MC QUADE CHILDREN'S INTEREST IN NA T URE-ST UDY 215 



and their minds dwelt fondly on the thought that perhaps some- 

 time they might have both baby chickens and baby rabbits and 

 that they would be able to pet them and take care of them. 



The children's evident lack of interest in the beautiful pigeons 

 led me to try an experiment with them. I gathered them about 

 the pigeon house and taught them a song and game connecting 

 the pigeons with it. This they learned readily and seemed to 

 enjoy. We sang the song and played the game three times and 

 it had the effect of stimulating the children to a livlier interest in 

 the pigeons, not enough, however, to interfere with their work 

 with their own property. 



Thereafter they often stopped voluntarily at the pigeon house 

 long enough to sing **Coo-roo" and, when as sometimes happened 

 the pigeons cooed in return it seemed to give the children much 

 pleasure. By this time the plants were growing well and some of 

 them were quite tall. It sometimes happened that rain pre- 

 vented the children from seeing their plants, this always caused 

 keen disappointment and I was always assured most earnestly 

 that the children had worn their heavy coats **on purpose." 

 It grieved me to turn a deaf ear to their pleadings and had the 

 responsibility been wholly mine, I should have made plans to 

 avoid any interruption of their work. But even after a short 

 forced absence there was more delight than usual in the free time 

 devoted to this work and in this case, too, it was such a surprising 

 thing to see how the plants had grown in the meantime. 



Several of the plants soon cam.e to need support. As soon as 

 the children noticed this two or three volunteered to make treHises 

 but day after day passed and none forthcoming. At last I told a 

 "story" about a plant that had an owner. This story was dis- 

 guised pretty thoroughly, but one boy said after the usual pause 

 "that story is about our plants." I made no reply and we started 

 at our work. Four children immediately hunted about for sticks 

 and used them to prop up their plants. Two of the four children 

 also propped plants that did not belong to them. In a day or 

 two E — brought a rude trellis which he had made at home. The 

 others contented themselves with sticks for props. 



A few chickens kept by the janitor for food were near our pens 

 and about this time the children observed that they often over- 

 turned their drinking pan and were without water. A — asked 

 permission to water them, and after that it became a regular part 

 of their work as long as the chickens were there. 



