Anna Botsford Comstock

Anna Botsford Comstock was an acclaimed American naturalist, illustrator, and writer who devoted her life to promoting nature education and conservation. She was the first female professor at Cornell University, where she taught nature study and helped develop the curriculum for public schools. She also collaborated with her husband, John Henry Comstock, a renowned entomologist, in illustrating and co-authoring several books on insects. Her most famous work, The Handbook of Nature Study, published in 1911, is a comprehensive guide for teachers and students to observe and learn about the natural world. The book covers topics such as plants, animals, weather, geology, astronomy, and ecology, and provides suggestions for outdoor activities and experiments. The book has been translated into several languages and is still in print today. Comstock was also a pioneer in the field of wood engraving, and won several awards for her artistic skills. She was a member of various scientific and educational societies, and received honorary degrees from Hobart College and Oberlin College. She was also inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Comstock was a passionate advocate for nature conservation and environmental awareness. She believed that by fostering a love and appreciation of nature in children, they would grow up to be responsible and caring citizens. She wrote, "Nature study cultivates in the child a love of the beautiful; it brings him into harmony with nature and so puts him in tune with the Infinite."