38 
BY THE WAYSIDE 
Nature Study 
We are coming to realize that there 
is need of a broad knowledge of the 
common tilings that surround the home 
and the community. In the past we 
have spent time in the study of the 
silk worm, the coffee plant and things 
remote. The common things near at 
home as the potato beetle, the chick¬ 
adee!, the corn plant, are becoming sub¬ 
jects of study. The test of nature 
study is the knowledge of these com¬ 
mon things. 
Several counties are actualy inter¬ 
esting the young people in growing 
good corn, cities encouraging the 
growing of beautiful flowers, commun¬ 
ities providing for the welfare of birds 
and wild life. Even our State Univer¬ 
sity is becoming active in providing 
for the welfare of its bird life and the 
preserving of its natural beauties. All 
this is practical nature study as it is 
along positive lines and necessitates 
the actual doing of things. 
Nature study is not the study of 
text-books on nature, although text¬ 
books may prove serviceable aids. It 
is the actual study of the concrete 
material that is desired. In the study 
of the bird life the children should be 
led through observation to recognize 
the manner of life, its values and the 
necessity for its preservation. The 
same should be the plan in the study 
of the plant or the insect, and in these 
fields the wise teacher as well as pupil 
may discover and learn many valuable 
truths. To study the thing not the 
book alone, should be our aim. 
Nature study ought to develop an in¬ 
terest in the things of nature, to cul¬ 
tivate a power of observation leading 
to the habit of accurate investigation, 
and to give a fund of knowledge of the 
common things with which we daily 
come in contact. It ought to enrich our 
lives and the lives of those about us, 
and result in the actual doing of the 
things worth while. Let us work to¬ 
gether and lead the young people to 
the great heart of nature, and nature’s 
teachings, so that they may finally feel 
with the gifted Bryant, that; 
“To him who in the love of Nature 
holds Communion with her visible 
forms, she speaks a various language.” 
E. A. Cleasby, Portage, Wis. 
About the Redhead 
Elkhorn, Wis., Feb. 4, 1914. 
Mr. Poland E. Kremcrs, 
Madison, Wis. 
Dear SirI just received my No¬ 
vember copy of By the Wayside and 
have read the article about the red¬ 
headed woodpeckers. I live almost 
on the shores of Lauderdale Lakes, 
near Elkhorn, Wis., in Walworth 
county. The red heads have been very 
plentiful here all winter and come to 
my lunch counter every day. Just 
saw one this morning and the ther¬ 
mometer at 5 degrees below zero. I 
saw too, a male cow-bird this morning 
with some English sparrows. The red¬ 
headed woodpeckers have a nesting 
site near my home. There are several 
trees dead on one side from a fire 
burning a large building near them a 
few years ago. The woodpeckers have 
excavated large holes in these trees 
and I think at least twelve pairs nest¬ 
ed there this past summer. 
I took a Christmas census for Bird- 
