The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-04-06

-~S'~'Ss'S ~''S'S
ready chosen the bluebird and the meadowlark.
When the smoke of political battle rolled away
the governor had, on April %. 1881, signed bill
officially installing the lark bunting.
"In Delaware the mockingbird made an IN
successful run for state honors against the
cardinal, which was selected by large majority
of those voting in the campaign organized by
Mrs. L. V. Atkins.
Sponsored by the Audubon Society of ST.
Petersburg, the vote for Floridas state bird was
active and interesting although overwhelmingly
for the mockingbird.
Running safely ahead of the red-headed wood
pecker and the purple martin, the brown thrasher
was chosen by the school children Of Georgia
In 1923. The campaign was inaugurated by the
Fifth District of the State Federation Of Wonl-
ems clubs and was sponsored by the Atlanta
Bird club and kindred groups
Interest in the campaign in Idaho ran high.
AS the state federation conservation chairman,
Mrs. E. H. Barton presented the western tanager
as the choice of the wOmen's clubs of the state.
But the children overruled her and in the balotng
the mountain bluebird meadowlark and robin
were favorites. The former led the field and
was generally endorsed, so Mrs. Barton fostered
official approval by the legislature and this be-
came law in 1881
I'm Illinois the state bird campaign developed
the meadowlark, song sparrow, wren and the
bobwhite as favortes. together with the catbird.
Mrs. ]. d. Mckinney of the state federation
sponsored bill for the catbird which, for some
reason emerged as a bill for the cardinal, which
was legally approved on June f. 1929.
Back in 1924 under the leadership of Miss
Madeleine Aaron, secretary of the Audubon
Society Of Kansas campaign was launched for
selection of state bird. Widespread publicity
was given and large vote was gotten out
giving the western meadowark a plurality of
some 121 900 votes over the other candidates.
James Lane Allen made the cardinal the
favored bird of Kentucky in his famous book
of that name, and 1t was both natural and in
evitable that it be established as the official
state bird. The 1926 session of the legislature
passed such a resolution, which approved
February II. 1926.
"The pelican was established as Louisiana's
state bird through the medium of the state seal,
which was formally designated in 1902 by the
then Governor Heard.
"Maine's legislators officially approved the
chickadee as the state bird in 1927 after cam
paign conducted by the State Federation of WOm-
ems clubs with the leadership Of Mrs. Carl E.
Kelley Clubs, schools and the state grange
joined In the balloting
ut may be said that Maryland was presented
with state bird nearly century and a half
before II became state. 1t is related that
George Calvert selected as the colors for his
coat OF arms the orange anu Dldch VI d Dcdutllul
bird that he found common among the trees.
century later Catesby, In the account of his
famous travels in Virginia and Carolina. called
this the Baltimore bird and from his descrip-
ton the great naturalist Linnaeus formally de-
scribed the bird in 1853. Ever since that time
the Baltimore oriole has been Maryland's state
bird.
From October 1928, to May 1929. the State
Audubon Society of Michigan conducted sys-
tematic campaign with the cooperation of the
press, libraries schools and many groups
total of 1S4 200 votes were cast. the robin lead
ing with a vote of 1854. The choice legal
lied on April 8, 1881.
Minnesota was faced with an embarrassment
of excellent candidates In its state bird vote
organized by Mrs Willard Bayliss, then president
of the State Federation of WOmens clubs. After
much publicity and substantial vote for the
geldfnch, it was selected
Debates in the schools, special club programs
and publicity attended Mississippis state bird
campaign conducted by Mrs. G. H. Reever, chair
man. which was made the outstanding work of
the conservation division of the state federation
in 1929. The mockingbird proved to be the
popular choice.