The Nature-Study Idea 239 



farmers do not appreciate all this, you must do 

 your work just the same, and wait. 



You certainly are not alone in feeling that 

 you cannot carry the children much beyond the 

 printed lesson. As you say, these subjects are 

 so new that there has been no opportunity for 

 adequate training in them. I think that the 

 best teacher I ever had along these lines was a 

 woman who knew very little about the subject- 

 matter itself, but who encouraged me, answered 

 my questions as best she could, and told me 

 frankly when I had found out more than she 

 knew. I judge, however, that you quite under- 

 estimate your own knowledge, else you would 

 not feel so keenly the responsibility of your 

 work. 



You can do a great deal outside the school 

 for your people. You can work through 

 farmers' organizations, attend farmers' insti- 

 tutes, help to organize boys' and girls' clubs, 

 reading clubs, help to put educational work in 

 the fairs, and in many other ways quicken the 

 rural life of your vicinity. 



