Specifically, books like those on "Mechanics, Indoors and Out," "Electricity," and "Carpentry," and parts of "Outdoor Work" may be considered as of one type. When he receives the books the boy will spend days in absorbing their contents, maybe dreaming a bit over the possibilities in view, and finally, by a process which will always be unintelligible to the adult, will light upon a problem or group of them that meets his wishes, as the kite for instance; all he needs from then on is human sympathy with the, to him, important undertaking, and he will gallop through all phases of the kite construction and devices, aeroplanes, propellers, forms of motive power, probably bringing up short at the steam or gasoline engine, which opens another chapter. The really important item connected with the use of such books is to keep the young mechanic on one thing at a time. A bit of judicious questioning now and then, always aimed at a group of related problems upon which he may be engaged, will keep his mind working connectedly. His efforts will then be cumulative in effect. Visits to the aero park, the museums, to the shops and technical schools, and to the local power plants are other distinct aids which should be invoked to supplement and emphasize reading and experiment. In some of the cities model kite and aeroplane contests are held at regular intervals, and these put boys on their mettle to succeed. In fact the proper way to use books of this kind is to let the boy use them; let him begin in the middle of the book and work outward or at the end and go backward, but see that he has books which present the subject vividly, simply. Provide him with the essential tools and materials and a place to work. About the surest way to make a success with boys is to let them have a room or corner of their own where they can work to their hearts' content, where they can store their precious belongings, and where companions may come and talk over things. Really the book is inadequate alone. Unless one provide the opening for action, books but aggravate and excite the mind, mockingly spur the student on to "do." Hence with the book goes a tacit obligation to provide means and place, even the most modest, for putting the book to test.
There is yet another phase to this use of books, and it is one which the boy will usually meet, if the texts are adequate. It is this: whatever the young student does best will be the result of real desire, real personal enthusiasm. It is a fallacy to suppose that the boy interested in tools should always put up shelves, mend the door, or fix the fence. He will execute these tasks cheerfully, but they are not the subject of his dreams. On the other hand, if the desire be to earn money, to have a small business of his own, fences and shelves and plant stands may be the most interesting things in the world to him, because they are means, not ends. Hence the printed book is no teacher or trainer of children, no direct guide to future vocation, but is the very essence of inspiration, the foundation from which the young secures nourishment for day dreams and ambitions, out of which he patiently weaves the rich fabric of experience.
CHAPTER V
A HOUSE AND LOT—ESPECIALLY THE LOT
The past decade has witnessed a movement, just now taking aggressive shape, which is unique—the interest in outdoors, nature study, farming, summer homes, sport, and what is termed the simple life. It is a movement filled with the greatest promise of any among the host now claiming attention, and bids fair to soothe the tired nerves and over-stimulated minds of a frantically industrial age. Busy men and women, particularly the men, who once thought their affairs would become hopelessly muddled if they were not at the desk each and every day, now indulge in sport, farming or gardening, and horticulture. They have become convinced of the benefits of fresh air and consequent health, and have a calmer, more serene outlook on life as a whole. It has become "quite proper" now to live in the "country," even though the country is represented by a lot 40 × 100, for one may have a garden which produces wonders even on such a lot. Indirectly, people get the desire to fix up their homesteads, to plant hedges and vines, to have window boxes and put on a kind of apologetic style which develops into conscious pride ultimately. One cannot play with such an avocation long without learning a bit more about nature in general, and without any conscious resolution drifts into keeping chickens or pets as a kind of pleasurable refuge from mundane things. All this activity is much more than a fad; it points to a recurrence of the primitive instinct to always bridge the ever-widening gaps between nature and the human, who is merely an extra-developed animal himself. Children always possess in a marked degree a love for outdoors, for animal life, for growing things, and fight hard during the early years to satisfy the desire. When they cannot achieve results at home, the surplus energy is worked off by harrowing the neighbors. Steam will do a great deal of work when under control, but if one allows steam to accumulate it must get off sooner or later, and children are under steam always.
The Boy Who does not Love to Camp is Unique. This Illustrates one of Ernest Thompson Seton's Camps where Boys Come in Contact with Nature at Her Best