Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-12-19
NATURE STUDY FOR oun SCHOOL,

NATURE STUDY FOR OUR SCHOOL
There is growing tendency amos
our best educators toward making ma
ture study prominent feature Of the
work of the public schools. Come to
think of it, this is very sensible thing
to do, for surely there Is no better tyne
Of education than training the children
to become intelligently familiar with
the common things Of life-the things
with which they will have to do am
their lives long. This practical knowlsN
edge about common things is withsIe
one thing In which all children are sure
to manifest deep interest The childI
must be taught, but instead of doing ii
wholly with books and oral lessons why
not get closer to natures hidden treas
ures and mysteries and let them learns
from her? To illustrate, take a prisE
mary school Of thirty scholars ranginxl
from six to twelve years of age LetE
the teacher select days when the weath.
er Is suitable, say one afternoon eact
week, and let these be devoted to on
door object lesson. Say the first al
ernoon out is in April. These are resi-
rection days. Let the lessons the
days be on the increasing power Of t
sun, the melting SHOWS, the rushi
rivers and where they go; the mig
tory wild fowl, their kind, where thu
winter and where they nest in summerpI
the south wind. the feecy cloud pic,
lures, how they come and where they
go; the birds, first harbingers Of spring
and their kind. Later the plowed field,
the sowing Of seed, where, how and OF
what kind; the budding trees, first flow
ers, rain and why it falls Show them
plow and the farmer blowing; differ
emit soils-clay, sand, loan; the harrow,llll
the seeder. Let the plowman take your
place as, teacher and explain 1t all to
them. Another day take them to the
river. Take the fishes. the aquatic
plants and the insect life, the way We
ter runs. Tell them about eddies, cE
rents, overfows, waterfalls and wss
power. Tell them how the water pd
or is used and go into the mill. Il
miller will explain how he makes Z
water grind the wheat into -four. La
or, when summer has arrived, tai
them into the cool, shady woods. III
insect life, the leaves, the grasses, tho
flowers, the birds, the cool spring gush
Ing from the rocks, the thunderstorms
the electricity, the hail, the summed
winds and the birds and their nestssssS
all around you is an endless variety Of,
practical themes. Take them to a
creamery and let the creamerymanld
tell them how butter is made. Take
them to the depot and let the engineer
tell them of the locomotive TENDER
freight train, switches, whistles, signal
lights and power Of steam. The ory
orator will tell them Of the telegram
wires, battery, the mysterious clicks
and how messages are sent. Tag n
them to the br1ckyard and let TIL
see clay turn into bricks and how
tile Is made. Follow up, as the SD IA
son passes, the ripening grain, %@
reaper, the harvest, the thrasher. No4&
are ripened fruits and nuts, an endless
variety of interesting and useful 4
ject lessons. Arithmetic, geografs
and philosophy as studies may allN
interviewer In these outdoor LESSEE
by the apt teacher. This half dss
would be very beneficial, welcome
change to both those who teach and
those who are taught, and the amount
Of practical information thus so pleas
antly obtained would be worth as much
as all the other lessons Of the week put
together. Give the child an outdoors
education for one-fifth Of his school life.I
and we believe that it would show fatS
better results than the same amount Oh
time devoted to the study Of books.
PROFITS OF ORANGE GROWING.
Many people in the east and CENTRALLY.
western states have vague sort Of ana
idea that there is great money IN t1A1E