Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-03-19
Our Friends Of the Woods and Fields.

Our Friends Of the Woods and Fields.
A cause which received little press
attention was given brief hearing be-
fore the committee on education at
the State House last Wednesday. 1t
was represented by Mrs. S. A. Stevens,
president Of the Maine Humane So
ciety. and Miss Mabel Daveis of Port
land, both of whom spoke in behalf of
an act providing that a definite num-
Der of hours be set aside each week in
the lower grade schools for the i'm
parting Of the great principles of
kindness to birds and animals. The
act which they gave support was Sem
ate PA amending chapter 16. of the
Revised Statutes of 1916, making the
time devoted to intoxicating humane
attributes one-half hour each week in
stead of ten minutes.
To our mind the need is greater to
instill in the minds of teachers lik
ing for the subject. then for stipula-
tons regarding time devoted thereto.
The average child is there" just
where we could most desire in natural
tenderness, but some of tnem have
been brutalized by environment, and
example at home. The average child
is ready to absorb, almost greedily,
any suggestion toward closer friend
ships with the little people of the
woods and fields. They enter gladly
into the spirit of giving personification
to the animals and birds. The
imagination of the average child has
not been depraved by practical af-
fairs. and is ready to enter common
brotherhood with those who cannot
spetl, in defense of themselves.
II the Little Stories for Bedtime"
written By Thornton w. Burgess
could be read in the lower grades of
the schools every day. we believe no
other work with teachers or scholars
would be necessary. Five minutes
day in the reading of this continued
story of animals and birds, supple
mcnted by occasional personal remi-
niscences by the teacher or relation
Of incidents by scholars would work
marvels. So far as we are concerned,
VIC would much prefer that child
know what to do for the broken wing
OF bird friend (and have real SYM
apthy for the sufferer) than to be able
to give the name of the longest river
In the world. or even to repeat the
capitals of the states of the Union.
OF course many children have been
given false notions concerning the
usefulness and destructiveness of
various birds and animals, that must
be met and refuted. They have been
given many silly prejudices that have
come down from other generations;
generations that have slaughtered
myriads of their useful feathered and
furred friends. The crow is an ex-
ample and, we are convinced, the Eng
lish sparrow is another. We are
radical enough to believe that the
crusade for the slaughter of sparrows
Is not only an industrial menace for
the immediate future but that it men,
aces the morality of the rising genera
ton. We would have it suppressed as
II it were small pox.
OF course in connection with Great
ing friendships between our boys and
girls and the birds and animals, great
care should be exercised in setting
forth natural history facts. A work is
underway today that should have been
instituted when the Pilgrim Fathers
landed. but our insight at this time
while an indication of the general
overturning in human affairs and
grasp Of things. promises to make
rapid progress. The commercial in
sanity still has a tremendous grip on
humanity and it pirates of practical"
things and sneers at the sentimental,
but people of broad mind and sympa-
thy and remembrance of His teach
ings of Love and Justice in all things,
and that He notes even the sparrow's
fall. are working patiently to lead the
young into a broader field.
We commend the splendid efforts of
humane organizations and hope that
the Legislature will remember that the
really big things of this life and the
life to come are not commercial or
practical"