Nature Study In A College Woman*s Club 



Martha Mono. 

 Erie, Pa. 



Last year the College Women's Club of Erie, Pa., found 

 the program of topics prepared for discussion at the monthly 

 meetings especially enjoyable. These topics are embraced tmder 

 the general caption, "Studies in Nature." During the four years 

 just preceding, the Club had adopted for its program successively, 

 studies in art, opera music, modem drama aad Greek drama, and 

 each program proved stimulating and interesting, though 

 the subject of Greek drama seemed to make 

 a less general appeal than the others. For this reason it seemed 

 essential for the prosperity of the Club to choose for 1916-1917 

 that topic which would appeal to the largest possible ntimber of 

 the membership. So each member was asked to send in to a 

 committee the topic of her choice. A list of all these topics, 

 numbering about twenty-five, was placed in the hands of each 

 member, and at the June meeting, the time appointed for choosing 

 the subject for the work of the ensuing year, each member was 

 asked to select from this list of twenty-five, the ten topics that 

 seemed to her most desirable and to arrange them on a ballot in 

 the order of her choice. As was to be expected the vote did not 

 approximate unanimity, but "Natiu-e Study'.' had a clear lead. 



The program committee then had on hand a problem of no 

 mean proportions, nature study being as wide as the world and the 

 meetings of the club limited to eight. It was decided that a gen- 

 eral survey of the field would be best and the following program 

 was produced. 



In the presentation of topics, effort is centered on making the 

 work as concrete as possible. For example, a fine study of the 

 history of Lake Erie — prepared by one member for the December 

 meeting was made graphic by means of many maps drawn to show 

 the changes caused by the alternating advance and retreat of the 

 ice, which took place in the lake bed during the glacial period. In 

 this paper the fact was brought out that the gravel pits of Erie 

 being worked now were deposited by these ancient lakes, and that 

 their old beaches have determined the courses of some of our best 

 roads. 



So also when toads shall be the topic of the evening it is expected 

 that real toads will be present; and when the life in a brook is 

 under consideration, some squirming, wriggling specimens will 

 be at hand for inspection. 



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