Vermont Bird Club 11 



RELATION OF NATURE CLUBS TO THE SCHOOLS 



Dr. Henry F. Perkins, University of Vermont 



A. Organizing scliool clubs. 



B. Exliibits. 



C. Organizing and directing or assisting in field trips. 



D. Vacation work. 



E. Lectures and talks at the schools. 



In order to interest the children in various kinds of nature work, 

 it may be carried on as a club, rather than as a class in the school. 

 The teacher or one of the outside members of the club may supervise 

 the club, but the conference and constitution, if any, and the details 

 of the plans should be entirely in the hands of the children them- 

 selves. In some local nature clubs this work with the children con- 

 stitutes the most promising and interesting part of the activities of 

 the organization and it reacts favorably on the interest of all the mem- 

 bers. Such school clubs may work out their own programs, which 

 would probably include some or all of the following: 



1. Spring reports of birds and wild flowers seen by the children 

 promotes a friendly rivalry in getting the first records and longest 

 lists. Collecting of wild flowers and observing the nesting habits and 

 feeding of birds. 



2. Summer vacation. Members of club who remain at home dur- 

 ing the summer or who are together in small groups at camping places, 

 etc., will continue their study of flowers and birds and add a study of 

 rocks and the stars, and other objects of nature, reporting at intervals 

 to the teacher or club leader. 



3. Autumn. Reports will be made in school of the activities of 

 the members during vacation and suitable recognition may be made 

 of the best work by the members. Friends may be interested to the 

 extent of giving small prizes, such as books on nature study. Work 

 for the winter may be organized and a preliminary study of the plants 

 or animals upon which work is to be done may be carried on. 



4. Winter. Feeding of birds at the schools and at the homes, 

 or at bird lunch counters, maintained at various points by the parent 

 club. The trees offer very considerable material for the winter study 

 and encourage out-of-door trips by the pupils. The evergreens may be 

 taken first. A simple descriptive pamphlet should be put in the hands 

 of the members and specimens of foliage and fruit gathered and put 



