496 Bird -Lore 



amount of writing to school-superintendents, teachers, and others, asking for 

 assistance in our efforts, is very great. 



I find that very few Junior Classes are formed until after the Teachers' 

 Conference, held late in November, and the larger part are organized in the 

 spring, when nature-study is especially emphasized in the Virginia schools. 

 I was invited to Williamsburg in the first week of October, and spoke for two 

 days before a joint session of the Teachers' and Farmers' Conference of three 

 districts in that part of the state. Superintendent Jones obtained the use of a 

 moving-picture hall, and I gave afternoon and evening talks to farmers, school- 

 children, college students, and the general public. I exhibited, on these occa- 

 sions, the beautiful colored lantern-slides of birds issued by the National 

 Association ; slides loaned me by Chief Forester Graves, and those illustrating 

 the life-history of several insects, made by Mrs. Slingerland and loaned to me 

 by Dr. L. O. Howard, of the Department of Agriculture. These slides added a 

 great deal of interest to my lectures, and I thank these gentlemen for their 

 assistance. The hall was crowded. 



As Chairman of the Bird Department of the Virginia Federation of 

 Woman's Clubs, I attended the general conference, and offered a resolution 

 that we send in a petition to the General Assembly of Virginia for the crea- 

 tion of a State Game Commissioner. This was unanimously agreed to, and 

 circulars were printed and sent at once to our fifty-three clubs, to secure signa- 

 tures, and to be returned by January i. The committee was composed of 

 Mrs. G. G. Temple, Danville; Mrs. William Engles, Radford; Miss Annie 

 White, Lexington; Mrs. J. R. Pretty, Keysville; and Miss Katharine H. 

 Stuart, Chairman. The club-women endorsed it, and worked hard throughout 

 the state for the White-Hart bill. At the Teachers' Conference, held at the 

 same time in Lynchburg, I spoke before the rural department, urging the 

 teachers to organize Junior Clubs. On my return, I attended the conference of 

 teachers, principals and superintendents, at Round Hill and Winchester. 

 After my address, strong appeals were made by several of the principals 

 present, urging the teachers to aid in this important work. I visited three of 

 the state normal schools, and gave talks. In my trips through the state, at 

 hotels and boarding-houses, I generally had a good chance to put in the hand 

 of someone a leaflet, often to change the attitude of a chance acquaintance, 

 who will carry the message to some distant state. 



The annual meeting of the Virginia Audubon Society, held in Richmond 

 in November, found many changes. The women of this state started this 

 movement, and have conducted it up to the present time, under their Presi- 

 dents, Mrs. Moses D. Hoge, and Mrs. William Harris, both prominent in social 

 and literary circles in Richmond. M. D. Hart, of Ashland, who had been 

 Treasurer since the organization of the society, was unanimously elected 

 President, and Mrs. R. B. Smithey, also of Ashland, was chosen Secretary. 

 We feel sure, therefore, that the future for Audubon work in Virginia, is 



