SEPTEMBER 13 



Choose for tlieir first excursion a day when the sky is 

 full of beautiful, billowy, cumulus clouds. Tell them that 

 they are going out to find the blue meadow and Apollo's 

 clouds. Where are the cows going ? From what direc- 

 tion does Mercury come ? Is he driving them quickly, 

 or moderately, or very slowly ? What else is going in 

 the same direction (smoke, leaves, etc.) ? If the clouds 

 were not here, how could we tell from what place Mer- 

 cury was running ? 



There can be no valid objection to letting the children 

 use the terms " north, south, east, west, northeast, south- 

 east, northwest, southwest," and much unnecessary cir- 

 cumlocution is thus avoided. By all means, use some 

 kind of a compass in teaching direction. A magnetized 

 knitting needle run through a cork and suspended by a 

 silk thread, so that it may move freely, costs practically 

 nothing, and teaches most effectively the north, from 

 which all the other directions may then be taught. 



By making excursions at different times of the day, 

 establish these facts : 



The wind may often change, both in its direction and 

 velocity during the day. It is usually calm, light, or 

 moderate in the morning, increasing in velocity during 

 the day until it becomes strong or even blows a gale. 



The north wind and east wind oftenest bring cold 

 and rain ; while the south and west winds usually are 

 warm. 



The clouds in the early morning are in layers round 

 the horizon (stratus, or layer clouds), but later, on pleasant 

 days, rise toward the zenith, lose their banded character, 

 and look like great packs of white wool (cumulus, or 

 wool-pack clouds). Sometimes they are very far from 

 us, lighter, more feathery (cirrus, or feather clouds) ; 



