The suburban citizen., 1902-09-20
WOMAN'S @
@ REALM.
A NsM ElsLp oF WORK.

Dutiea of N superintendent of Nature
study in the Vacation schools.
For six weeks or so in summer Miss
Rate Baumann has one of the oldest
occupations of any one in Philadelphia.
As superintendent of nature study in
the vacation schools she not only su-
pervises the nature work done by the
many classes, bat collects and dis
tributes the specimens needed in teach
ing 5000 childrep--hundreds of roots of
Ill varieties, stems and leaves, flowers,
Iruit and vegetables.
Three days a week she Is off in the
country from early morning until sun
down, hard at work Three days she
\ ends distributing among the schools.
l(Her excursions take her far beyond
the railroad and trolley lines, Clad in a
comfortable working dress, she does
miles and miles OF walking over dusty
lanes. her eyes wide open for plants
that have sprung up by the wayside
beyond the fences, so they may be
legitimately appropriated Sometimes
she must mount fences to gather twigs
md leaves from convenient branches.
Occasionally there is tree to climb
where coveted specimens are far be-
yond the reach OF The crooked handle
Of her umbrella.
On certain days the superintendent
trip is TO the woods and fields in search
Of wild flowers On others, armed
with large basket, she visits friendly
farmers to solicit garden and orchard
products, or again, she follows the
course Of some ft"eam to hunt for nee
essary water plants.
The burden she brings back to town
at night may he forty pounds Of leaves
pulled from all kinds of trees, or hun
ireds Of twigs bearing pears and other
fruit, or a hasketful Of potatoes, beets
and carrots, dug up with their leaves
and all.
Distribution the following day is not
an easy task. The schools to be sup.
piled lie in widely separated parts of
town. The residents along her various
routes have grown accustomed to see.
ing her pass by with her odd bundles
and everywhere she is known and
greeted as "the teacher"
"Of course" said Miss Baumann
''when l took up the work four years
ago it was much easier. There were
fewer schools then and not nearly SO
many pupils. Nowadays, if It were not
for the kindness shown me everywhere
[ simply could not undertake it ali
alone. Every one becomes interested
at once when explain my errand. The
farmers want to insist on my having
even more than need, and when ouI
lesson is to be on cultivated flowers
the big city florists fill my basket tc
overfowing. Then there are many
kind friends who are always on the
lookout for specimens to send me, OF
who are generous about assisting me
when my load is a very heavy one"
Her first work begins early in the
spring. Then she is abroad in the
woods looking for acorns that have
lain under the SHOWS all winter and are
'in good condition for sprouting. These
serve later on as splendid examples
Of termination for the younger classes
Later she starts gardening in her back
I'd, planting cucumber seed, so that
hc vines with their young, tiny fruit
may be shown the children, as well as
,arger specimens contributed by the
markets. Peas, beans and oats are
Nlso planted in small boxes box OF
each just sprouted to go to every
school.-Philadelp Press.