<h2>BIRDS IN THE SCHOOLS.</h2>
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<p>HE movement to protect the
birds of America and prevent
them from being transformed
into millinery in such prodigious
numbers, is having a marked
revival in many parts of the country,
especially in the state of New York.
In New York City there was recently
held a large public meeting, under the
auspices of the Audubon Society and
the American Museum of Natural History,
to protest against the wholesale
and indiscriminate destruction of
native birds for personal adornment.
State Superintendent of Schools Skinner
of that state has established a
“bird day” in the public schools in
connection with Arbor Day, in which
the pupils will be taught the great
value of birds to mankind. Mr. Skinner
also has in preparation a manual upon
the subject, 100,000 copies of which he
will have distributed among the New
York state schools.</p>
<p>Public ignorance regarding the
value of birds in the economy of nature
and especially to human life is so great
as to be almost incomprehensible. A
number of estimates recently made by
Morris K. Jesup, President of the American
Museum of Natural History, show
how important it is that a stronger
safe-guard, in the shape of public sentiment,
should be thrown about our
feathered benefactors. In a late interview
upon this subject, Mr. Jesup said:</p>
<p>“Among the birds most worn this
winter are the Herons, which are killed
for their aigrettes; the Terns, or Sea
Swallows and Gulls; in short mostly
marsh and maritime birds.” It is
known that the killing of a great
number of these shore birds has been
followed by an increase in human mortality
among the inhabitants of the
coast, the destroyed birds having formerly
assisted in keeping the beaches
and bayous free from decaying animal
matter. New Orleans had a plague of
bugs about the middle of September,
just when the yellow fever began, and,
strange as it may seem, the bugs
proved far more troublesome than the
disease, and certainly the annoyance
was more immediate. The people
called it a mystery, but the scientists
said it was merely the result of man’s
improvidence in destroying the birds.
The destruction has been going on in
Louisiana, particularly on the Gulf
coast, for years, and has been carried
on by professional hunters, who kill
the birds solely for millinery purposes.
Nature revenged herself on New
Orleans, as she will on every place
where birds are destroyed for fashionable
purposes.</p>
<p>Would it not be a good thing to
increase the intelligence of the present
and rising generation respecting the
value of birds by introducing into the
schools of every state in the Union the
idea which has been adopted by State
Superintendent Skinner? And we
respectfully suggest that the use of this
magazine by teachers, through the
wise co-operation of school boards,
everywhere, as a text book, would
quickly supply the knowledge of bird-life
and utility so sadly needed by the
community. We present some of the
innocent creatures each month in
accurate outline and color, and the
dullest pupil cannot fail to be impressed
by their beauty and the necessity for
their protection. “Our schools, public
and private, can hardly be criticised as
instructors in the common branches of
learning, but they could also teach the
rising generation the equally important
truths relating to the material world
with which we are encircled.” In Colorado
and in some other states Boards
of Education have supplied their
teachers with <span class="smcap">Birds</span> in sufficient quantities
to enable their pupils to study
the subjects in the most profitable
manner.<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 23em;" class="smcap">—C. C. Marble.</span></p>
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