The Falls City tribune., 1909-07-23
CHILDREN RALLY FOR BIRDS.
Army of Young Americans Forming
to Protect Songsters.

New York, July l9:-To enlist all
American boys and girls in one great
child army to guard the bird resour-
ees of their country, is the object
of a campaign that has been begun
in this city today. Under the diree.
ito of the Natioal Associatio of
Audubon societies, it is planned 10
try 10 reach every one OF the TWEEN
" million school children scattered
over the continent and form them
into an active and united fighting
force for the feathered crop guards
whose butchery is threatening the
agricultural wealth of coming gener-
atoms. Already it is reported that
the children Of many states are en-
rolling in the ranks of this national
array of boys and girls on whom the
Audubon officials base their bright
est hopes of future protection for the
birds.
To muster the children of the south
into the a guard of this boy and
girl army T. Gilbert Pearson, secre-
tary of the Audubo associatio, has
today gone to Knoxville, where he
will lecture to several thousand teach
ers at their summer school on the re-
lation of birds to agriculture and the
best methods of teaching this impor-
tant subject in schools. With an en-
dowment of 800, 600, which it is hoped
may be obtaied from the Peabody
Fund next fall, this branch of educa-
ton will be pushed and extended
throughout the southern states till
every child in this section has be-
come an active advocate of the prop
er protection of its valuable bird re-
sources.
From Ohio it is reported today
that the boys of Cincinnati are al.
ready heading an extensive child
movement In that state by building
1900 houses for the birds who sadly
hNNo 'h'ii oilClttl III tiG DdIhS. Ill
stead of robbing birds nests of their
eggs, these boys as well as many
others throughout the country are
now interested in the equally inter-
esting occupation of making and plac-
ing these bird shelters in the trees
where they will be %patronized by the
native f1oA1, C,aL .-I - -
done in Germany for a long time with
splendid results.
On the Pacific coast and i'm Eng
land the children are now ready to
organize for the work of guarding
their birds in which their elders are
actively interested. In New York
state hundreds of thousands of school
children are known to be eager to
enlist. The boys and girls of Illinois
are also reported to be preparing to
make up a large section of the young
army. Thousands Of pamphlets show.
ing the children the uses and habits
of over sixty American bird species
have been distributed in schools over
the entire country by the National
societies during the past year in pre-
paration for this movement by Amer
lean boys and girls. If sufficient
funds become available for this edu
cational campaign it is planned to
spread the knowledge of every bird
in the land in this way to every
school house ON the continent.
Eve must depend on the little
folks to take up this battle for the
birds which we have waged for many
years all over the country says
William butcher, president of the
National Association of Audubon So
~cieties at its headquarters, 141 Broad
way, today. Besides the great senti-
mental interests which the children
take in the f%eathered songsters of
their home country, they must be
taught to realize that their native
land will become barren in a few gen
erations If the insect-eating birds are
not protected and increased. This
is a great and vital work of national
education and we hope to rally thous-
andc nf narantc 70 tic antiya Cnpp.