Putnam patriot., 1913-10-03
VALUE OF BIRDS
Destroy Your Friends at Your Peril
Children Should Be Taught This Subject

"Destroy the birds and human life on this planet must ceasein This is the startling statement made by one who has been giving the matter of birds and bird protection careful study. The birds kill the insects which destroy the crops and without with the army of pests, crops would be killed and there would be no food for man or beast. The proposition is simple enough and is absolutely true but how many people have given il thought. It is time that there was an awakening. The situation is already becoming alarming and millions of dollars are lost on account of the de- creasing number of birds. What can we do about il? Stop it. We can all help and we have been asked to help The State Fish and Game Commission are trying to protect bird life in this commonwealth and they ask the CO., operation of every man, woman, boy and girl. Cooperation never yet failed to bring results and it will not fail in this undert aking if properly organized. The place to begin is with the child at school. A few minutes once in while devoted to bird talks by the teacher can be made interesting, in- structive and produce untold good. Tell the children of the great value of the birds and then tell them how to protect and preserve them. Some thing is to be said in favor of every bird no matter how black he has been painted. It is an excellent rule to protect all birds and only to destroy those the best authorities condemn en- tirely. In case of doubt-spare the bird.
 Teach the children to look upon the birds as their charges. Let them nail suet upon trees in winter so the birds can get it. They love it and thrive on 1t. Let them scatter grain or crumbs In the winter see that the birds have a place to drink. Break the ice and put vessels of water in a warm nook, the birds will find it. Feed the cat so he wont hunt birds. He comes next to the weaze and is as noxious when gone wild. There are hundreds of things to teach the children that if carried out will be an indefinite help in the work. The National Bird Lore Magazine is devoted to bird life and contains much valuable information. IL would make good prize for some feature of the work in school.
 The farmer and his family should be taught that the birds are their greatest friends. They do more work for them than ali of the labor they hire and pay for and yet they seldom think of these willing little workers who are putting dollars ir their pockets. Why should they not be cared for and provided for? They ask no other wage but to be al lowed to live and they will go on kill ing the bugs and insects, the most try ing enemies on the farm. The matter is really reaching g serious stage. Mill lions of dollars are lost because bird life has decreased. Statistics show this. And the matter is growing worse from year to year. The longer it is al- lowed to go on the longer it will take to recover, so why not call the halt now. The good people of the state should need no urging. It is propo- sition that all can plainly understand and must admit to be true. The only question is: Do you wish your neigh bor to shoulder your burden for you or are you willing to do your share to protect yourself by protecting your smallest but best friends?
 A stereopticon lecture held in Pom- fret hall recently drew together gathering of children and parents. Ad- miral Goodrich of the Fish and Game Commission planned the affair. ItI was great success. The work will go on The children left with their minds full of ideas regarding the common birds seen every day that they had never thought of before. The next day when they saw the same birds they doubtless looked at them with different eyes. They knew something about them from even this short les son and they thought about them diff ferently. They were not flying targets for stones or other missiles. Their it. tie lives were precious to human be- ings as we'll as to themselves. They were to be watched over and tended with care for they were valuable as- set to mankind. The good that will flow from that lecture can not be esti- mated. So we say that the same seed can be planted in the minds of the children in the schools by their teach CTS, if little time is devoted to this important matter.
 P. K. s. Notes