The Audubon Societies 



321 



THE JUNIOR COMPETITION 



Early in April of this year, the Secretary 

 of the National Association sent to all 

 teachers or leaders of Junior Classes a 

 letter ofifering twenty prizes for the best 

 and most interesting photographs of 

 Junior Audubon Classes received at this 

 office before June i, 1915. It was requested 

 that, in addition to suitable labeling, a 

 brief account of the class, what it had 

 accomplished, the influence it had ex- 

 erted, and other interesting facts, should 

 accompany the photographs. Class- 

 leaders were reminded that the grouping 

 of children with bird-boxes, Audubon 

 bird-plates, or similar things in their 

 hands, is always pleasing; and that pic- 

 tures taken in the open are usually more 

 interesting than those taken indoors. 

 These photographs were to become the 

 property of this Association, and the right 

 was reserved to use the pictures and the 

 accompanying memoranda, wholly or in 

 part, for the benefit of readers of Bird- 

 Lore. It is desirable to do this in order 

 that all may know what others in our 

 great Junior College of Conservation are 

 doing. 



A large return has been received from 

 this appeal, which excited general and 

 eager interest, and a score of selected 

 photographs are now published, with an 

 indication of the prizes awarded. The 

 prizes offered were: 



Winners of Prizes 



First prize, ten dollars in cash; 2d, 3d, 

 4th and 5th prizes, either Chapman's 

 'Handbook of Birds of Eastern North 

 America,' or Merriam's 'Handbook of 

 Birds of the Western United States;' 

 six prizes of Reed's 'Guide to Land and 

 Water Birds East of the Rockies;' and 

 nine prizes of Pearson's 'Stories of Bird- 

 Life.' 



The first five awards are as follows: 

 First Prize. — Junior Audubon Class of 

 the West North Street School, Canton, 

 Ohio, Miss Mary King, Leader. 



Second Prize. — Junior Audubon Class, 

 Wyncote, Pennsylvania. 



Third Prize. — Merrimac Girls, Merri- 

 mac, Massachusetts. 



Fourth Prize. — Junior Audubon Class, 

 Nashua, New Hampshire. 



Fifth Prize. — Hospital Open- Air Class, 

 Buffalo, New York. 



Notes from Prize-Winners 



That the club at the head of this list 

 holds a prize lot of boys and girls may be 

 seen by the picture reproduced on page 320. 

 The number of bird-boxes the boys are 

 carrjdng is noticeable; but particularly 

 commendable, and of much weight in 

 deciding the award to this photograph of 

 the first prize, was the practical excellence 

 of all the boxes. Canton ought to enjoy 

 an extraordinary population of friendly 

 birds this year. 



"April," writes the teacher who con- 

 ducts this vigorous class, "was the 'Month 

 of Birds' at West North Street School. 

 During the spring vacation, Wren and 

 Bluebird houses to the number of one 

 hundred and thirty were placed in yards 

 adjoining the homes of the members. 

 These houses had been built by the older 

 boys, each one making two, so that the 

 girls also might enjoy the society of bird- 

 families near their homes. For Bird 

 Month each school-room displayed pic- 

 tures of birds. Many were those sent 

 with the leaflets, and painted by the pupils 

 themselves. The halls also were decorated, 

 each room taking a section and trying 

 to outdo the others in the originality of 

 their decorations. The effect was very 

 pleasing. 



"Birds are studied in all departments of 

 the school. The pupils in the upper grades 

 used the pictures of the Educational Leaf- 

 lets of this and former years in the lan- 

 tern, and each one gave us a talk about his 

 bird as it appeared on the screen. Mon- 

 day morning is the most interesting time 

 of all, as so many birds have been observed 

 during the two preceding holidays, and 

 everyone is anxious to hear the new re- 

 ports and to add new birds to their list. 

 This led to our boys being invited to 

 speak to the boys and girls in other build- 

 ings, and tell them why and how birds 



