Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-29
ONE YEAR OF NATURE STUDY
Results of a Systematic Course in Omaha
Public Schools.
CITY CHILDREN LEARN NATURES SECRET;
Flowers, Plants, Birds and Trees
Made the Subjects of Many Lessons
in Which the Pupils Had Both
Interest and Profit.

Among the most interesting evidences OF
results in the last years work among the
grade pupils of the public schools of the
city are the carefully prepared reports Of
the nature study work as furnished by the
teachers of the various grades and last
week placed on file in the office of the SUI
perintendent.
Complaints of educators of the lack of
familiarity among city children with ma
ture and it's products, and of the serious
ness OF this deficiency, have occasioned
spasmodic interest in these subjects at diff
ferent times and maintained for a number
of years some study OF nature in all of the
grades, but there has been no systematic
outline followed. and as a result, while the
pupils have absorbed a great deal OF val
liable information. they have chiefly In
vestigated the things most convenient or
interesting to them, doing much duplicate
work and losing much that is valuable and
interesting in the things that CHANGED to
be more remote.
Incidentally, considerable botany and
some zoology was taught and man useful
lessons from life learned, the tendency and
readiness of the children to apply them
at last influencing the board to incorporate
the study of nature In the regular course
of study, and last fall a new plan was
| adopted which provides a definite outline
for each grade, giving each certain flowers
a we'll known vegetable, a tree and a bird'
and offering suggestions for practically car
rying on the study.
In the main, however, the teachers were
left to pursue the work according to their
own Judgment, and 10 what extent the ma
ture study has been a success is shown by
their reports.
Practical Work of the schools.
Nearly every school yard has it's flower
beds where seeds were planted and flower
cared for until they blossomed. II was the
same with the vegetables, which were care
fully cultivated until ready to use The
custom Of planting trees on Arbor day was
especially helpful IN the study OF trees
while the bird study furnished a never
failing source Of interest.
In studying the flowers and vegetables
the pupils became familiar with all the
seeds, bulbs or cuttings and with the proper
time and manner Of planting them The
kinds of soil were also studied, together
with the preparation and cultivation neces-
sary to produce the best results.
Having the entire year for the study OF
these things, there has been time for care
full observation of all the changes and de-
velopment, few OF which have escaped the
children, their numerous experiments and
questions taxing the teachers for proper
answers. In this manner the habit OF in
terest in the cultivation and care Of how-
ers and vegetables has been stimulated
and aside from the beds in the school yards
IL Is estimated that between 5000 and lO,OOC
little gardens in the home yards have re-
suited this spring from the study.
And then there has been another gail
to the children that has been even NOR
noticeable than these material results
That is the aid the nature study has beeI
in their study OF Language, The Old-tim