Wings & Stings: The Preface

          This little book has been written with but one object in view, the bringing of the child near to Nature's heart. Every effort has been made to give to dry scientific facts the breath of out-of-doors. Believing that this can be done in the schoolroom only through the story from, the bees, ants, birds, and blossoms have been made to tell their own life histories. They speak of their everyday life, of their friends, their enemies, of their sorrows and joys, that children may come to think of them as kinsfolk, the lesser of the great Father's children.
          We should teach the children that every tint upon a petal, every shade upon a wing, every turn and trill of a bird-song, has some deep and hidden meaning. He can never be quite poor or friendless who has learned to read the secrets of the great outside world. Once teach a child to study and think of these things for himself, and you have given him a source of contentment for the rest of his life.
          If a collection of nature-material is gathered for the schoolroom--a jar of water in which are kept some pond or brook folk; a few chrysalids; some caterpillars, to be fed daily by the children with fresh leaves from their own particular food plants; several stuffed birds; one or two nests; plants are being studied--it will add greatly to the pleasure and profitableness of this book, and beyond doubt there will be added to the pupil's other work a freshness and vigor that comes only from contact with nature.
          But beyond everything else we should teach the boys and girls to love all life, to watch over and care for the birds, the insects--and I would add the wild flowers, for in many places they are being torn up so ruthlessly that in these localities they will soon be exterminated.
          I would bring to the schoolroom a vision of green fields, leafy forests, sunny meadows, and running brooks. I would have you hear the buzzing of bees, the song of birds, and breathe the fragrance of the clover. It is for the boys and girls to say who well I have succeeded in this.
          I gratefully acknowledge my indebtedness to a host of scientists whose books have been freely consulted after much study in the open.