CENSORED NATURAL HISTORY NEWS 225 



guiding and glorious light — imagination. Wild 

 nature is the child's greatest heritage. Unfortu- 

 nately superstition and system do not know this 

 shining heritage and this wondrous light many a 

 child will never see. 



"Mother," said a small boy, as they stood before 

 the leopard's cage, "how can that animal afford 

 a coat like yours ?" 



This childish remark is akin to the lofty conde- 

 scension sometimes observed in the comments 

 concerning the rural population. People, without 

 knowledge, allege inferiority in rural folk. Coun- 

 try folk and the farmer are thought to be in need of 

 uplift and old magazines. 



Many wilderness camping places are devastated 

 as though by war. Trees are burned and hacked, 

 birds shot and frightened, and wild flowers up- 

 rooted. These atrocities are committed by those 

 who have a low estimate of poetic wild nature, of 

 everything and everybody beyond the city limits. 

 But these people are not to blame. Their early 

 nature information was mis-information. The 

 Scouts are already showing that nature censorship 

 is in Class A of non-essentials. 



Much of Roosevelt's power came from early — 

 that is, correct — acquaintance with nature; it fur- 

 nished him recreation and enjoyment and effi- 

 ciency; and it also stored his mind with inside facts 

 which ever were helpful in making the right deci- 

 sion and in getting results. 



