AUNT HANNAH 
SEES ARCADIA 
Finds It a Storehouse of Knowledge 
Having to Do with Nature. 
STILL IN INFANCY 
AS TO DEVELOPMENT 
Has a Great Field in Which to Use Its 
Opportunities. 
[From The Daily Advocate, Stamford, 
Conn., Oct. 4, 1921.] 
To the Editor of The Daily Advocate: 
Nestled in a wooded setting at Sound 
Beach, Connecticut, is ArcAdiA, the 
nature spot of an interesting study. 
I was led to turn my face in that direc- 
tion, knowing that a modest little 
magazine. The Guide to Nature, had 
its source of publication from that 
center. 
With a turn of mind to scan the con- 
tents of books offered to the reading 
public, I noted its purpose and aims, its 
artistic beauty of finish. I purposed at 
the first opportunity to make ArcAdiA 
my point of special interest. 
Dr. Edward F. Bigelow, the manag- 
ing editor. I had never come into per- 
sonal acquaintance with. His spirited 
greeting and readiness of welcome 
were so strikingly apparent of one who 
had something to sell, I apprehended 
he wanted me to buy out the entire 
outfit. I soon found it, however, the 
very reverse of purpose. The only 
thought in mind when I came into view 
of the surrounding was, have I lived in 
Stamford so long, and overlooked this 
nature spot of informal wildness, with 
its interesting enclosure, its field of 
educational value, the character of 
work, the endeavor set forth to present 
to the public so varied an exhibition of 
nature’s common things in such an un- 
common method, the harmony which 
I beg to note could not be better ex- 
pressed than to say it stands quite in 
compact with the personal proportions 
of the good doctor himself, and carries 
with it the pleasing cordiality of his 
personality. 
I have before let it be known to the 
people of Stamford that I am not in 
accord with what is so insistently ad- 
vised of school studies, that knowledge 
is to be taken largely out of books. 
Academically, it may be advanced of 
conception, but when the wisdom gath- 
ered and stored comes of the Great 
Teacher out in the open daylight, in the 
practical lead of the senses which come 
in contact with nature’s range of 
beauty, even of her wildness, and from 
the living creatures which have the 
freedom to follow habits in the wild, 
here in ArcAdiA is noted this character 
of life. These treasures of interest 
out of a fund limited of resource as I 
have gathered of information in my 
ramble over this field of study, be it 
indeed of wonderful accomplishment. 
The amiable enterprise of The Agas- 
siz Association under management of 
Dr. Bigelow is not without suspicion 
of the fact that it needs the help of 
more liberal support than has come to 
it. It isn’t all for Sound Beach that I 
make this suggestion. “Stamford is my 
home,” and there is such a thing as 
selfish reflection that has outreaching 
relationship to the surrounding coun- 
try, and Stamford stands to come into 
its beneficial welfare as well. The cause 
in fact is country-wide, and appeals of 
educational value everywhere. Stam- 
ford’s School Committee may not sanc- 
tion all I am about to say on this point, 
but I believe that, if one day of the 
week were allowed the High School 
pupils to lay aside their books and de- 
vote the day at ArcAdiA. it would ad- 
