144 WINTER 



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a tiny window : The tough birch-bark would bend readily. I would 

 shut the window in leaving by means of a long, sharp thorn. 



CHAPTER VII 



TO THE TEACHER 



Make a point of going into the winter woods and fields, taking the 

 pupils as often as possible with you. It may be impossible for your 

 city children to get the rare chance of glare ice ; but don't miss it if 

 it comes. 



This is the time to start your bird-study ; to awaken sympathy and 

 responsibility in your pupils by teaching them to feed the birds ; to 

 cultivate cheerfulness and the love of " hardness " in them by breast- 

 ing with them a bitter winter gale for the pure joy of it. Use the sug- 

 gestions here for whatever of resourcefulness and hardiness you can 

 cultivate in the girls as well as in the boys. 



FOR THE PUPIL 

 PAGE 79 



the good things to read : To name only a few of them, we might 

 mention John Burroughs's "Winter Sunshine "and " Squirrels and 

 Other Fur-Bearers," Bradford Torrey's " Footing it in Franconia," 

 Frank Bolles's " At the North of Bearcamp Water," William 

 Hamilton Gibson's " Eye Spy," William L. Finley's " American 

 Birds," and Edward Breck's " Wilderness Pets." 



CHAPTER VIII 



TO THE TEACHEJl 



I believe this to be one of the most important chapters in the vol- 

 ume, dark and terrible as its lesson may appear. But grim, dark death 

 itself is not so dark as fear of the truth. If you teach nothing else, by 

 precept and example, teach love for the truth for the whole truth 

 in nature as everywhere else. Winter is a fact; let us face it. Death 

 is a fact; let us face it ; and by facing it half of its terror will disap- 

 pear ; nay more, for something of its deep reasonableness and mean- 



