Evening star., 1921-07-13
At HEARING
BEFORE COMMITTEE
First Boy in History in Such a
RoIe-Urges Nature
Study.

For the first time in the history
of the United States government, as
call. boy had a hearing today be-
fore a congressional committee.
Jimmie" Bradley is the boy, and
he. on behalf of $4,000 school chill
dren and the John Burroughs Club.
urged that an appropriation be kept
for nature study work in the schools
here.
Jimmie. who presented the finding
of the famous owl jury to President
Harding last week spoke f9r 6;.tt;st ten
committee. He had letters of in
dorsement of nature study work
from Vice President Coolidge. Gen.
John ]. Pershing. Senator Capper.
Senator Moses, P. S. Ridsdale, sec
sociation; Capt James F. Oyster of
the District of Columbia Commits
sioners, Senator Cameron and Sena-
tor Pat Harrison. Representative
Focht, chairman of the COMMITTEES,
allotted Jimmie" the time for his
school budget. The board of edu-
cation is just completing it's budget
for the coming year. The committee
room was crowded when Jimmie de-
livered his speech to keep nature
study in the school course.
Judge Katherine Sellers was. one OF
those in the audience. and she was
introduced to Jimmie" by Represent
ative Focht. You are doing fine
work" said Judge Sellers, "and be-
lieve that nature study Is one OF the
most valuable things for children"
Underhill, all members of the District
committee, congratulated Jimmie on
his work "Come down to the noun
tains of Virginia" said Mr.. Wood, and
see some real nature"
Speech to Representatives..>
In his plea Jimmie" said:
"In view of the many new tins to
be asked for by the board Of educa-
tion of the District of Columbia for
the years 1922-1923, it is feared by
the John Burroughs Club of the Force
School that the request for an appro-
priation for nature work might pe
overlooked. The amount asked for In
the name of the $4,000 school children
of Washington is extremely small,
namely, the salary for one director.
and the sum Of $500 per annum Tor
supplies and labor and the main
tenance Of an automobile.
Congress is talking of adding to the
immense amount of park space in
Washington. Why, then. have all
these parks, filled with groves and
flowers, and streets lined with trees.
when our own citizens do not know
the difference between an elm and a
sycamore? What good does it do the
Washingtonians, who cannot tell one
bird from another. a violet from an
anemone, to have these lovely sur
roundings near them? None at all.
Thousands of dollars are spent yearly
for the upkeep of these nature Spots.
Why not. then, spend mere plttance
f,,f,,
Joy their advantages and nullify the
great amount of waste yearly! For
waste Rock Creek Park and all the
rest Of them are without nature
study in the schools.
Effect ON Children.
'To illustrate what effect has been
made on school children. Last year
boys and girls staged an exhibit for
a month at the J. o. Wilson Normal
suit of this the whole exhibit was
taken to the University Of Virginia
for q summer course. I have here a
folder sent throughout the country by
the American Forestry Association.
telling about the exhibit. which will
pictures taken of charts at the normal
school And a map showing the ma
tional effect of the exhibit.
TN 1920 1858 home gardens were
planted by School cnlldren. CARING
for the use Of 100000 packages of
seeds, which were purchased by them.
and 500 boys took the elementary
agricultural course.
1T interviewed many prominent men
on this subject and they expressed
a personal interest in the matter and
gave me letters indorsing the nature
work in the schools, copies Of which
I-fiave here to present to you.
This work has been directed for
fifteen years by Mrs. Susan 8. Alburtis
and at personal outlay by her.
why should work, SO well founded;
be destroyed because of the lack Of
small amount Of money? Gentle
men. II there is any among you who
still doubts the value Of the nature
studies. the reading of President
Harding's letter is enough to carry
conviction to the mind Of any one
nay. even the last sentence alone, in
which he says: l.
"T hope you will continue your
nature studies and that later on,
when you all become men and women,
you will be as much disposed to ap-
ply the rules Of equity and justice
As you have been in this case
SSTA sv.