Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-05-16

Prof A. r. Spaid. superintendent of
free schools In New Castle county notes
with a great deal of pleasure that chill
dren all over tho state arc taking more
interest than formerly IN the study of
nature and that there Is more of desire
to protect the binds than heretofore For
several year he has been giving nature
lectures in the SCHOOLS ol the county and
in his effort 10 train the children 10 love
nature he has been ably assisted 10y the
teachers and as RESULT oi this senti
ment among tho pupils nature club
have been formed at some of the schools
and during the past three years between
3 500 and 1000 names have been added
20 the roll of the Audubon Society of
Delaware. chiefly from among the chill
dren and their teachers.
Prof. Spaid has not been urging the
formation of nature clubs hut ho on-
couragcs 10 and is glad to see that they
are being formed voluntarily. as he feels
that they will do more good than It the
children felt that they were compelled to
Join organizations of this kind Hc has
never lost an opportunity to encouraging
the children and teachers of ION tho
Audubon Society and the response has
been beyond bis expectations While
his official jurisdiction is confined TO this
county he occasionally goes down the
State upon the invitation of school
authorities and delivers lectures in the
schools Recently he lccturcd In the
High School at Milford aud a short time
ago. as a result of an invitation extended
to the scholars and teachers TO Join the
Audubon Society. he received the names
of Dos children and teachers from there.
lie. alfo- recoived the names of 1873 from
Smyrna.
A nature club has been formed al the
Claymont School, of which Miss Elsie n.
Robinson is teacher and IL has a member
ship of 80. A similar club has been
/ formed at the Mt. Pleasant School. at
/ Bellevue, and also one at Fairview The
| children who are members of these clubs
wear membership badges, each school
| adopting its own combination of colora
for the ribbons
The members of the clubs study not
only bird and'other animal life, but they
! also interest themselves in the study of
plant life. Some of the schools have
nature calendars, which show Just what
original thing in the line of nature study
has been done by each scholar each day.
The children frequently find plants
which are new 10 them and take them Ia
school If they know the name Of the
plant they give it and also thee locality
in which il was found and that is recorded
on the calendar for the day. If it hap
pens that the scholars do not know the
species and it is so rare that the teacher
does not know, the plant is sent to Prof
Spaid, who always gives the desired in
formation as soon as possible He II
glad to have the teachers and children
send plants to him for Identification
Il shows interest in the work, which b,
likes to encourage. lt teaches childrer
to be thoughtful Frequently, wher
Prof. Spaid has finished a lecture tn,
children approach him and thank hin
for his interesting talk, which shows
that it is appreciated.
Prof. Spaid says the number Of song
birds in this section Of the country is in.
creasing, due TO the fact that the chill
dren instead of destroying and frighten'
ing them, rs they formerly did, are pro
tecting and taking care of them tn,
children are taking such great interest il
the protection OF birds that nests are
being built about the houses, near which
the birds were formerly afraid 10 ap
proach. Near one of the schools
short distance from Wilmington, a pai
OF robins have their nest in a mail boz
along the public road. which is some
thing unusual for robins. The childrel
know the birds are there and watcl
them very closely to see that no harm
comes to them, ss q result Of which th
birds have become very tame.
Prof. Spaid has received voluntar.
letters from children in the schools, show
ing the interest they are taking in th
study Of nature and their appreciation
Of the help given them by Prof. Spai
and their teachers lhe following ar
samples of the letters he has received re
Gently;
Milford. Del. April DIST, 1908-M
dear Mr.. Spaid: The spring flowers ar
lust beginning to bloom with the comm
of warm weather. the song birds ar
! arriving from the south, the snakes
lizards and insects are here now, and w
want YOU to come down and see them.
know n place in the woods where 20
d can sit down and pick arbutus by IN
= handful and although the blossoms az
getting little old now, l went there la'
3 | Wednesday after school. and stage
] ABOUT ~ WMUNNNrs kNANAliN HAA \ NAAi
Z carry in one hand. II is only a half mil
Q from our house ] wish the course {
e lectures you gave here WAS just beginning
n / enjoyed them very much, and had
the power. / would have you come dow
b and deliver one every week. How
the green snake getting along / hoI
Y my father will plow up some snakes tn
: spring He did so last year, and, as
Z was at school. he laid one on the rolf
q under the grapes, and when he can
d after It. about quarter Of an hour late
p it was gone. suppose the buzzar'
got il. halph T. walker
Bellevue, Del, April 18th, l906-M
dear Mr.. Spaid AT a meeting OF the NJ
q Pleasant Nature Club the members +
s ouested me TO write TO you asking yc
D to accept their thanks for the most d
a teresting lecture given at the school
Q April 18th. They are very much d
terested in the protection OF the bir
and hope that they may have an int
enoe in this community. Hoping tn
g YOU may be successful in the future
= YOU have been in the past, ] remain you
: sincerely, Blanche Eaton, secretary
EunHI1I a'IAll