BROWN] NATURE STUDY AT CAMP ON LAKE GEORGE 193 



boat, and then the experience of excitement as she leans to the wind 

 and pitches in the waves. But the study of nature is quiet. It 

 is necessary that the leader in this line should have within himself 

 the power of drawing boys — the personality. It is true that very 

 different personalities may make successful leaders in this work, 

 and we cannot state the necessary combination of qualifications; 

 but we must have for the counselor in charge of nature study for 

 boys, a leader with the right personaHty. We must not expect 

 or require boys to undertake nature study — the work should be 

 voluntary and they must be led to be interested in it. Then, tooi 

 we should have a definite plan, with considerable variety; for with- 

 out a plan the work will be random and interest will not continue 

 to be aroused, and without variety interest will be lost. Of cotirse 

 it is characteristic of human nature that credit for work done 

 serves greatly to stimulate effort and sustain interest. With this 

 end in view a bulletin may well be kept in this department as, 

 indeed, in all others, showing the progress and attainments of all 

 campers in nature work, with blank spaces opposite names of 

 inactive boys. And the work accomplished should contribute 

 towards the attainment of certain honors or emblems. 



At Adirondack Camp we have adopted a plan of work for nature 

 study that we carry out from year to year, notwithstanding an 

 occasional change of the counselor in charge ; but within this plan 

 there is abundant opportunity for the counselor in charge to work 

 according to his own special knowledge and interests and ability. 

 Under our plan we specialize in the study of birds during July 

 and in the study of trees during August. Wild flowers are studied 

 every stimmer and special credits are given. Of course, birds, 

 trees, and wild flowers do not absorb our entire interests at any 

 time. Birds are studied usually by small groups going out before 

 breakfast, trees by groups going out for short periods whenever it 

 is advisable to organize such trips. With wild flowers it is our 

 object to learn to recognize as many as possible, to know the most 

 interesting facts about some of them, and to understand the typical 

 structure of a flower. This work is done either on definite trips 

 or on quiet informal rambles. But the bulletin and the definite 

 records kept and the desire to obtain credits and camp prizes serve 

 to keep this apparently informal work from being neglected. 



Each evening, at a certain time and place, the nature study 

 counselor meets a group of interested boys for a nature "talk". 



