NATURE STUDY AT CAMP HANOUM 201 



How much we wanted to keep that porcupine and try the effect 

 of our camp spirit upon his disposition. It was not to be. He had 

 been wounded. All decreed that he must not be allowed to suffer. 



Nature Study at Camp Hanoum 



Nature study at Camp Hanoum is very informal in presentation. 

 It is rather made an aspect of other camp activities — tramps and 

 hikes, mountain climbs or canoe trips, though frequent natiu-e 

 walks are organized, to search out and identify the flowers, trees, 

 ferns and birds that are so abundant in the Vermont hills. Over 

 night parties, stretched out on ponchos and blankets, study the 

 stars from the hilltops. 



Last season a naturalist and forester lived among us and stimu- 

 lated our interest, not only in identification, but in all the practical 

 side of wood-craft — ^the kinds of wood most useful for certain 

 kinds of fires, and for shelters, and which trees to cut and which to 

 spare, and why. 



Among the younger children, the Nature study took the form of 

 games. Sometimes two groups, starting out in different directions, 

 would meet in a specified time and compete for the largest number 

 of specimens of ferns, flowers and tree-leaves gathered and cor- 

 rectly identified. 



Another favorite game of the little children — clues — gave train- 

 ing in other lines than mere Nature lore. The group was told 

 where the first clues would be found, — perhaps in the lowest 

 crotch of a big tree. Here they would find a paper saying, "next 

 direction at the foot of oak tree, loo feet east." Here another clue 

 would direct, "look under cinnamon-fern by elm tree, 200 feet due 

 north." Long trails could be laid, the clues always to be replaced 

 for other players. The training in judging distances and direc- 

 tions was very valuable to young children. 



The children are encouraged to bring in specimens of lichens, 

 fungus, abandoned birds' nests, geological specimens, insect galls, 

 caterpillars, butterflies and moths, — whatever they see that inter- 

 ests and attracts them. These specimens are collected in a little 

 museimi very popular with the children. 



