88 



In discussing the topic we should remember that four groups are to be 

 reached and that the method of attack differs with the group. These 

 groups are the children easily reached through the schools ; the woodland 

 owner, the great indifferent and inert public and last of all and perhaps 

 most difficult of all, the law makers or legislators. 



I may premise by saying that there is a very great difference between 

 propaganda and education. Propaganda has been over-done and certainly 

 has far outrun knowledge. We have in the office of the state Forester rec- 

 ords upon some hundreds of tree plantings in the state. These plantings 

 cover thousands of acres and, originally at least, contained hundreds of 

 thousands of trees. It is, however, a conservative statement to say that 

 85% of these plantings are failures, that is, that the sale of all of the 

 product at the highest market price would not produce an amount equal 

 to the outlay. 



In this conference, much has been said about stimulating interest in 

 forestal problems. I think that at one time there may have been a need 

 for such stimulus, but I feel that time has passed and that the present 

 need is for education. The plantings to which I have just referred show 

 clearly a quick reaction to the stimulus ; .the failures show that zeal had 

 far outrun knowledge and indicate that the next step is the development 

 of some educational policies. 



Much of the educational work so-called, has been done in the public 

 schools with children. In every instance the purpose has been laudable, 

 but in most cases the methods have been inadequate and the results un- 

 satisfactory. Arbor day ceremonies served to arouse spasmodic enthusiasm, 

 but with all of the Arbor Day plantings the school yards are nearly as 

 destitute of trees as at the first observance of the day. 



Nature study promised much when first introduced into the schools, but 

 it soon became manifestly purposeless and altogether sentimental in so 

 many cases that it is to be regarded as of doubtful educational value. Its 

 chief fault seems to lie in the fact that as administered at present, it seems 

 to have no objective and serves in the main as a means of relieving the 

 monotony of the ordinary school duties. At the same time I believe that no 

 more valuable educational weapon lies within our grasp, if we can train 

 ourselves in its right use. 



I think that in any sound Forestal Educational policy we should see 

 that our foundations are sufficiently broad. Forestry is after all but one 

 of the phases of the far greater problem of the conservation of our natural 

 resources. The mistake has been made in almost every instance, in consid- 

 ering it as a thing apart, leaving out of account its relations to a great 

 problem which in some of its phases interests every one. Much of the 

 weakness of the present Forestal Educational policies is to be attributed to 

 the fact that it has been presented from too narrow a viewpoint. 



The form and content of the subject should, it seems to me, be worked 

 out in the main by the people who teach, after consultation with the people 

 who know. Most of the books in use have been written either by people 

 who can teach but do not know the subject, or by people who know the 

 subject but cannot teach. The teaching of forestry should begin in the 

 schools in order that the next generation may have a proper appreciation 



