The San Francisco call., 1909-11-13

IRMAN I
After dinner all the children get their
blankets and their chairs, which are
very much like steamer chairs, and take
them into the open air in fair weather
or otherwise into open sheds. After
each child has taken his place the
teacher commands: "Close mouth and
eyes Sleep" The air that was filed
with chatter But a moment ago has now
become quite tranquil One or the
other of the children will glance steal
thily up a tree to look for piece OF
blue sky which is just visible between
the branches, or he will follow the
passage OF a little cloud until he is
overcome by fatigue.
Only the singing of.the birds In the
branches is heard, and soon the regular
deep breathing of the little ones an
nounces their deep sleep. They all ac-
custom themselves very quickly to this
rest, and it is an excellent break OF
the day for them Shortly before
o'clock they are awakeped and every
child brings his chair and rug to their
proper places. Each child has warm
showerbath two or three times a week
Several of the children take special
baths at the order of the school ply
sician.
In order to make good use of the
sunlight sun and air baths were intro
duced last June. A space of ground
about so by . yards has been sur
rounded by high board fence and the
ground has been covered with sand
The children enjoy these baths inn
inensely. Afterward they take a
shower bath
The passport for admission TO this
school is, of course, the condition of
the health of the pupil Those children
VINO need the repose and change the
most are selected in the public schools
by their class teacher and principal and
recommended to the board of education.
The physician of the forest school de-
cides whether each child should be re-
ceived or not.
The idea of instruction in the open
air is thoroughly modern The amount
of valuable knowledge amassed
through actual observation and through
the close and constant intercourse with
nature is of the greatest value No
other instruction can be of equal value
The forest pupils see for themselves
those things which their comrades in
the city get indirectly through their
teachers.
They see the destruction of the bark
by the beetle; they see how the mistle-
toe thrives Justify while the branch
that nourishes 1T withers The grain OF
seed which they have planted with their
own hand grows, pierces the soil and
bears blossom and fruit. Inathe spring
they watch the sprouting of the leaves
and in the autumn they watch the
changes of their tints and their fall.
They live through the birth and the
death of the seasons and incidentally
thousand wonders of nature are
forced upon their observation, while
the teachers are there ready to help
thn,1 f,,4 I, -.
Thus the children are led on, almost
unconsciously, to feel themselves one
with nature. 1t is impossible to more
than mention the enormous material
that abounds at closest range of the
pupils-the moSSes- and lichens the
toadstools, the ferns, all the berries
that offer special enjoyment, the many
trees, the slender pine, the gnarled oak.
the silver birch and then the small
animal world, from ants, bugs and cat
erpillars to the wren, the woodpecker
and the squirrel.
Indeed, it is not only instruction in
science, but also instruction in lam
guages and in geography that is fur
thered here in the open air. Besides
these advantages. the fact that the es-
thetic sense of the child is being nur-
tured must not be lost sight of. IL the
eye and the heart are opened to the
beauty of nature in ones youth the
hie'' ohn tHC Woihoh Will nave IL never
ending source of one Of the purest en-
joyments of life.
The blessings which the forest school
bring is felt most in the homes OF the
forest pupils. The parents say CRATE
fully that every evening their children
bring a little of the freshness of it's
spirit and some of the glow of its
cheerfulness with them and infuse new
life into their home. The enjoyment Of
the little pupils and their gratefulness
to the teachers and for the opportuni-
ties offered them is plainly and touch
ingly visible to any one who spends a
few hours in their midst. One leaves
the pretty spot with the feeling that
snnn ct hing. ernnd ie hainr donn Lo,o ~.