billigJ nature-study IN SCHOOLS IN ILLINOIS 255 



My collection of negatives contains examples of many insects 

 and spiders, including beetles, grasshoppers, moths and butter- 

 flies of numerous species. A fine specimen of the Broad-necked 

 Prionus (Prionus laticollis), which is a common, large, rather 

 shiny, black beetle, with knobby antennas and a broad thorax, 

 which has jagged, free edges to it, is frequently found flying about 

 the city street lights after dark. 



We are all more or less familiar with the common grape-vine 

 beetle or Spotted Pelidnota {Pelidnota punctata). In color, this 

 handsome insect is of a pale mahogany-brown, with three small, 

 round, black spots near the free edge of either wing cover. If you 

 want specimens of this beetle for your collections, you must look 

 for it along in July or in early August, either on the grape-vines at 

 home or on the wild kind in the woods. 



The Nature-Study Situation in the Elementary Schools 

 of Illinois for 1914-1915 



Florence G. Billig 



(An investigation made under the direction of Dr. Otis W. Caldwell of the 

 School of Education, The University of Chicago.) 



In order to determine the present situation of Nature-Study in 

 the elementary schools of Illinois, a questionnaire was sent to the 

 superintendent of schools in each city in Illinois with a population 

 of three thousand or more, to the directors of the training schools of 

 the five state normal schools, and to the principal of the elementary 

 school of the School of Education, the University of Chicago. 

 Ninety-nine replies were received from the one hundred seventeen 

 letters sent. 



The data from these replies are summed up in charts I and II. 

 Chart I gives the results in numbers while chart II states the same 

 facts in per cent form. The result shows eighty-three or 83.83 

 per cent, of the schools reporting do some work in Nature-Study. 

 Of this number 59.03 per cent, are pursuing definitely organized 

 courses: 6.02 per cent, of the schools not having definitely 

 organized outlines are working on courses. Ton schools have 

 supervisors who take charge of the Nature-Study work. In 59 

 per cent, of the schools, Nature-Study is taught throughout the 

 year as against 10.8 per cent, teaching it only during the s])ring and 



