The Audubon Societies 



277 



THE EDUCATION OF THE SHARP-EYES 



By MISS FAY A. USTICK 



SOME OF THE SHARP-EYES IX COLUMBUS 



The first part of this little history may 

 prove of interest to anyone who thinks 

 children of three and four years too young 

 to be taught to know birds, for the nucleus 

 of this flourishing little Audubon Society 

 was a class of six little kindergartners; 

 and let me say that, from the first, their 

 interest and enthusiasm have kept pace 

 with that of the older children. 



For a number of j'ears our study of 

 birds was 'language work.' We studied 

 flowers, insects, animals, and in fact all 

 life, but the children loved the 'birdies' 

 best. We have an advantage over city 

 children, for we live in a very beautiful 

 suburb where there are a great many forest 

 trees. The birds call back and forth all 

 day long. 



Through the winter of 1914-15 we had 

 been making birds of stiff paper. We 

 made the wings and tails separately. After 

 the birds were colored as naturally as 

 possible the wings and tails were pasted 

 on, and then the birds were suspended 

 from a hair-like wire that was stretched 

 across the room. A breeze would set them 

 fluttering. They delighted the children, 

 who worked indefatigably to make more 



birds. They would have made the same 

 birds over and over if they had been per- 

 mitted. 



In that way the children became ac- 

 quainted with the coloring of the Robin, 

 Bluebird, Cardinal, Scarlet Tanager, 

 White-throated Sparrow, Oriole, and most 

 of the common birds. After we had made 

 the Red-headed Woodpecker and the 

 Nuthatch, we fastened them on the cur- 

 tain in natural positions, the Nuthatch 

 with his head pointing downward. 



When spring came, it was just a step 

 to go out into the yard and listen and 

 watch until we knew which bird was 

 making the whistle we heard. At the age 

 of four, some of the children could imitate 

 the Cardinal almost perfectly, and loved 

 to do it. We were never too busy to stop 

 work and go out into the yard if we heard 

 a bird. 



In the spring of 1915 the offer of the 

 National Association of Audubon Societies 

 was brought to my attention. The leaf- 

 lets and buttons were sent for. They came. 

 They were so beautiful and instructive 

 that it seemed selfish to have them just 

 for the kindergarten children, so I offered 



