NORTHROP] FLOWER SHOWS IN CITY SCHOOLS 107 



As a natural consequence of the above conditions, we found 

 that many of the children did not recognize the most common 

 flowers, either wild or cultivated. For instance, out of a class 

 of 55, Grade i B, only a single child knew a clover blossom; of 

 a class of 52, Grade 2 A, four did not know a daisy, seven a 

 buttercup and twelve a dandelion ; of a class of 34, Grade 4 B, 

 comprising children from ten to fourteen years of age, three did 

 not know a daisy and twelve a dandelion, though doubtless all 

 of them could recite poems about the flowers in question. I am 

 pleased to be able to state that every child in this school had 

 either daisies or buttercups to take home and become acquainted 

 with. Examples of this kind might be repeated indefinitely. 

 Suflice it to add that marigolds as well as dogwood, apple blos- 

 soms and many others were indiscriminately called " roses," and 

 that ferns were invariably termed " soup greens " by numbers 

 of the children. That the children's knowledge of common animal 

 forms was quite as limited was unexpectedly shown by the fol- 

 lowing incident. A " brown bear " caterpillar chanced to arrive 

 in a box of autumn flowers and was taken by the principal through 

 most of the class-rooms. It proved to be unknown to the great 

 majority of the pupils, who variously called it a " frog," " lizard," 

 " snake," " grasshopper " and " worm." Yet apparently every 

 child, when told what it was, could glibly inform us that a cater- 

 pillar turns into a chrysalis and then comes out a moth or a 

 butterfly! Since then an effort has always been made to have 

 a ''caterpillar corner " where a few common caterpillars are 

 shown and often also grasshoppers, crickets, spiders, and some- 

 times frogs and toads. One may judge from the above facts what 

 a revelation the nature exhibitions are to these unfortunate city- 

 bound children. 



It should be stated that the above data were collected in 1900. 

 1 90 1 and 1902, and that at the two exhibitions that have been 

 held since the new nature-study course has been in operation, it 

 was evident that the year's work in that subject had done much 

 for both children and teachers. Special efforts are made to help 

 the latter by illustrating the grade work as far as we can by 

 having as many of the plants and animals mentioned in the syl- 

 labus as possible ; and the midwinter show was instituted to pro- 

 vide them with the birds' nests, wasps' nests, budding twigs and 

 evergreens. In addition, wdienever the teachers wish it — and they 



