The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-23
her NATURE STUDY CLASSES
YOUNG WOMAN'S SUMNER
WORK AT THE SEASIDE.

Teaching children to Know Birds, In.
seets and Flowers Paid the Expense,
" Her Outins, Besides Giving Her
s1JS- to Continue Studies In Town.
Az a means Of tiding over the summer
months and earning money to continue
her studies one young woman In New York
has hit upon the plan Of instrlcting classes
In nature studies at a summer resort
Her classes are made up Of boys and ci.ls
from 8 TO Is. Besides paying her expense,
for the season last autumn she returro1
to town with $27s. 20
LAST summer | had six classes and took
each class out twice a week. the young
woman told tho reporter, "Of course
that .necessitated my having two classes
a day. 1t didn't leave me much time TO
myself, but as l am particularly fond Of
botany and all that grows in the sea and
woods L enjoyed the work.
my method Of forming my classes ia
about the only way that l think could be
employed with success at such a resort.
I find a family who wish their children
to 20 out with me and let them make I'D
the required number, or rather the amount
necessary TO make 1t worth my while to
take their children. Some parents are 60
careful as to the companions Of their
children that they prefer me to take them
alone or with only n or two other chill.
dren Of their personal friends.
MY method Of teaching is very simple.
I begin by taking the children to the woods.
There / teach them to know the birds,
insects and flowers. 1t Is not often that
we have an opportunity to study any Of
the wild animals.
Il have the only books used in the
Glasses. These books are used only for
their illustrations. After describing q
bird or Q flower I show the picture 80 that
It may be easily reoognized.
1T IL wonderful how quick children,
especially young children, arc to learn
the different birds and flowers. Most Of
INV pupils under 10 learned to knowsths
different birds by sight. 70 recognise
their calls and often could tel the variety
from the nest without seeing the bird.
They learned the different flowers and
trees almost as quickly. The older boys
and girls are as . rule less attentive
and take lees interest IN such Studies.
"The third lesson In the woods ! begin
to have my classes make collections Of
plants and flowers. Tho finding and
digging up Of the plants is only the begin
ni10 o? this lesson. The next step y to
teach them to mount the plants, preserv-
ing both form and color.
THE old fashioned plant collectors
mash all tho juices out Of the plant and
flower they wished to preserve. For this
purpose they used to carry small presses
along with them SO that they could begin
the pressing business as SION as the plant
was uprooted.
Nov we leave the juices to dry out
naturally and the result is a natural
in both leaves and blossoms preserved.
The first step on getting the specimens
home is to wash all tie earth and grit
from the roots and plant. Then the
surplus moisture must DO removed BY
gently pressing and wiping with an ab-
sorbent cloth. After this comes a bath
In a solution Of alum and oold water;
to take OF the extra moisture.
AS a mount ] have found a French gray
linen paper much better than tire cid
style glazed white paper. IL the wE:s
plant Is to be mounted. after laying II y
place on the poper o narrow strip. q
eourtplaster SIOUX be put oxer u" s,es,
as to secure it firmly on the gray paper
mount. The leaves and blossoms are
then pasted on the paper with photos-
rapher's paste. =,
fThe object in mounting plants shy,!d
always be to have them 80 far as possible
IN exactly the position they would b. a.
q I'd skifl In Arranging the leaves and FLOWERS
on the mount. 1t was n OF the M
terestipg features, OF my work TO listen
to the disputes among the children as u
where the leaves and blossoms Of thei
specimens should be pasted down.
After each leaf and blossom is pasted
and pressed firmly down with the fingers
q damp cloth should be used TO remove
any surplus paste. The hnished mounts
should be placed on a table with folded
sheets Of newspaper between them ana
the whole surmounted by q board weighed
down to the extent Of ten pounds. The
next day this weight may be removed
ing iron, being careful to cover them with
two ,~thioknesses Of paper.
Collecting and mounting specimens
usually from five to eight
lessons or rambles. The next step in my
oourse Is to take the children to the sea.
shore and talk to them about the shells
and their inhabitants. Very often these
quest that we go again to the woods.
Il have found that children as a rule
find birds, insects and flowers Of more
interest than sea life. They are ready
enough to pick up shells and ask about
them, but when 1t comes to collecting
and mounting them they lose interest
and say they much prefer the plants,
Because OF this preference have very
often gone back to the woods after three
OF four lessons on the sea jewellers.
.As to the financial side Of my work.
charge for the course. not for single
lessons or by tho week. II a child falls
out or misses a ramble l always offer &C
allow him to make 1t up by coming with
some other class. This Offer, however,
Is hardly vel accepted. as children prefer
to keep with their own associates. by
terms are payment in advance. TO a
girl starting out in my work ! would a..
ways advise her to follow this rule, IL"
v loes and embarrassment.
Once In a while / give up my evenings
to help my older pupils mount their COL
lections. On these occasions the class
usually meets At one OF the homes and we
work FOR an hour or 80, then the hostess
gives US all some light Refreshments.
Aside from theee few occasions all my
evenings are my own Then too have
Sundays, 90 you see M summer 10 not
entirely devoted to work. The change
OF air, oompanionship Int surroundings
rests me and I always return to my stuoles
freshened up about as much as the giris
who spend their summer having a gooo
time %
ROAD HOUSE FOR .AVI.ATORS'
IN nsts ccorm od atiOns ia BE Fur.