THE COMMITTEE, "HAVING OUR PETS PHOTOGRAPHED" 



ing or talking frankly where sex is involved and therefore are easily 

 embarrassed by the naturalness of animals. Many of them are 

 unable to teach the children with regard to the animals which are 

 mentioned in their history, geography or other lessons. Teachers 

 know little of their children except in the regular work of school 

 routine, and as the children become keen in their interest, unselfish 

 toward other members of the class, forgetful of the ordinary school 

 discipline and quiet in behavior because of their new interests, the 

 teacher sees a different group develop from her old class. 



Another value is that of the mutual interest and friendliness 

 which soon grow up between those classes having families of animals 

 in their charge. They soon learn to lend and borrow pets and 

 exchange information about them. 



A surprising number of superstitions have been unearthed during 

 the study of animals. The one we all think of, of course, is that 

 hop toads make warts. This is a common superstition with every 

 nationality. (See Riley's "Mr. Hop-toad"). Interesting, though 

 perhaps more local, are these: "Guinea pigs take away the 'sticks' 

 (rheumatism). My father, he had a guinea pig that took away 

 his sticks. He let it run up his back. Then he got well and could 

 go to work, and he sold the guinea pig to a sick man for five dollars." 

 "If you blind a rat and let it run away, it will carry all the disease 

 out of the house and if you keep the rat's eyes and dry them and 



9 



