New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-13
1T MAKES POLLY TALK.
Monograph the Teacher tn Wom-
ans Parrot School.

one Of the strangest schools I'm the world has
teen established in Philadelphia by woman
1t is a school tor parrots, where the birds are
taught to speak by monograph. The custom
Eas been in teaching parrots the lingo which
,hey prattIe amusngly for the teacher TO
crouch in a corner out of sight OF the bird, and
repeat thousands of times the same word, the
game phrase till his back ached and his voice
yefused to emit more than a whisper.
The way devised by this woman requires no
.xertion and is much more successful. She
Gets a monograph going at the parrots ear,
and then attends to other affairs. The phono-
graph, with precision and a perseverance man
souId never equal, drums into the ears Of Polly
he sentence that is TO be learned The term
at the Philadelphia photograph school Of Ian
CUages for parrots lasts six months. The tuition
fee is $40 term. The school has at present
twenty pupils
They occupy a warm. spacious, sunlit room
- an upper floor. Dealers in pet stock are
tally asked by patrons for parrots that are
good takers. 1t was because this demand was
ore which one dealer could not always supply
that his wife established this school
A parrot that can't talk sells for $40 or So.
she said land one that can sells for 500 or
$50, according TO its proficiency why
shouldn't l take half dozen unframed BIRDS
worth, say. SO. and turn them out good tax
ors worth 500 or $500
She selected a half dozen young parrots, put
them in a room by themselves, and began to
train them in the old fashioned way, in which
she was proficient. Sometimes she would cover
their cages with great hoods Then she would
seat herself before them. and. in clear. regu-
tr voice. she would begin TO repeat:
Polly wants cracker! Polly wants crack
=, Polly wants cracker! Polly wants
oracker.'
no he oh
up her task from sheer exhaustion. The parrot
would be as rosh rs at the start. Again, she
would have the cages uncovered. and, stealing
into the room noisclessly. she would hide behind
a screen, where the birds could not see her,
and crouched there take up her monotonous
chant:
Polly wants a cracker, Polly wants a crack
r., Polly wants a cracker." till again exhlus-
ton came.
she never allowed the parrots to see her. II
being we'll known fact that parrot learns
new words only when its attention is not dis
tracted. The woman had a monograph. and
one day, when her task tired her out complete
Iy. it occurred TO her that she might utilize this
instrument. and save wear and tear on voice.
muscle and nerves. She learned from phono-
graph agent how to make record. and at once
made that said about a thousand times.
Polly wants n cracker"
Then she tried her plan on the parrots and
its success was beyond her expectation. The
parrots learned from it more quickly than they
had ever learned from her. Then she got sew
eTal monographs. made n number Of records
suitable for the birds. and thereafter did her
training by machinery altogether. The parrots
were. at the end Of their course. the best talk
CTS her husband ever had. He sold them at an
average price Of 800 apiece
The story OF her new and successful vrov OF
teaching parrots TO talk with the phonograph
spread over Philadelphia. and a number Of per-
asked the dealers wife IL she would not
give lessons 10 their birds. She said she would.
and in that way her photograph school was
started.
Tie school was In full swing the other day