out of doors to learn their lessons from 

 the fields and woods, keep their eyes bright and wide open 

 on their way to school, and give them lifelong interests, 

 acquaintances, friends. 



Hast thou named all the birds without a gun ? 

 Loved the wood-rose and left it on its stalk } 



O, be my friend, and teach me to be thine. 



Emerson, Forbearance. 



Except with the most common plants, encourage the 

 children to bring in descriptions, or only so much as will 

 make the identification possible. It is a distinct loss to 



