122 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [18:3— Mch., 1921 



munity. This was followed by the egg of the ostrich and the dark 

 green one of the emu laid by these animals in the Zoo. To quote 

 from the report of this teacher, "Here's a piece of petrified wood." 

 "Do you know if this is gold on this rock?" "I can bring some cot- 

 ton from Georgia" "I have a coccanut right from Florida, that my 

 aunt sent me with a stamp stuck on it. May I bring it ?" A very 

 active tortoise, found on the way to school was our first live con- 

 tribution. So one after another all kinds of specimens came usually 

 with questions as to their identity, which were sometimes answered 

 simultaneously by teacher and pupils. We have our exhibition of 

 bird boxes. During Kindness to Animals Week, a voluble parrot, 

 white mice, a chameleon, a litter of puppies, wide-eyed bunnies, a 

 six-toed cat, baby chicks and tortoises eame to school in the morn- 

 ing and returned home at the close. As this laboratory is in the 

 center 'of the building and a thoroughfare for many classes the 

 pupils have more than class time to view the collections. One 

 large table is set aside for current donations and is always a magnet 

 of attraction. Bulletin boards made by a parent are filled with 

 contributions of pictures, magazines and newspaper clippings of the 

 out-of-doors. One after another, my every ready helpers have 

 made shelves to add to the tiers which hold our museum. With a 

 bird comer, an insect corner, and sections for rocks, shells, seeds, 

 tree and wood specimens, we have reached our capacity. ' ' Looking 

 back on my own schools I cannot help but feel that the future of 

 my boys and girls will be richer and happier for the intimacy they 

 are gaining with the great heart of nature." 



From a museum like that described above to an out-of-doors 

 room is but a short step if the room is available and the teacher has 

 continued interest. To many, this is a new idea. Picture this 

 room at the Washington Normal School. Scrub pine hides the 

 walls and gives the impression of the pine grove. The floor is 

 strewn with leaves renewed from time to time. A large sand board 

 has been converted into a mossy bank upon which the partridge 

 berry creeps; hepatica blossoms and just now skunk cabbage 

 peeps through the dead leaves as it does in the swamps outside. 

 In one corner are mounted specimens of winter birds, a feeding 

 table and a simple bath. In this environment the little ones of the 

 kindergarten, first and second grades are given their nature lessons. 

 A group of little ones from a downtown school visited it one day 

 and asked, "Is this the real country?" 



