Reports of Field Agents 



497 



secure. I wrote at once for instructions and found that the work had been 

 divided into departments, which will make it much easier. I attended the 

 National Educational Congress and did some work of a national character, 

 meeting many educators from all parts of the Union. 



In January I went to southwestern Virginia to spend four weeks giving 

 illustrated talks before schools, clubs, normal schools, and the general public. 

 This is a growing and prosperous section of the state, and a new field for our 

 Audubon work. In East Radford, Mr. Witt, Superintendent of Schools, 



MISS KATHARINE H. STUART, FIELD AGENT FOR VIRGINIA, WITH COMPANIONS, 

 PREPARING TO PRESENT A PETITION TO THE VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE 



obtained the use of a moving-picture hall, and I gave a course of daily talks. 

 The Teachers' Conference of the Ninth and Tenth Districts was also in ses- 

 sion, and I spoke on the importance of bird-protection and the need of a State 

 Game Commissioner. In the morning, I gave an illustrated talk to the four 

 or five hundred teachers present, using bird-skins, nests and eggs, insects, 

 cocoons, etc. I carry these specimens in a case, which I call my "wonder box," 

 and it is astonishing to see what pleasure these simple things give, not only 

 to the children, but to the teachers as well, as they may be readily collected 

 by any teacher, and used in her school-room to assist in quickening the minds 

 of dull pupils, and to awaken an interest in nature-study. On this trip I visited 

 East Radford, Radford, Christiansburg, Roanoke, Lynchburg, Charlottes- 



