480 FARM AND SCHOOL PROBLEMS. 



His corn-stalk fiddle, and the deeper tone 



That murmurs from his pumpkin-stalk trombone, 



Conspire to teach the boy. To these succeed 



His bow, his arrow of a feathered reed, 



His windmill, raised the passing breeze to win, 



His water wheel that turns upon a pin, 



Or if his father lives upon the shore, 



You'll see his ship, 'beam ends upon the floor/ 



Full rigged, with raking masts and timbers staunch 



And waiting near the washtub for a launch." 



Help the boy to construct these contrivances. Let him ob- 

 serve and do things. Read poems and prose selections that show 

 great powers of observation, such as "The Barefoot Boy", and 

 "The Brook." 



Outdoor Exercises. 



This study should begin with a study of community life. 

 The child should know the people of his community, and how 

 they live; how the community supports itself, and its relation to 

 the neighboring communities; how churches, schools, roads, tel- 

 ephones, telegraphs, mail routes and many other modern con- 

 veniences come to be here ; pupils should be taken on trips to 

 visit shops, mines, and factories where they can have an oppor- 

 tunity to see different classes of the leading trades of the coun- 

 try; let them see the working of levers, pulleys, derricks, cranes 

 and steam shovels; examples of water power, steam, electricity 

 and gas. Let them see the traffic of the city and the different 

 occupations represented; transportation, commerce and manu- 

 facturing; methods of transportation on lakes, rivers and canals; 

 on railroads and public highways. 



Study the subject of soils; how they were formed; the lay 

 of the land and how it is drained ; what the farms produce and 

 why; road building methods; tools and materials used in con- 

 struction ; costs and benefits to be derived. Teach the important 

 facts pertaining to the community. 



Let the children go on excursions from the city to the 

 country; let them come in touch with rural life; let them see 

 some model farms with their well-kept and well-arranged build- 

 ings; the barns filled with grain, feed and well-kept stock. 



