BIRD NOTES AND NEWS. 



past, for dealing with real things, and throw- 

 ing the children upon their own powers of 

 observation and resource. The competition 

 was good because in it the children were 

 writing of things with which they were 

 acquainted, and not simply abstract things. 

 Addresses were also given by Miss Stancomb 

 Wills, of Blagdon, who presented the prizes 

 and medals, and by the Vicar (Rev. F. A. 

 Mather), who presided, and who congratulated 

 Mr. Mansey on the high position taken by the 

 school. The school band led the procession 

 to the Friends' Meeting House, where the 

 gathering was held. 



COUNTY COMPETITIONS. 



Bedfordshire. — There was an overflow- 

 ing audience at Norlhill School, on Decem- 

 ber 12th, when the Bedfordshire Shield 

 and prizes were handed to the winning team 

 by Mr. A. Ransom, who cordially congratu- 

 lated teachers and scholars. The room was 

 decorated, and the senior girls were dressed 

 in white with trails of ivy and holly. The 

 children gave an entertainment of songs and 

 recitations ; the report was read by the 

 master, Mr. Evason ; and speeches were made 

 by Mr. Spooner, Director of Education for 

 the County, and Mr. Vincent, one of the 

 managers, who presided. The day was also 

 marked by the erection on the school of a 

 flag-staff and fittings, given by Captain 

 Tippinge, R.N., and Mr. Thomson. 



Other competing schools have likewise 

 had pleasant festivities. 



Buckinghamshire. — Ellesborough School 

 had a most successful festival on Nov- 

 ember 27th, when the Shield and prizes 

 were presented by Lady Alexandrina Cun- 

 liffe, in the Parish Hall, in the presence of 

 a large gathering. Mr. C. G. Watkins, 

 Secretary to the County Education Com- 

 mittee, complimented the school on the high 

 honour it had won, and on its general state 

 of efficiency, specially thanking Miss May 

 Couper, hon. correspondent of the school, 

 for the interest she took in its welfare. The 



Rev. R. C. Clarke, Rector of the parish, was 

 in the chair, and in his opening remarks he 

 strongly deprecated the use of birds in 

 millinery. The children went through a 

 good programme of songs and recitations, 

 having reference to birds and trees, under 

 the head master (Mr. Arnold). The team 

 was photographed, and a fine English oak 

 was planted in the grounds adjoining the 

 Hall, under the superintendence of the head 

 gardener of Ellesborough House. 



At Hambleden the certificate of excel- 

 lence and awards were presented by Lady 

 Esther Smith, and the Hon. W. F. Smith, 

 M.P., expressed his sympathy with the move- 

 ment, and his delight that Hambleden School 

 had adopted the scheme and taken so high 

 a place. Several trees were planted, and a 

 Christmas tree was unloaded of presents. 

 Noteworthy festivals were also held at 

 Prince's Risborough, where no fewer than 

 30 essays had been written for the com- 

 petition ; at Quainton, where Lady Verney con- 

 ducted the tree-planting; and at other centres. 



Cumberland. — Lord Morpeth, M.P., and 

 Canon Rawnsley were the chief speakers 

 and the tree-planters at Kirkoswald. Lord 

 Morpeth, in formally presenting the Shield 

 and prizes, said they were all agreed that 

 children ought to be encouraged to study 

 Nature, and to learn to see what was around 

 them. In towns the work was more difficult, 

 but they would be astonished to know how 

 many different birds were to be found even 

 in London. The study of bird and animal 

 life made country fife much brighter, and 

 more might well be done in England in grow- 

 ing suitable trees. He hoped many more 

 schools in Cumberland would take up the 

 work. Canon Rawnsley, in dealing with the 

 great value of such training, thought the head 

 master, Mr. Bradwell, must be the proudest 

 man in the room in having done what he had 

 for Kirkoswald. 



Greystoke, St. John's, Keswick, Cargo and 

 other schools likewise duly celebrated Arbor 

 Day. 



