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Bird Notes and News 



Bird-and-Tree (Arbor) Day. 



The number of Bird-and-Tree Festivals or 

 " Arbor Days " is now so large that it is 

 not possible to record many of them in 

 Bird Notes and News, but effort will always 

 be made to mention any special or novel 

 forms of festivity of which reports are sent. 

 The Festivals practically range over the 

 whole year, some of them taking place 

 immediately the results are made known, 

 while others are postponed to Valentine's 

 Day or Easter, or St. George's Day or 

 Whitsuntide, or even until Midsummer. 



Something must, however, be said of the 

 celebration at Wolverton St. Mary's School, 

 Bucks, where the Inter-County and County 

 Shields were presented by Mrs. J. M. Knapp, 

 of Linford Hall. A concert, ably arranged 

 by Miss Fryer (Head Teacher) was combined 

 with the prize distribution, and the interest 

 in the proceedings was so great that many 

 were unable to crowd into the room. The 

 Education Secretary for the County, Mr. C. 

 G. Watkins, who has always given encourage- 

 ment and support to the scheme, presided, 

 and in his speech referred to the great 

 value of Nature Study in the education of 

 children — its importance in cultivating the 

 power of observation, in developing a love 

 for the beauties of nature, and in raising the 

 mind to what is highest and noblest. He 

 thought that children who received such 

 training would not in future derive their 

 sole recreation and amusement from the 

 picture-palace, but would be seen in wood 

 and field, enjoying the songs of the birds 

 and the loveliness of trees and flowers. 

 Some people had the idea that children 

 came to school merely to learn to read and 

 write and earn their living ; but he main- 



tained that the ideal was to teach them how 

 to live happy and beautiful lives. 



At Exford, the Festival which celebrated 

 the winning of the Somerset Shield took 

 place under some disadvantages, including a 

 wet day. Nevertheless, the prize-giving, tea 

 and entertainment were very successful. 

 Mrs. Bellew presented the Shield and prizes 

 and also gave four special prizes to leading 

 cadets, while the Head Master, Mr. Brambley, 

 gave a useful volume to each member of 

 the Team. Among the children present 

 were three Belgian refugees, who cheered as 

 heartily as their English comrades ; and 

 among the messages received by the School 

 were heartiest congratulations from the 

 Rev. W. New (who recently left the parish), 

 and from " Old Birds and Trees," some of 

 whom are now among the forty men from 

 this little village who are serving their 

 King and country. The Rev. A. C. Came, 

 Rector, presided, and said that, though 

 almost a stranger to them, he was proud 

 of the Team's success. On later dates, an 

 oak sapling, given by one of the cadets, was 

 planted in the rectory garden, and two 

 trees in the master's garden, to the singing 

 of the Planting Hymn. 



St. Peter's Girls' School, Bournemouth, 

 winners of the Second Prize for Hampshire, 

 held Festival on January 18th, when the 

 Vicar, Rev. Canon Daldy, presided and 

 read the report, and Mrs. Daldy presented 

 the prizes and medals. The girls gave an 

 attractive concert, a feature of which was 

 a cantata, " Robin's Remedy," made 

 additionally appropriate by some clever 

 interpolations bearing on Bird Protection. 

 Extra prizes were given by the School 



