New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-24
Circus Animals Go 10 School.

Patience and perseverance-these are the secrets
OF successful animal training. Few boys and girls,
elephants at the big circus az Madison Square
Garden. have any idea Of the time and brains that
have been expended in preparing these creatures
for their public performance
An animal trainer IS teacher OF animals He
has 10 be kind patient sympathetic and resource
full If Re Is to succeed Il doesn't do TO get cross
and strike at baby elephant. for instance if he
makes mistake in his work That only confuSes
and discourages him. the way it would a boy
on his first lesson in compound fractions When
the elephant and the boy reach the point where
they want 70 give It up II makes it had all
round An impatient. had tempered cruel trainer
might easily spoil promising pupil just tie way
the same kind Of q teacher could make a boy haze
arithmetic for ali the rest II his life
Baby elephants make ideal pupils the trainers
say, they axe SO quick. intelligent and dociIe and
have such good memories Horses lesrn more
quickly than elephants. but they do retain their
lessons so we'll They also likely shirk the
minute the teacher turns his head away, while
the elephant has something like a New England
conscience Somewhere behind tIs little eyes ami
big fanke ears and once having learned an act
Will so through II faithfully.
With lions, Ieopards tigers and other wild AMI
mails in captivity IL is absolutely essential TO win
the confidence of the PurH before anything can
be accomplished. These creatures never seem to
feel any pride or pleasure in performing. al
though young bears sometimes get fun ant Of their
stunts. Pigs. stupid as they seem capable %
learning many interesting tricks, and so are geese
and chickens. while there have been seals that
astcnished their trainers by their accour9
pnshmeuts riders, 1Ugglers and cymuasts
The training OF elephants illustrates the general
methods OF The animal trainer The head teacher
ard his assistants select % THE Intelligent
Of the baby elephants and Keep hummering
away AZ one simple lesson till their pupil has
learned Il.
say they have chosen COCO. ono Of the HrtIe
pachydsrms which takes part I'm the war scene IN
IL" big circus j0~os first lesson would he 20
lie down M command. the head teacher stands
by tho little fellows head and saya Down
or course. Coco not BEING on English speaking
elephant. doesn't know what down. means and
stands Just whore he is. 80 trc tutor pulls his
,eg@ from under him and throws bin The floor.
while the head teacher keeps repeating The word OF
command. After WuIl~-ul1SDe before Che ..9s.
of tho first day '0Co barirs uud.rsJ8uF IS
wanted OF him and lie down alone Then they
pet him and pat him. and tell him what ii good
boy ne has been and how smart and bright he
and finally they gave him loaf Of bread. Bread is
one Of Tee greatest tFeats Nud San %ise tu tte-
phant Ii is his peanuts and pie. his candy aIU
poucorn ard chewing gum and Ice cream all rolled
into
Well after baby COCO has learned the meaning
Of Down the rest OF the elephant kiIlerEdrt-1
s brought into tAe schoolroou, tire rev pupil
being ranged along the wall with their heads