The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-08-11
NEVER SAW A cow.
Plight Of Hundreds of Children on New
Works Lower East Side,

New York Herald: Astonishing cases
of ignorance, not only OF nature, but OF
their own environment, IN the part of
the school children of New York have
come to light as the result OF joint la
bors of the American Museum of Nat
ural History and the board of educa-
ton. Thousands of pupils have never
Wandered more than three or four
blocks from the street in which they
were born, and the book OF nature Is
practically sealed to them The only
nimal they ever have seen ere horses,
dogs and cats; the only bird with which
they are familiar is the English spar
row.
How many children on the east side
have ever seen a COW, for in5tance?"
asked George H. Sherwood OF the mu-
scum yesterday. II venture to say
there are thousands n thousands OF
them. The question was asked of 3
class of sixty the other day. Only one
boy raised his and
well, how big is a COVE so big
was his renlv spreading his hands to a
width which would indicate the length
Of a dog. Did you ever see one? he
was asked. oh, sure was the reply!
I saw it in the window Of a dairy-a
picture Of it,"
Answers such as that. it is argued;
show the futility of trying to teach any,
thing in the way of natural science by
pictures or photographs.
1t would be thought, for instance,
that pupils might go to the parks to
observe the ways Of birds and animals.
There are many east side children who
have never seen Third avenue, a street
Which is less man t~hree-quarters Of a
mile from a school in which inquiries
We're made. DR.. BunApus. q director Of
the museum, recently instituted a So
ries of lectures for school children
They were brought TO the lecture hali
of the museum. Hundreds OF them news
er in all their ives had been on the ele-
waited railroad, and often in one class
there were five or six children who We're
i'll after their journey.
Mir. Sherwood is new engaged in the
preparation of his annual report in
connection with his work of bringing
the museum in touch with the COMMON
schools.
Many Of the teachers" he said, "a
year or so ago wrote to DR.. Bu!npCS
asking him to give them a few speci-
mems for use in their nature talks.
which are now required. The director
gave orders that small collections
should be made up and lent to the
teachers who applied for them. Small
cabinets were made in which were
placed collections of stuffed birds, mol
lusks. insects, crabs, sponges corals;
star fishes, mineral and native woods.
There were eight kinds of cabinets
in all. and each school got one for three
weeks at a time. They LAY been circu-
lated in the year closing on June !
through $50 schools, and the specimens
have been seen and handled by about
100000 pupils. The result has been an
increased interest in nature study.
I'VE have had a course of lecture
Tor teachers and the attendance OF
school children at the museum has risen
from 5000 a year to $4,000. The mos,
popular Of the collections have beer
those Of the stuffed birds, of which
there are ninety boxes.
DR.. Bumpus has received many let
ters from public school pupils telling OF
their appreciation Of the collections
Here is one from an east side girl. whC
says she think the blue jay is pretty
but she likes the English sparrow best
Of all, because it was the only birG
which she had ever seen. The stuffed
birds are taken from the cases anC
handed about the class com. Often the
teacher has to make d descent to res.
cue some of the birds, for the children
will press the birds upon their breasts
and stroke their plumlnage for half ar
. hour at a time. a principal in a schoo
In the lower part Of the city kept al
unruly class for whom he had no teach
err still for more a an hou by let
: ting them look at some Of the bird case.
which he had received. The childrer
, have been Induced to make excursion.
> to Coney Island, whence they return
laden with sand. clam shells and sea
weed"