Smyrna times., 1902-04-09
COLUMN OF INTEREST TO
SMYRNA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
1.-THE WEATHER IN NATURE STUDY" A
PAPER BY PROFESSOR W. II. BISHOP
Tells in an Interesting Manner How Pupils
Can Be Taught Climatic Conditions, and
Its Relation TO Plant Life.

day. or "a fine morning" AS a re-
suit you set to comparing present
weather, with that of last year, and
previous seasons. Very often you find
that neither of you have much accurate
knowledge, concerning the average
weather of any particular month, nor
of the frequency of any unusual phe
nomena.
OF course nothing but a carefully
kept, continuous record is of much
value in establishing these facts, but if
more of us made it a habit to observe
closely, and even to make incomplete
records or notes upon such things as
extremely cold or hot weather, heavy
rainfall or snowstOrms, the date of
blooming of trees and other plants, we
would soon be able to correct some of |
the absurdly false notions now current. |
Children may be taught when very |
young to observe, record, and compare |
some weather conditions. The simp- |
lest one would be air temperature.
Every household has a thermometer,
and some scholars might read the in
strument at home and bring the report
to the school. Better yet would it be,
to have a thermometer at the school
building in some place where it would
be safe, yet sheltered from the direct
rays of the sun and from the rain. A
daily record made at some specified
hour and kept in the school room,
where all might read and compare it,
could not fail to be interesting and
useful. Perhaps readings might be
made two or three times in a day, and
the children thus learn from their own
records, which parts of the day are
coldest and which warmest; at what
periods there is little change in the
mercury; and when 1t is rapidly going
up or going down.
Variable winds and Their Significance
Probably there will be a wind-vane
in sight of the school; if not, some in
genious boy could make one and set il
up in some proper place. The points
Of the compass would soon be learned,
and the manner of reading wind -direc-
tion and its significance taught. Very
young children soon learn that a south
wind is warm, and north wind cold,
: that northwest wind is often associa-
ted with clearing weather, and a north
east wind with cold wet weather. The
thermometer readings and the wind
record may be compared with interest.
l An interesting and valuable record
is that of the rainfall. For the first
I observations of the children, any yes
: sci with perfectly vertical sides, such
t as baking powder can, may be used.
e A small, plain, unvarnished stick,
t with tenths or twelfths of inches
| marked on it, makes a good measure,
o and when lowered to the bottom of the
can, Will record by wetting the stick
the depth of water which has fallen.
The apparent movement of the sun
from north to south with the progress
le of the seasons, may be noted by watch
ing daily the point its rays reach, as
they shine into the window of the
room.
Temperature and the Time of Blooming
. As the spring flowers come out, i
= will be interesting to record the date
and thus their relative earliness ma!
- be learned; it will be seen that there i
I, direct connection between the TEN
!, perature and the time of blooming
- Note the first appearance of the bird
the dates when the robins are first seel
l. and the bluebirds songs is here; whe
- the honey-bee comes ont in search Q
i, nectar, and the first big humble be
= huns about over an open flower; watc
- for the swarms of gnats and flies, an
"a note the increasing numbers of insect
- as the weather gets warmer.
In the higher classes, this work ma
- be of the greatest service in impress
- ing the facts connected with the stud
- of geography. A monthly summary {
-. the rainfall and the average MONTH
- temperature when kept for a whol
"a year, will be useful in showing til
- factors which make the general climat
of of your locality, and will be of grei
On value in comparing the climates {
other regions as described in the geos
~ raphy, with your own.
ID Falling of Rain on the Soil
P. The falling of the rain on the so
lp- will suggest the question "What b,
an comes of the water?" A little observt
at ton will show tiny valleys in procel
nc of formation; will show why deltas al
lad pear and why rivers are crooked.
led will be seen that some water goes ini
dal the soil and some runs off on the su
to face. What becomes of that which
,on absorbed by the soil? In that questio
~ is food for several lessons. The point
u" be all the time kept in mind is that'tl
ads children shall do things for themselv,
q. and so far as possible, be led to con
pare the records and get from them Il