NEW BRUNSWICK FORESTRY CONVENTION 49 



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placed on the teasher, and what Protean forms his teaching must assume. 

 This demand is reasonable within limits ; for it must be admitted that the 

 training of the child at home and school determines the direction of the man's 

 energies in later years. The oft-quoted lines of Pope may be appropriately 

 recalled at a Forestry Convention : 



'Tis education forms the common mind ; 

 Just as the twig is bent, the tree's inclined. 



What can the public schools do to promote the interests which this con- 

 vention has been called to consider ? that is, to conserve and increase the 

 forest wealth of the country ? The Chancellor of the University has already 

 answered this question. The speaker who is to follow me is to deal with 

 that department of the public school work which is most closely connected 

 with forest life and products. Coming between the two I find scarcely suf- 

 ficient matter for even a brief address. 



Before attempting an answer to the question, what can the schools do ? 

 I will briefly explain what they have been doing, and what they are now 

 doing, with greater or Jess success : 



In every grade of the common schools, through a course extending over 

 eight years, several hours a week are devoted to Nature lessons. The obser- 

 vation and study of plant life constitutes the largest part of these studies. 

 The children are brought into the closest possible relation with Nature, and 

 are encouraged to observe and examine for themselves her wonderful pro- 

 cesses, to note the growth and development of plants,, shrubs and trees, and 

 to keep a record of the phenomena which come under their notice. The re- 

 sult of these Nature Studies will be more or less effective and valuable in 

 proportion to the ability and enthusiasm of the teacher. 



The other effort made by the Board of Education in direct line with the 

 work of the Forestry movement, was the establishing of what is known as 

 Arbor Day. For twenty years past one day has been set apart in the Spring 

 of the year for the purpose of beautifying the school grounds by the plant- 

 ing of trees, shrubs, and flower beds. In a few cases the results have been 



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satisfactory. Perhaps in all cases some good influence has been exerted 

 upon the minds of the young who shared in these efforts. But in the great 

 majority of cases the trees and shrubs planted have afterwards been neglec- 

 ted, so that before the next Arbor Day they were dead and the work had to 

 be begun anew. The failure has arisen principally from indifference and lack, 



