Evening star., 1924-12-30
PACK ASKS BACKING
FORARBORETUM
Nature Expert Says Project
Will Have Great Educa-
{ tiOnaI Value.

Adoption of a resolution indorsing
the project for a national arboretum
on Mount Hamilton was urged by Ar
thur Newton Pack. associate editor OF
Nature Magazine, speaking before the
American Nature Study Society at
Central High School today. Such an
arboretum, Mr.. Pack said, would have
great educational value to the Nation.
Mr.. Pack, who has just returned
from trip through British Columbi
took for his general subject, THE
Relation of Nature Education to the
Outdoor Recreation Program of the
National Government"
Mrs. John 3, Sherman, the new
president of the General Federation
of Womens Clubs. discussed What
the Patrons of the Schools Think of
Nature Education"
Training From Nature.
"The training of American pioneers
came from the direct contact with
the forms and forces of nature" said
Mr. Pack. ITO the pioneer and to
his children, knowledge. comfort,
even safety itself, came from keen
observation of natures ways. The
frontiersman learned to know thor
oughly the trees, the stars and the
habits of the smallest animal or bird,
and the attaining of that knowledge,
the acquisition of that experience,
nodded the character of our race.
That is why the world today ad-
mires the keeness of American minds,
out quickness, aggressiveness and
punch The pioneer and his chill
dren did not concern themselves with
the term recreation Their walks
were not for their amusement; their
Campfires were not for pleasure. But
our lives are different. We live under
glass; We work under forced draft
We do need something to compensate,
reconstruct and refresh us. and II
we would retain those qualities which
we believe to be truly American, then
our own history shows us that nature
study in the open is the best answer.
Parks Offer Opportunities.
Unfortunately this is not plan
which can be adapted to every city
playground. It is not so easy to ar
range as a system of games and
regulated play. But the growth of
the park system, both city and state,
offers an opportunity to train our
boys and girls in the ways of the
birds, the trees. the animals and the
flowers, and this training will best
teach them 70 observe, and to think
benefits which our pioneer forefathers
derived are equally available today.
THE educational value of a nation
al arboretum to the people of Wash
ington and of the United States can
not be overestimated. l can assure
you the American Nature Associa-
tion is heartily for the arboretum.
/ think l can safely say without TAX
ing a poll that every nature study
Nooo ohnr in, he 10 or
the arboretum. This organization
should heartily indorse the plan.
''At the national conference on out
door recreation we heard ideas about
Summer camps. we heard about the
wonderful work of the Palisades In
terstate Park in New York, we heard
about birds, animals and wild flow
ers, each classed as a recreational
force. The national arboretum is in
line with all this. In fact. the Ma
tion's Capital should be the leader.
Plan for Action.
AT the outdoor conference a COM
mittee was named on formulation of
educational program, the purpose of
be followed. That committee met and
drew up q report, and the meat of
this report was adopted by resolution
of the entire conference. Resolved,
That the conference indorse nature
study in schools and the extension of
the nature study idea to every Ameri-
can family; that provision be made in
the curricula of all normal schools
and colleges for the training of the
necessary teachers and leaders of ma
ture study work Do we wish one
outstanding individual, to whom we
may point as standing for broader
appreciation of nature and her
works? That individual resides in
the White House, and recently re-
cefved an Endorsement of his views
on national welfare by an over
whelming popular vote. The Ameri-
can Nature Association regards ma
ture study as the keystone of all
learning, the beginning of all educa-
ton"
The session opened yesterday with
the report OF the committee on school
progress hy Clelia A. Paroni, SUPER
visor of nature study in the schools
OF Berkeley, Calf.
Among others on the program were:
Mrs Elizabeth K. PEBBLES and Mrs.
Susan S. Alburtis, both widely known
IN this line of work in the schools of
washington. Other speakers were
Prof. E. l. Palmer of Cornell, DIR.
II. c. Oberholser, United States Bio
logical Survey; Prof. w. G. Vinal
Providence, r. l.; DR.. Vernon Bailey
and Prof. E. l.. Moseley of the Ohio
State Normal College. The afternoon S
session Is devoted to discussion of
various phases of the work and its
relation to geography, gardening and
proper equipment of schoolrooms