The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-04-16
More Than $50 Houses, Made
by Boys, on Exhibit.
WOmen'S Club Contest Brings
Out Wonder Designs.
SOME ARE MADE OF GLASS
Others Are Luxurious Apart
ments of StuccO.
Prizes Will Be Announced To-
morrow or Wednesday.

Houses to rent houses to let and
houses for sale are on the market in
Topeka now. Glass houses, log cab
ins. stucco apartments and tin pago-
dss are all open for inspection at the
bid house contest exhibit in Fuller
toh Bros store: Wrens have been esc
pecially invited. Whole colonies of
nIpdern bungalows are offered for
merely a song Martins woodpeckers,
bfhebirds, orioles and even owls have
every one been invited to Topeka.
Zach bird house was built especially
for ore bird and each has its appeal
ing points All are strictly modern,
intluding the latest styles and fads,
aud cheap-so they are recorded on
tho books of the hopeful bird fanciers.
Bhth ingenuity and skill of the con-
tractors are seen in every entry of the
exhibit
More than three hundred and fifty
school children have spent their spare
n4ments for the last two weeks. build
iTfg the latest and most appealing
houses for the birds that are seen
coming thru Topeka Every entrant
insists that his or her house is a prize
wtnner, if for no other reason than
thft its owner male it. Judging start
ef this afternoon but swamped with
sos many entries the judges will not
bG able to announce a single prize
wh1ner until Tuesday or Wednesday.
The Points of Merit.
BPoints taken into consideration in
aWarding the prizes will be construc-
tipn, utility and general appearance
Many will be thrown out on account
Cd the utility clause. Placing the en-
trance too near the floor, loose joints
which permit drafts to come in on the
eggs, and too much light are among
the most striking faults of the ex-
hfbit None will be thrown out on
tIte basis of general appearance as all
are of exceptional, neatness.
Elsach school has kept it's entries to-
gether and separate from those of
Other schools. A series of tables have
been arranged and above each is the
name of the school represented by the
Contractors" Mckinley school has
eptered sixty-three houses. the great
ed number entered from any one in
st3tutiOn and Branner holds the low
mark record with only one entry.
Other schools have contributed fol-
lows:
Summer, 10; Clay. %: Monroe, 10;
Garfield. IL; Grant, "a; State, IS;
Ldwman, "a; Washington, 20; Lin
coin. 8; Buchanan, Is; Harrison, 4;
Assumption, 4 Polk, -; Van Buren,,
y Quincy. 8; Central Park. "a; Pot
wts1 81. Grant holds the highest pre-
sent percentage with a mark of 100
p&' cent.
Some Houses Poor.
Instructions approved by Howard
Baynes, who lectured here some time
e. go, were sent. out to the instructor
of every school. These explained the
scientific side of bird house building
but seem to have grossly neglected in
the supervision. In spite of careful
ami explicit directions. houses have
been entered that are absolute failures
and will never attract birds, according
toys. S. Estey, who has been a bird
fapcier for the last ten years.
The show has been larger this year
than ever before, according to Mrs. S.
AZ Thurston, who is in charge of the
exhibit. More real work and thought
has been spent on the contesting
houses than any of tn eofficials had
dared to hope for. Originality is the
Keynote of the success. In one cor
nsr, a small bungalow for wrens in
aIlother large Presbyterian church
for martins; then in still another
ttere is low southern mansion for
mare martins, Then in the midst of
all the tables there is a large glass
eating house, ii trays, porcelain
dishes, twigrperehes and ALL
$3.50 Iany. Materials Used.
Tin fca11s, -feally buckets. glass Jars,
kmchen Hnoleum have all been en-
pHoyed along with real shingles. STAIN
ed glass windows and genuine stucco.
ChHpneys,t front doors and front
PQrches have all been remembered by
the young architects. Summer cot
tages with direct ventilation down to
olb and polished floors and to old hol-
loSved-out logs have found a place H.
the contest Some are stained-either
green or brown which are both out
dqor colors-and some are plain
wPody color. Never was such a con-
gbmeration of bird houses offered to
tie bird citizens. A house for every
bird Of every variety will be provided
and the spring migration will end in
Topeka for many thousands of birds
tfiat have formerly gone to the rural