NA TV RE-STUD Y NE WS 1 81 



our conquest of the air. Many tliousaiuls ()1 dollars arc annnallv 

 awarded as prizes in fairs, institutes, corn contests, and the like, 

 for samples of products grown by the youthful exhibitor (or 

 perhaps his father, uncle or chum). This adds zest to industry 

 and is well and good if not overdone. Much greater service 

 would be rendered, we believe, by endowing the nature-study 

 movement, as represented by the American Nature-Study Soci- 

 ety, with funds sufficient to promote scientific studies upon the 

 problems of teaching, the methods of popularizing the achieve- 

 ments of science, the promotion of sound nature-study in the 

 schools and the publication of the best literature to advance 

 these ends. Monies thus invested would bring dividends in every 

 boy whose mind was quickened to wrest a secret from nature; in 

 every girl whose pulse was quickened by appreciation of the won- 

 ders of the commonplace; from every parent whose child found 

 wholesome occupation in the out-of-doors; from every commu- 

 nity which felt the touch of out-door improvement. 



Nothing that the school afifords has richer opportunity to 

 mold the lives of boys and girls. The Council of the A. N.-S. S. 

 is chosen from the leaders in American nature-study, men and 

 women worthy to serve as trustees of a great trust. If condi- 

 tions were known, it is possible that funds might be provided. 

 It is not too good to be true. 



The wants of graduates in universities are being gradu- 

 ally provided for. Some day soon a national benefactor will 

 center his interest in the boys and girls of the elementary schools. 



The St. Louis Members of the American Nature- Study 

 Society plan to organize on the first Saturday of the school 

 year as a section of the American Nature-Study Society. The 

 membership is now nearly one hundred and will doubtless be 

 much increased at this organization meeting. 



Prof. F. L. Holtz, of Brooklyn Training School for Teach- 

 ers, delivered three lectures on nature-study during the spring. 

 at the College of the City of New York, the lectures being a 

 portion of the Saturday Teachers' Extension Course. The 

 average attendance was four hundred. He also gave illustrated 

 talks on school gardening to several Brooklyn mothers' clubs. 



