The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-07-09
CHILDREN TO AID THE BIRDS.
A School Army Enlisting TO Save
the Guardians of Crops.


On the millions of school children
In this country final hope of averting
the extinction of the valuable insect
ivorous birds has been rested.
What the Federal Government. the
State Legislatures, and even the
oranges, women's clubs or national
commercial organizations have failed
to accomplish completely, the Ma
tional Association of Audubon socie-
ties have announced will be now CIV
en- to the children of the land to
bring about. To organize every body
of pupils from the largest New York
public school to the most remote dis
trict school Or the Pacific coast, into
a general movement for housing,
feeding and protecting the wild birds
that save the country's crops is the
ob1eet of the Audubon workers.
General headquarters for this new
campaign are being established in the
Offices of the National Association of
Audubon Societies, at No. 141
Broadway. New York. Already the
organization is In touch with thous-
ands OF teachers and girls and boys
Gibbs throughout the country, to
which 1t has regularly sent literature
on bird guarding and care. With
these as nucleus, the children are TO
pusL the fight until the members OF
each school In every neighborhooi
are enlisted in the work of building
bird houses and "restaurants" to sus-
tain the sadly thinned ranks OF the
feathered army OF insect destroy
ers. Special ammunition in the form
Of printed directions and suggestions
for making bird shelters anj lunch
counters is being prepared for every
boy and girl who will write and ask
for 1t.
Old kettles, boxes, or milk. 70
mato and kerosene cans. are being
used by the children as emergency
bird shelters. Elaborate houses, rus
tic limitations of hollow limbs, and
neatly furnished apartments are also
being planned. All must be made
cat-proof, and should face to the
south or west If possible. The feath-
rearing their families in the spring
will be particular in their tastes. II
they find no promising spot for a
hcme in any locality, they will pass
on AMI leaves its fields and gardens
at the mercy of the insects. The
children are urged to the immediate
bui ling of houses for this seasons
bird families. because seasoned and
weather-beaten structures most
quickly tempt the birds when spring
moving day comes.
Ornithologists declare that the
march of civilization has robbed mil
lions of useful, as well as slightly and
tuneful, birds of their old-time facili-
ties for home making. Sheltering
tree trunks are being laid low every
year over hundreds of acres. The
old-fashioned structures, where birds
might flock under open caves, are be-
ing replaced by modern roofs that
shut out bird life. Whole races, like
the chimney swifts, are being de-
prived of their shelter In the big,
old-style chimnies.
S1ch conditions, combined with lax
laws for spring shooting and pot
hunting, may drive the valuable in
sent eaters to extinction. It will be
the children's work to house the
evicted birds at the time when they
not only rear their young, but eat
most copiously of the insect crop-de-
stroyers.
THE children are now the great
factor in this economic movement"
said William butcher, president Of
the National Association of Audubon
Societies. Not only their patriotism
but the self-interest of every one Of
tsei- parents is the motive for pre-
venting the extinction of the beauti-
full and highly vauable birds of this
cou- .ry. We are calling on Con-
gres the State Legislatures. and on
every adult body to help; but l be-
lieve the work of the school children
will accomplish more than than all
the other methods combined. 1t is
a fine chance for every boy and girl
to d } something for his village, State,
and The country at large, and l know
they will not neglect to do their
part. Save the birds is the motto
and rAllying cry"