Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-01-30
Prominent Educator Justlfies
Statements Of the News"
As To
WEED STUDY IN SCHOOLS
And Indicates What state Normal
school Is Doing In This
Direction.


~ reminder TO our law makers. aid
your statement that n study Of weeds
Ia OF necessary IN school training a. Ia
study of the plants that are beautts
full, is one to the correctness of which
hasten 10 testify. We have begun the
study OF weeds at the state normal
training school; aud enough has al
ready been done In this kind OF work to
indicate that we are proceeding IN tho
right direction. II Ia not impossible.
however, that your statement might
be disputed, or. al least, misunderstood.
] therefore add the following by way
of confederation a. TO your school ref
erenoe. for / suppose there will be 10
dispute as to the necessity for a weed
law In this state.
ADVANTAGES OF WEED METHOD.
A manifest advantage Of making
school study of weeds as the nature-
work OF the early autumn. Ia that the
equipment. or laboratory material, may
be had for nothing, IN abundance. and
in better condition than the material OF
any indoor laboratory. The outdoor
laboratory Is superior for this purporsc
to any that money and effort can pro-
duce. To go out and use this material
proffered SO abundantly by nature her
self, is more conducive 10 health and
good spirits OF teacher and pupils than
to be so much indoors. The time which
seems TO be lost in making trips afield,
is really gained through the zest there
by impaired TO school life. In using
weeds. we feel fec to secure an album
dance of material and to dissect and
destroy TX, not only without compunc-
ton. but even with a certain satisfac-
ton induced by the feeling that we are
thereby contributing towards lessen
ing the evil of weed pests. Moreover,
weeds present moral lessons OF perso-
verance and adaptability TO circum-
stances. which the cultivated and more
useful species do not so frequently or
so obviously afford. Finally, weeds are
the most constant of mans companions
following him everywhere and patiently
enduring neglect, aversion. and all sorts
Of ill-usage and warfare without the
least sign of encouragement. Since we
cannot avoid. we would better make
use of these persistent followers.
WEEDS NEWLY CLASSIFIED.
In the provisional lists of weeds pre-
pared for the use of the practise teach
ers at the state normal school. we have
made some very unusual classihcations.
We group the weeds into four divisions
the plant useful, the plant beautiful.
the plant wonderful, and the plant
harmful. The membership Of the first
group is sufficiently obvious; that OF the
second consists OF unique and curious
forms OF plant life native to this re-
gion; while the third includes the weed
pests and the poisonous species. Con-
slider few examples.
In the lists referred to. among the
plants useful are the tumbleweeds and
the saltweeds, which are ranked as de-
alkalizers, because they rid the soil of
alkali II cut and removed from the soil
Ohey also make good fodder II cut
while young), while the leguminous
plants are ranked as fertilizers because
they supply to our soil, as the native
legumes have done for generations
past, the nitrogen necessary to good
plant growth For this reason we do
not condemn the wild or sweet clover.
Melilotus alba. Neither do we con-
denim the bltterweed, which we rank
as n medicine because the Indians
south OF us use a decoction made from
II as a cure for the bite of the rattle
snake. No animal Is known to eat
the bitterweed. or ragweed. Even the
goat scruples at 1t. and single bite
of Its leaves is enough to faint a
cows milk. It Is one of our plants
wonderful, and its destruction Is I'M
necessary.
Among our plants harmful the Ivy Is,
as you say, our most troublesome pois-
onous species though we have several
others-the common larkspur the bulb
| of the poison sego. the woolly loco of
southern Utah. the water hemloclc, the
corn cookie. the aconite, probably, and
the Unison weed. These are mostly
spring towering species, and they may
be considered at that season. It is the
fall plants that are the most difficult
to study They are mature, complex,
and belong largely to the most difficult
groups in way OF classification; and
II is to these that we have thus far
given most attention.
The milkweed, storksbill, mentzelia,
asters. sages. greasewood. and prickly
species are the most interesting OF the
fall list, on account OF their unique
distinctive, or beautiful characterize
les. They will repay observation. We
classify them among our plants Won
derful or beautiful.
These classifcations are made from
the standpoint of the chlld's knowledge
and interests; and are psychologlcally
scientific and useful for pedagogical
purposes, although botanists do not
thus classify from the standpoint of
usefulness and obvious or leading feat-
ures.
Theoretically II is not the best of
pedagogy to begin with weeds. Weeds
are mere obstacles, and their study is In
sense negative; while an axiom OF
the modern school Is that the eternal
do" shall take the place OF the ever
lasting don't" But the study OF
weeds Is a continual doing--it is find
Ing, observing. comparing. classify
ing. exterminating. Most OF the weeds
arc unique and highly organized for
special purposes, especially for sur
vlval by the perpetuation OF the species.
Many OF the weedy plants are beautiful
IN form and color and some have a his
toric significance. Some are odorous
with pleasant perfumes; others. pun
gent or disagreeable. Some open In
sunshine, others, Mt night. Some are
smooth, veyety, silvery. or canescent;
others. rough. prickly, .dull-hued, or
common looking But all are included
within the meaning Of the saying OF
the Great Teacher; Consider the III
les, how they grow they toll not,
neither do they spin and yet ! saw un-
TO you that Solomon In all his glory was
"a la n lhNRlb