Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1906-09-05
FOR NATURE STUDY
Every Girl Should Krov BY Name the Birds and Trees
in Her Neighborhood- Let the Girl in the Country
Send Boxes of Wild FIotUers City School Rooms
HocO ;he Schoolgirl of Yesterday Spent Exchanged
Afternoons The Study of Stars WI Please the
Maid With the Scientific Mind
BY MARGARET Il. sANGsTER.

bt MNiNbRiE-i
Nature study is supposed to he a
quite different thing from the study
OF books In a way IL may be true
that the two kinds of study are not
very much alike, but in another way
they cannot be separated. Nature is
around us wherever we turn; above
us stretches the sky; we breathe the
air; we have. whether we live in town
or in the country. the sights and
sounds OF nature near us all the time.
If we have only n little back yard
with a small plot OF grass and a pot
or two OF flowers. IL our only ac-
quaintance with birds is derived from
a canary or parrot in cage, we still
may study nature, although not with
the same degree OF interest that will
be ours when we make excursions to
green fields.
take 1t for granted that the girls
who are studying nature are doing so
TO some purpose. Every one of us
ought to know by sight and touch the
trees in the locality nearest our homes
We should know them by their pecu-
liarities Of bark and branch and bud
anu itdl. We SIOulu hnOW the HOW
crs that grow in our countryside, rec
ognizing them by their peculiarities
OF root. stem and flower, OF color and
perfume.
We should likewise know the birds.
Nothing is more absorbing than the
study OF. birds. They are fascinating
little creatures. Their habits, man
ners and customs are not so very OPP
posite our own when we really pene-
trate their secrets. In a single rather
small neighborhood in New Jersey
bird lover last summer counted no
less than 50 varieties Of birds. Their
migrations, their nests, their patience
in finding food for their young. the
mothers and fathers care in show.
Ing the young birds how to fly, all
these are interesting parts OF nature
study. But 1t is not 80 much of this
that ! am thinking as | write to you.
as or the way In which we may help
one another in these days. Girls who
live in the country ought to have
mission to their city cousins. and
when spring and summer bring their
pleasant days boxes of wild flowers
and garden flowers, too, should be
sent weelly to the schoolrooms where
the pupils have no easy way of get
ting specimens for themselves
Schools in different parts Of the coun-
try shoull exchange flowers shells
and other interesting properties OF the
nature study class and II would not
be at all bad idea If there we're a
REGULAR - of Z
tween jean OF the little village and
Betty Of the big city, all about the work
each was doing in her study Of nature
Another helpful thing that | recon-
mend is the marking of passages in
the poetry and prose that you read with
an especial look to- their bearing on IA
ture. You will find that the poets care
a great deal about the winds and the
waves. the sky and the earth. and that
real poetry is full Of beautiful illusions
t. the phenomena Of the world we live
in Tennyson, whom you will study
In your classes i'm English literature. has
So much intimate knowledge OF nature
that his poetry IS almost q guide book
to the flowers Of his native land. Long
fellow, Whittier and Emerson have
great deal TO say about nature. When
you read the great masters Of fiction
you will find that they have whole parot
devoted TO descriptions Of scenery and
that some Of them paint nature I'm words
as ~ with the brush OF an artist
a good plan is ~ have n commoar'a-e
book and whenever you find something
that You like write 80 down for future
reference
when ! was 2 girl We studied botany
ON under the trees. There was par-
ticularly charming biz Of woodland near
orr school. and our nature study wsq
always carried on out Of doors our
teacher had a seat on gray rock. COW
cred with q blanket shawl. Maybe Won
never heard Of = Blanket shawl. bur r.
YOU had gone with Miss Jane and had
been privileged 10 carry her 1cotch
plaid over your arm you would have
known what q delightful and convenient
w-ap So WAC
The girls grouped Themselves around
on The grass near n brookside and %
The lesson went on tine brook SANG and
sparkled and the sound Of IFS lullaby
and the gieam ~ it's waters made mu-
sic ami sunshine In our souls. We
learned a great deal about botany I'm
those enchanted afternoons. and we
learned. too. = love Of nature that Is
not gained by those who study her
only IN dried specimens botween white.
washed walls.
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