I learned richly from “outdoor books” and still do. Sensing that others do not—and that they may disrespect the content of my collection of books, books that led me through “scouting,” into interesting paths and topics within the university, world travel, and now to quaint remembrances. I am troubled by the probable loss of my books and the riches they may provide among novel, untested, and seemingly irrelevant topics of the day. I am still looking for a new home for them.
The imagined “save” from the waste-paper box gives me some pleasure as I imagine some of my books read with enthusiasm, as if I might be talking to my grandchildren and those who might be building toward love of the land and its wild flora and fauna and special places. 
Among my treasures, especially the family gifts, are:
- Fun with Bow and Arrow a booklet by the Bear Archery Company, 1953 (No Online Copy Available)
- The Natural History of Deer by Rory Putnam, 1988 (As seen here)
- The Book of Woodcraft by Ernest Thompson Seton, 1922 (As seen here)
- Wild Animals at Home by Ernest Thompson Seton, 1913 (No Online Copy Available)
- The Grizzly Bear by Thomas McNamee, 1982 (As seen here)
- Camping and Woodcraft by Horace Kephart, 1972 (As seen here)
- Scout Field Book by James E. West and William Hillcourt, 1948 (As seen here)
- Woodcraft by George W. Sears, 1920 (As seen here)
- Scouting for Boys by Robert Baden-Powell, 1946 (No Online Copy Available)
- Fieldbook of Natural History by E. Laurence Palmer 1949 (As seen here)
With gifts from Professor A.B. Massey (botanical) and Prof. Henry S. Mosby (the lesson of the extensive “reprint collection,” now threatened), knowledge is often poorly saved, inadequately used, rarely synthesized, cores rarely reached, joy of unifications rarely experienced, or another “annual,” leading to a future like the past.
I learn now from Palmer’s “ancient” work (listed above)—a pattern for the future with new illustrations and expanded text—to make each observation and provide for its expansion. There are so many potentials! Many are likely to be useful (or harmful, as indicated within each text entry) in several ways now known (and positioned for feedback as needed). Old books, while out of print and sometimes out of practice, still hold knowledge and inspiration worth reading for. I’ll look for those readers who believe the same.
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Rural Future: An Alternative for Society Before 2050 AD describes one system, Rural System, designed to meet the many interconnected rural problems in America, and ultimately worldwide. Visit the book page to download the full manuscript or individual chapters in .pdf format. Subscribe to the Rural System blog to receive more supplements to Rural Future on a variety of topics relating to the future of superior rural land management.
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