Evening star., 1911-06-03
WRITING FOR PRIZES
School Children Discoursinq
on Humanity to Animals.
MANY ESSAYS ENTERED
Awards Will Be Made on the Clos,
ing Day, June 81.
BANDS OF MERCY FORMED
About 1000 Children in the Grades
Organized In Over
900 Branches.
MANY ESSAYS ENTERED
BANDS OF MERCY FORMED

competitive essays. with 500 as tho total
Of prizes, for which children of the public
schools are contesting. The prizes are to
be awarded at the closing exercises. which
will be held June q.
Walter Stilson Hutchins. president of
the Washington Humane Society, will
probably make the awards. The lucky
essayists will probably be assembled at
one OF the schools in order that the dis
tribution may be made at one time. The
prizes will be in gold coin.
The aim OF this competition is to incul-
cate in the growing generation-prospec-
tive owners or custodians OF horses, dogs
and other domestic animals-the princi
Piles OF humanity to the beast. The in
terest excited by participation in the
contest. 1t is hoped. will establish in the
youthful mind sense of consideration
for helpless living things that will never
fade from memory. and still actuate the
conduct Of the adult in later life.
Donors Of the Prizes.
| The Washington Humane Society con-
tributes $40 to the prize money. A like
| sum Is donated by tho will Of the late
John B. Taylor.
The bequest provided that the $50
should be divided into two prizes Of $40
and $40. or that the money should be
applied to some other purpose by the
Washington Humane Society. The chill.
the white schools are competing for these
awards Already 2SS essays are entered
in this contest.
The contribution of the Humane So
ciety, in like amount. has been divided
| into six prizes Of s. each. This compe-
| tition Is open to colored children OF the
sixth. seventh and eighth grades and to
the classes Of the frst three years IN the
colored high schools.
In the white schools the prize OF $40 Is
offered to contestants in the eighth grade,
and the $40 prize to those of the seventh
grades in the coiored graded schools and
the three classes Of the high schools. IS
is offered to the successful contestants.
Contest Closes June 10.
The essays have been coming in for
some months. The contest will close
June TO- BY a process of elimination.
only the best essays will survive the
scrutiny Of class teachers. school prin-
cipals and supervising principals Of divi-
sions.
Those essays that cave escaped this
weeding-out process will be submitted to
a committee of the Washington Humane
Society. which will make the decision and
select the prize winners: The commit
tee, as selected by the Washington
Humane Society. is composed Of Medical
Director John c. Wise. Mrs: Ira E. Ben
nett and Miss Mary Harold.
School Bands Of Mercy.
Another activity of the Washington
Humane Society that is gaining much
headway In the public schools Is the or
ganization OF Bands Of Mercy. Already
about $4,000 children in the graded
schools are enrolled. The 1900 children
enrolled comprise the members of 75o
Bands Of Mercy in about 100 white
schools and about 200 Bands Of Mercy in
46 colored schools. Every school in the
District has been organized.
Two organizers are occupied constantly
in promoting the interest of school chill
dren in this movement. Through the
|co-operation of Supt. Stuart these organ
izers lecture before the classes. organize
bands and set them upon their way to
promote the welfare OF dumb animals.
visits the white schools. Mrs Emma D.
Wormley, a former teacher in the public
schools, undertakes the task of organic
ing bands of mercy among the colored
children. All grades in the graded
schools. excepting the kindergarten, are
proselyted.
How horses and dogs and other animals
feel pain and suffer. anu are unable to
tell Of their miseries is the lesson in
culcated by the organizers. Then the
children are taught that 1t is the duty
Of children and men and women to be
kind to dumb beasts and to have con-
sideration for all living things. Litera-
| ture containing stories about animals Is
distributed.
The children elect their own president
and secretary. At intervals each band
meets, listens to stories about animals,
perhaps told to them by their teachers
| or q recital of experiences Of the chill
| dren themselves. Our Dumb Animals.
| a periodical which is sent by the Humane
| Society to each band, also affords enter
tainment for their meetings.
Preparing for Next Year.
School meetings of Bands Of Mercy
are to be promoted next year by the
Humane Society, with the acquiescence
of the school authorities. Bands of
Mercy in each school are to be brought
together in a general school organiza-
ton, with officers.
On a portion of day to be set apart
the Bands of Mercy of school are to
be assembled in the school assembly
some one prominently interested In the
principles OF humanity to animals. This
duty may devolve upon President Hutch
ms, or some other officers of the Humane
Society, or the organizer.
The children are under no expense
as members of the Bands OF Mercy. The
roster book, the cards of membership,
the periodical. Our Dump Animals. and
other literature. is distributed TO them
without charge
NrnCDAY CTATEBC nIYTTCc