New-York tribune., 1909-06-13

the trees and the birds and wants to know about
them To-day that boy is a nice. well behaved boy.
and I feel sure that getting acquainted with the
trees and birds and squirrels in our trips 10 the
park is what has changed him"
There are three thousand children IN Public School
10 In the primary department there ere more than
sixteen hundred and hfty Consequently, it ism I
every day that child in that school can be taken
TO the park. but Miss Margaret II. Read. Miss
Katherine NJ Hanbury and the other teachers take
turns in giving their children hour two there
In classes Of fifty or From II TO Y o'clock IN
the morning and after o'clock IN the afternoon
any fair day YOU pretty sure 10 INA some Puohc
School 10 classes trdging around the lake. feeding
the squirrels. learning the difference between oak
trees and NAPLES and elms and beeches. finding out
that feathers grow birds. and not on bushes, and
so forth.
For they don't know anything at all Of nature 5
ayavs some Of them, when they come 20 US, Miss
Read told the reporter, I've had them tell me as
seriously as possible that feathers grew on bushes
What can you expect Of children who have never
seen anything but brick walls? But their eyes are
soon opened the park. You'd be surprised. by the
way 70 see how many different kinds Of wild birds
have their nests there And don't the children Just
love TO go When for any reason child can't &C
companv mis- class, it's a tragedy FOR that child.
assure you"
DO they ever throw stones al the brds%
NO: never. We've had just one case Of cruelty
that know Of in this school-a boy who seemed 20
have the tendency born in him lie was a good
looking lad with slick tongue. but again ana
again he was found in the park torturing squirrels
and hurting little birds. We put the other boys on
him They were furious with him; they weren't
going TO have a boy in their school doing things
like that We found could leave him 10 them
I don't suppose he ever cured. but he wasn't
found to-turng birds and squirrels in the park any
at Is remarkable" Miss Read went on, how
well the children behave these walks They I'M
derstand that in the park leaves aren't to be picked
and branches aren't 70 be broken, and they don
do these things. one teacher can take care OF
class OF fifty easily, except where the children are
little and then another teacher goes along to see
that they don't get mazed with the fascnations OF
the park and lose themselves
Occasionally class Is taken to Fort Lee. or
Bronx Park. or to places much further than
these in the real country The other day Miss Han
bury took hfty boys TO Bronx Park. one boys
mother wasn't going TO let him have the 10 cents
for carfare his classmates felt this TO be such
a hard thing that a small deputation was sent TO
the recalcitrant mother to represent to her how II
Joseph couldn't go. he'd be the only boy of his class
left at school, and would have TO sit and study
Joseph mad his trip To Bronx Park.
'They behaved Beautifully, Miss Hanbury said.
'As Of the boys said in his composition-they
all have write little compositions about what
1--WE walked to the cars like gentlemen. two by
Every child no matter how small. must write
compositions are very good, remarkably good con
f cent 2f in hG this soo are are %
many are from families Of on newly WY arrived mmi
ments OF the upper East Side.
'Isidore,". says one saw a white birch with no
leaves It. He thinks the tree was dead"
Isidore has logical mind Another boy writes, in
his big, round. childish hand;
John saw bird bathing in the lake. 1t was all
black EXCEPT one red spot on its wing II few into
the sunlight and perched on limb like fluffy ball
Emanuel told John II was a blackbrd.'
Common, everyday things these TO the lucky
children who live in the country. But to boys and
girls Graded between smoky walls and nurtured In
the noisy streets they open new world.