Reports of Field Agents 397 



a stereopticon and in these I use the Educational Leaflets for illustrations. 

 The past winter was so severe I was not able to visit as many schools as planned, 

 for little folks in the country do not get to the schools in stormy weather. 



Many schools are so hidden away from the main thoroughfares I have to 

 hunt for them, but it pays, as I am frequently the only visitor they have ever 

 had and the enthusiasm is greater than in many places where there are outside 

 interests. Some schools have only a few pupils, as low as 15, many times 

 only 25 or 30 are found. I have to travel many miles to reach as many as I 

 would in one city school. However, I am able to do that as the Long Island 

 Bird Club furnished me a car which I have used since weather permitted, and 

 am able to visit several places in one day, instead of one, thus saving time and 

 energy, too. I had my first headquarters at Oyster Bay and visited schools 

 within a radius of thirty miles. 



During the winter I was in Hempstead and could not get so far afield on 

 account of the storms. Later I located in Riverhead and was busy there until 

 the schools closed in June. I returned to Oyster Bay at the request of one of 

 the members who asked me to speak to some of the little folks there during 

 the summer. This I did, as well as speaking in the Parish House. I have been as 

 far as Orient on the north shore of Long Island and East Hampton on the south 

 shore. I am planning to take the territory around Patchogue, where I was not 

 able to go last winter. 



I have spoken in Oyster Bay, Huntington, Manhasset, Roslyn, Riverhead, 

 Greenport, Massapequa, Seaford, Malverne, Valley Stream, Westbury, Long 

 Beach, Hicksville, Locust Valley, Southold, Northport, Mineola, Oceanside, 

 and many small towns and hamlets not to be found on any railroad. I some- 

 times have to drive thirty to forty miles to find a tiny school hidden away 

 on some side road. It is not hard to get into the schools, but is it hard to get 

 away. 



REPORT OF FRANCES A. HURD, SCHOOL SECRETARY 

 FOR CONNECTICUT 



Connecticut schools began early last fall to take advantage of the oppor- 

 tunity the National Association offers to Junior Audubon Classes, and both 

 superintendents and teachers seconded the efforts of your agent throughout 

 the state. The year's record greatly exceeds that of former years, 514 Junior 

 Audubon Classes, having been organized with a membership of 16,254. The 

 requests for public addresses have been frequent. Over 300 illustrated talks 

 to about 35,000 pupils were given during the year. Letters from teachers and 

 pupils show that a keener interest than ever is being taken in bird-study, more 

 field-work is being done, and more accurate observations are made. One teacher 

 wrote, "It is most gratifying to notice the increased interest and love for birds 

 among children" and this from a locality where the work was greatly needed. 



